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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for resource-intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or software development, the Acer Nitro 17 with its dedicated Nvidia GPU and more RAM may suit you better; however, expect it to be less portable and have a shorter battery life. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) with the Apple M1 chip offers great performance for everyday use and is significantly more portable with longer battery life, but it won't handle intensive tasks as well. If your tasks include video editing or graphic design, you'll benefit from the MacBook Air's higher-resolution, more color-accurate screen. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.2
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is geared towards gaming and 3D applications with its powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics unit and a high screen refresh rate, enhancing visual performance and responsiveness, which is essential for a smooth gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Nitro 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 17, with a powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, substantiates its capacity for engineering and design tasks through high performance and a large screen, although it is less portable and has a lower resolution than the MacBook Air. The Apple MacBook Air (2020) operates quietly and is highly portable with a superior screen quality including higher resolution and brightness, but with an Apple M1 CPU and GPU, it may not handle the most intensive tasks as well as the Acer, and it offers less RAM for multitasking.
Screen Quality
7.4
7.5
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 17 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 17, with its high-resolution display and strong color coverage, offers clear and detailed visuals for general computing and precision for engineering applications, but its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for the fast-paced visuals in high-end gaming and 3D work. The Apple MacBook Air (2020), while providing a high-resolution and accurate color display for both everyday tasks and professional design, might not support certain software used by engineers and also lacks the high refresh rate needed for smooth 3D rendering. For both laptops, good color gamuts ensure accurate color representation for professional design work, but gamers and 3D designers should consider models with faster refresh rates for optimal performance.
Battery
8.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Nitro 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers a large screen with a high refresh rate and a dedicated graphics card, making it suitable for general use that may include casual gaming and multimedia tasks, but its size and weight affect portability and battery life. The Apple MacBook Air (2020), with its high-resolution display, superior build quality, and efficient M1 chip, excels in portability and battery longevity, making it ideal for on-the-go productivity, though its storage capacity is less generous than the Acer's.
Content Creation
7.8
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 17 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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.
Cost
$970
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) costs $1,000.
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How the Acer Nitro 17 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Apple MacBook Air (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 2.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 49.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 395 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
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."
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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