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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize better performance for gaming or intensive engineering tasks, the Acer Nitro 17 will serve you well, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the ASUS Vivobook S 15, while easier to carry and with longer battery life, offers less power for demanding software and games. Both have ample storage and memory, but consider the Acer for more heavy-duty use and the ASUS for everyday tasks and better portability. 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
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook S 15
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.3
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, which is optimal for gaming and 3D applications, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a less powerful integrated AMD Vega 8 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60, which makes it less suited for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Nitro 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 17 is favorably equipped for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, adequate RAM, dedicated Nvidia GPU for complex graphics tasks, and quality IPS display, although it's less portable given its larger size and heavier weight compared to the ASUS Vivobook S 15, which is designed for similar uses with a competent CPU and integrated graphics but is more portable with a lighter build, albeit offering a less powerful GPU, making it less suitable for GPU-intensive tasks. Both laptops have a non-touch IPS screen of the same resolution, but the Acer's larger screen and higher GPU capabilities might edge out the ASUS for designs requiring more detailed graphics work, whereas the ASUS wins on portability for those frequently on the move.
Screen Quality
7.4
6.3
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 17 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you primarily use your laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the web or working with documents, the Acer Nitro 17's superior resolution and brightness will provide a clearer and more vibrant display compared to the ASUS Vivobook S 15. For engineering and design work, the Nitro 17 will be more suitable due to its better coverage of color gamuts, ensuring more accurate color reproduction which is essential for precise visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal; the Acer Nitro's lower refresh rate may lead to less fluid visuals in fast-paced games or 3D modeling, where smoother motion and quick screen updates are crucial.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$970
$908
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 costs $908.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers a larger screen and a more powerful dedicated graphics unit, beneficial for multitasking and visually intensive tasks, but at the expense of being heavier and having a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the ASUS Vivobook S 15, which offers a more compact and longer-lasting battery solution for everyday carry, though with less robust graphics performance.
Content Creation
7.8
7.6
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 17 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
6.7/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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
7.4
7.0
The Acer Nitro 17 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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 ASUS Vivobook S 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | ASUS Vivobook S 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $908 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 3.97 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 9.17" | |
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 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 70 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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."
ASUS Vivobook S 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | February 2023
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the ASUS Vivobook S 15
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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