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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is less expensive and offers a larger screen, making it suitable for general use such as browsing and office applications. It's also lighter and has a reasonable battery life, adding to its portability. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard is more costly but delivers far superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming, thanks to a more powerful processor and graphics card. Its stronger build, higher color accuracy, and faster refresh rate make it ideal for engineering and gaming but at the cost of being heavier and having a shorter battery life. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 5 17
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The MSI GP66 Leopard offers a higher screen refresh rate and a more powerful GPU with the Nvidia RTX 3080, which are very important for fluid and highly-detailed gaming, as well as 3D tasks, compared to the Acer Aspire 5 17 which has a lower refresh rate and an integrated GPU that is less capable for these demands. Although the Acer has a larger screen, the MSI's superior GPU and CPU also contribute to its better gaming and 3D performance, making it a better choice for those priorities, despite the possibility of a higher cost.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics are less powerful than the MSI GP66 Leopard's Intel i7 and Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics, which are more suitable for demanding engineering and design applications. Additionally, the MSI GP66 Leopard has double the RAM and a higher refresh rate screen, which contribute to its superior performance, though at the cost of heavier weight and lower portability compared to the Acer.
Screen Quality
6.2
7.5
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's lower resolution and limited brightness can suffice for everyday tasks and some engineering applications but falls short for gamers who require high refresh rates for smooth visuals. The MSI GP66 Leopard, with a brighter and more vibrant display, caters well to engineers and designers needing accurate color representation but doesn't meet the high refresh rate demands of 3D gaming. Gamers and 3D professionals should seek out laptops with displays designed for high refresh rates, critical for fluid motion and fast-paced action.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Build Quality
6.5
8.0
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$700
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is equipped with a competent CPU and an ample amount of RAM for general tasks, combined with a large screen and clear IPS display, but is more portable with longer battery life compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which although less portable, includes a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, plus a high-quality screen geared toward intense workloads and gaming. While the Aspire is lighter with better battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use, the MSI excels in performance and screen refresh rate, catering to those who prioritize powerful computing and smooth visual experiences.
Content Creation
7.2
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.2
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Aspire 5 17 to have good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 5 17 | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.61 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.83" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.1" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 50.3 Wh | 65 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 266 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | March 2021
"The Acer Aspire 5 17 laptop shows the expected strengths in the test. Besides the usual high build quality, the configuration convinces in most benchmarks and tests. The combination of CPU, GPU, and RAM is absolutely sufficient for the everyday office and browsing tasks of a laptop. It also renders the odd game passably if the requirements aren't too high. We liked the matte display in the test as well as the fairly manageable dimensions despite the screen size. It can also be used outdoors, even if it's certainly not a laptop designed for mobility."
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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