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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 17 offers a larger screen, more storage, and higher performance for gaming and engineering tasks due to its dedicated graphics card, but it's bulkier and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air is much lighter and more portable with significantly longer battery life, ideal for general use, and offers a higher-resolution display. Its built-in graphics are less suited for intensive gaming and 3D tasks. The MacBook is usually less expensive but comes with less storage and memory. If portability and battery matter most, choose the MacBook Air; for better gaming and engineering performance, go for the Acer Nitro 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
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
- Very good for software development
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.4
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
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 (2022) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Software Development
7.4
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
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
7.4
7.6
17.3in
SIZE
13.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 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.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 17's good screen quality comes from its suitable resolution and brightness, providing a clear and vibrant display for everyday tasks. The Apple MacBook Air excels for engineering and design due to its high-resolution display and wide color gamuts, which ensure precise color rendering critical for detailed work. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they lack high refresh rates necessary for smooth visuals in fast-moving scenes.
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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent 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 (2022) 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.
Cost
$970
$839
$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 (2022) costs $839.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Acer Nitro 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers a larger screen and higher performance components like a powerful CPU and more RAM, suitable for heavier workloads, but is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Apple MacBook Air. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) boasts a higher resolution display and longer battery life in a thin and lightweight design, which is ideal for on-the-go users who prioritize portability and daily tasks over intensive applications.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and Apple MacBook Air (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 17, with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, tailored for demanding engineering software, contrasts with Apple MacBook Air's efficient M2 processor sufficing for lighter engineering tasks, but the latter's higher-resolution screen offers better detail for design work. While the Nitro 17's larger screen and graphics card are advantageous for intensive applications and bigger visuals, the MacBook Air excels in portability and display sharpness, making it a better choice for on-the-go professionals who value screen quality and battery life over sheer performance.
Content Creation
7.8
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 17 and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Apple MacBook Air (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $839 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | July 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
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 | 52.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1664 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 9.4/10 | |
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 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 (2022)
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 (2022)
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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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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