The Acer Nitro 17 boasts a robust AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, which are well-suited for gaming, but with its larger 17-inch screen, it weighs more and is less portable. It's priced slightly less than the MSI Prestige 16, which offers a more compact 16-inch display and significantly lighter build, indicating greater portability. The MSI laptop also carries a powerful Intel processor and integrated graphics, making it more tailored for business and creative tasks, with superior display resolution, brightness, and color coverage but shorter battery life. If gaming is your main focus and you prefer a larger display, the Acer Nitro 17 could be a great choice; however, if you value portability, screen quality for professional use, and can invest a bit more, the MSI Prestige 16 is the better option. 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 MSI Prestige 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The MSI Prestige 16's higher RAM, superior screen quality, and greater portability with a higher portability score, due to its lighter weight and smaller size, contribute to its very good rating for general use, while also having a slightly better battery life. In contrast, the Acer Nitro 17, despite its larger screen and adequate performance for general use, is less portable and has a lower screen quality and battery life, resulting in a good, but not very good, suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
6.7/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
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 MSI Prestige 16 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and a screen with a high refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications. Conversely, the MSI Prestige 16, while also having a high screen refresh rate, relies on an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, which typically offers less graphical power for gaming and 3D tasks when compared to dedicated graphics cards like the RTX 4050.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
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
8.1/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 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
7.4/10
8.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a vibrant display and accuracy for tasks like photo editing or graphic design, the superior color coverage of the MSI Prestige 16 makes it stand out for engineering and design. On the other hand, for day-to-day tasks such as browsing or watching videos, both the Acer Nitro 17 and MSI Prestige 16 offer clear and bright displays, making them both suitable for general use, with the Prestige having a slight edge. However, for gaming or 3D modeling where fluid motion is key, the lower refresh rate on both models may not deliver the smooth visuals that demanding games typically require.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$970
$1,611
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 16 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The MSI Prestige 16, with its superior processor, larger RAM capacity, better screen resolution, and higher screen color accuracy, offers better performance for engineering and design tasks compared to the Acer Nitro 17, making it very good for such uses. However, the Acer Nitro 17 still offers good performance with a capable processor, dedicated GPU, and sufficient RAM, but due to its larger size and weight, is less portable than the MSI Prestige 16 which boasts a higher portability score and a more compact design.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
7.4/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and MSI Prestige 16 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 MSI Prestige 16 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."
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the MSI Prestige 16
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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