If you prioritize high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Summit E16 Flip, with a more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, can handle these demands. It also offers a higher resolution touchscreen with more vivid colors and a larger battery, but this comes at a higher price and reduced portability. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire 5 17 is more affordable, has a larger screen, and offers sufficient power for general use, lighter engineering tasks, and casual content consumption. Despite its size, it is lightweight and easy to carry around, making it a practical choice for day-to-day mobility. Both have backlit keyboards and ample storage, but if your work requires intensive graphics or you enjoy high-end gaming, the MSI is the better fit, while the Acer is more suited for general productivity and multimedia purposes. 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 Summit E16 Flip.
Advantages of the MSI Summit E16 Flip
Good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
266.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for general use, though the MSI Summit E16 Flip is somewhat better.
The Acer Aspire 5 17 offers a solid CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, a decent-sized screen with good color accuracy, and is well-suited for those who prioritize a larger display and a keypad while compromising slightly on portability and battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Summit E16 Flip also has a strong CPU and double the RAM for multitasking with a higher resolution screen that also serves as a touch display, additionally offering better battery life and heat management, making it more portable and versatile as a 2-in-1 laptop, albeit at a higher price point.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Summit E16 Flip is somewhat better.
The MSI Summit E16 Flip offers better performance for gaming and 3D due to its Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, compared to the Acer Aspire 5 17 which has a less powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60, less suitable for fast-paced gaming. The MSI's superior GPU and refresh rate contribute to smoother visuals and better handling of demanding gaming or 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
7.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Summit E16 Flip is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair.
The MSI Summit E16 Flip is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, doubled RAM, and superior Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU for complex tasks and renders, paired with a high-resolution touchscreen that offers better clarity and color accuracy.
Content Creation
7.2/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Acer Aspire 5 17 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Summit E16 Flip is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
8.0/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
266.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The MSI Summit E16 Flip has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 5 17's screen offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but it falls short in color accuracy and vibrancy that engineering and design professionals require. The MSI Summit E16 Flip, with its higher resolution and brighter display, presents images and designs with greater clarity and a wider color range, catering well to engineering and design needs. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced visuals are crucial, both laptops do not offer the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion rendering.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.4/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
$1,550
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a price of $700 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip costs $1,550.
The MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Aspire 5 17 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop with pen, 16:10 display, and RTX 3050 Ti. The Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop from the business segment that primarily targets creative users. MSI combines a 16-inch touchscreen in the 16:10 format with a powerful midrange GPU. While the 2-in-1 laptop from MSI isn't meant for everybody, it should definitely attract some followers. The touchscreen display (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) covers the DCI-P3 color space. This is accompanied by stable viewing angles, a good color reproduction, short response times, and a good contrast level."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 5 17 or the MSI Summit E16 Flip
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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