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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 17 is often somewhat more expensive than the Acer Nitro 5 17, offering slightly better general, 3D/machine learning, and engineering performance due to its newer main processor and GPU. It also boasts a larger battery capacity, which might provide longer usage time, and a higher screen refresh rate for smoother visuals. However, the tradeoff is in portability, with the Nitro 17 being heavier, and it comes with Windows 11 Home. The Nitro 5 17 is more portable due to its lighter weight and is often somewhat less expensive, but it has a smaller battery capacity, meaning potentially shorter battery life, and it runs Windows 10 Home. For those focused on gaming and high-performance tasks, the Nitro 17 might be the better option, whereas budget-conscious users who prioritize portability may prefer the Nitro 5 17. 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 Nitro 17
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Acer Nitro 5 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.4
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, a laptop with a vibrant display, clear resolution, and sufficient brightness like the Acer Nitro 5 17 delivers a pleasing visual experience for tasks like browsing and watching videos. When considering engineering and design work, the Acer Nitro 5 17's ability to display a wide range of colors accurately is important for detailed and color-sensitive projects. However, for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion and quick screen updates, both the Nitro 5 and Nitro 17 may fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid visuals during fast-paced activities.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 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
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$970
$830
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Acer Nitro 5 17 costs $830.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Nitro 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers a solid combination for general use with its capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB of RAM for smooth multitasking, and an IPS screen that provides clear visuals, though its heavier weight and bulkier build may limit its portability and it has a modest battery life. On the other hand, the Acer Nitro 5 17 also has a strong AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 16GB of RAM but stands out with a higher-quality IPS display and superior GPU performance, yet it has a shorter battery life and is slightly less portable due to its weight, though still less than the Nitro 17.
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.7
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Nitro 17 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Nitro 17, with its Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165hz, delivers solid gaming and 3D capabilities suitable for most current games, although its GPU is less powerful compared to the higher-end Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU found in the Acer Nitro 5 17, which boasts an even higher refresh rate of 360hz for even smoother visuals in fast-paced games. While both laptops feature quality IPS screens and robust CPUs, the premium GPU and ultra-high refresh rate of the Acer Nitro 5 17 make it better suited for the most demanding gaming and 3D scenarios where top-notch graphic performance is crucial.
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 5 17 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 stands out for engineering and design due to its superior Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card, a critical component for rendering and modeling work, whereas the Acer Nitro 17, while still adept with an Nvidia RTX 4050, offers slightly less graphic processing power. Additionally, the Nitro 5 17's screen exhibits higher brightness and color coverage, which enhances visual clarity and accuracy important for design tasks, but it compromises on battery life and portability compared to the Nitro 17.
Content Creation
7.8
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Nitro 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
7.4
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Acer Nitro 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Nitro 17 and the Acer Nitro 5 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Acer Nitro 5 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $830 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 5.95 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 15.89" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 11.02" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 57.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 307 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 6.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 17
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | October 2023
"The Acer Nitro 17 isn't an exceptional gaming laptop; it's kind of chunky even among 17.3-inch notebooks, with a lackluster keyboard, and it doesn't outperform comparably priced machines. But there's a lot to like about it, including a good array of ports, a screen that's sharp and bright for work and play alike, and battery life that soundly beats the competition. All this comes at an affordable price. If size and weight aren't big concerns, you'll find the Nitro 17 a dependable big-screen gaming rig. If you crave higher quality, consider a slight step down or up in screen size with the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 or Alienware m18 respectively."
Acer Nitro 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2021
"The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a solid mid-range gamer. The Nitro 5 does not belong to the top group of RTX 3070 notebooks: Compared with the RTX 3070 notebooks tested so far, the computer delivers below-average frame rates - this is due to the 100-watt TGP. The GPU performance can be increased a bit with a firmware update. The device scores with a high level of CPU performance. Throttling is not a concern. CPU and GPU can produce their performance constantly. The laptop heats up moderately under load. The noise development is on the usual class level."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the Acer Nitro 5 17
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.
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