The Acer Nitro 17 is often somewhat more expensive than the HP Envy 17, and excels in performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to a more powerful GPU. It also has a high refresh rate screen, advantageous for gaming and fast-paced applications. However, it's larger and heavier, making it less portable. Contrarily, the HP Envy 17 is often somewhat less expensive and lighter, potentially offering better portability and battery life, with a touchscreen for convenience, but its integrated GPU isn't as suited for intensive gaming or demanding tasks that benefit from a dedicated GPU. Choose the Acer Nitro 17 for higher performance in resource-intensive tasks and gaming, or the HP Envy 17 for a balance of performance for general use with better portability and extended battery life. 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
Advantages of the HP Envy 17
Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.4/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
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
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Envy 17 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is better suited for gaming and 3D tasks due to its Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and high screen refresh rate of 165, which provides smoother visuals and better overall performance for graphics-intensive activities compared to the HP Envy 17's Intel Iris Xe graphics and a refresh rate of 60. While both use quality IPS displays, the superior GPU and refresh rate of the Acer make it a more powerful choice for demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
7.9/10
7.4/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and HP Envy 17 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Nitro 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 17 is equipped with a high-performance AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and RTX GPU, geared towards engineering tasks that demand computational power, such as simulations and design renderings, and its screen has a higher refresh rate and color coverage suitable for detailed design work. In contrast, the HP Envy 17 has an efficient Intel i7 CPU and integrated graphics which are adequate for engineering tasks, but it excels in screen brightness and slightly better portability due to its lighter weight, making it a good fit for engineers who prioritize on-the-go work and frequent presentations.
Screen Quality
7.4/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 17 has a better screen than the HP Envy 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Nitro 17 and HP Envy 17 offer sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring clear, vibrant visuals, which is essential for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video streaming. Engineering and design professionals would appreciate their good color accuracy, as both laptops cover a wide range of color gamuts, making them suitable for tasks that require precise color representation. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals in Gaming and 3D applications; hence they are not ideal for these use cases where fluid motion and rapid on-screen changes are important.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Envy 17 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The Acer Nitro 17 and HP Envy 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 is lauded for general use due to its robust CPU and RAM, delivering smooth multitasking and performance, while its IPS screen ensures quality visual experience, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than some alternatives. On the other hand, the HP Envy 17 offers similar benefits in terms of CPU and RAM, with the added advantage of a touchscreen and better portability, but it compromises slightly on speaker and screen color accuracy, which are less critical for general use.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.5/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 17 and HP Envy 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
7.4/10
7.5/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Envy 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The HP Envy 17 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
7.4/10
7.2/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and HP Envy 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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 HP Envy 17 costs $1,000.
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How the Acer Nitro 17 and the HP Envy 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the HP Envy 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.
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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