For value-conscious customers who prioritize screen size and don't mind a larger, heavier laptop, the Acer Aspire 5 17 is a solid choice, especially if you're looking to save money and typically use your laptop at a desk or in a home office. If you need a laptop that's easier to carry around for travel or meetings and offers higher performance for demanding tasks like video editing or programming, then investing more in the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo makes sense, as it's lightweight and powerful, though it comes at a higher price point. 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
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a larger screen that's great for visibility but hampers portability, while it boasts ample RAM and a capable CPU for everyday tasks, its larger size means a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, which offers excellent portability, longer battery life, and high-quality components like screen, keyboard, and speakers, making it very good for general use despite potentially having less storage.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 5 17, with its larger screen, offers an acceptable experience for casual gaming and 3D applications, but its GPU and screen refresh rate may not satisfy more demanding gamers. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while more portable and having a high-quality screen, also has limitations in its GPU and refresh rate that prevent it from excelling in high-end gaming or complex 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
8.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a capable CPU and ample RAM for moderate engineering tasks and its larger screen provides a decent workspace, but its GPU might not handle intensive design software as smoothly as desired. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, with a stronger CPU, more powerful GPU, and superior screen quality, offers better performance for complex engineering and design applications, though it is more expensive and less portable due to its high-quality build.
Content Creation
7.2/10
8.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is good.
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
7.2/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for software development, though the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
8.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
13.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo's higher resolution and better panel type likely offer crisper text and more vibrant colors, along with greater brightness for improved visibility in all lighting conditions. Engineering and design professionals may prefer the MSI due to its superior color gamut coverage, which ensures more accurate color reproduction for tasks that demand color fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications where refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion, both the Acer Aspire 5 17 and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo might not offer the best experience due to their lower refresh rates compared to models specifically designed for those purposes.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has 8 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
13.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has 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
$1,280
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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