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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If price is a key factor and you're looking for a balance between cost and performance for general use or gaming, the Acer Nitro 17 is a solid choice. Despite being more affordable, it still offers substantial power for most tasks. However, if your work involves creative applications, 3D rendering, machine learning, or you require the absolute latest features and hardware, investing in the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio may be worthwhile. Remember that the Stealth will likely be less portable due to its size, and you'll be paying a premium for its advanced capabilities and features. 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
- The Acer Nitro 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
While the Acer Nitro 17 offers a balanced CPU and RAM configuration suitable for everyday tasks, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio delivers higher CPU performance and more RAM for smoother multitasking, alongside a superior screen quality for more vivid visuals. However, the Acer may be slightly easier to transport and could provide longer battery life, whereas the MSI, with its larger screen and more powerful components, is likely to be less portable and may have shorter battery life, making it a more stationary choice.
Gaming and AI
7.4
8.9
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 17's GPU and high screen refresh rate make it a solid choice for gaming and 3D applications, ensuring smooth visuals and responsive gameplay. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, which also has a powerful GPU, offers a premium experience with exceptional graphical capabilities and a superior screen quality, making it particularly well-suited for those who prioritize top-tier gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
7.9
9.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 17 is equipped with a capable CPU, ample RAM, and a robust GPU, which are all crucial for engineering tasks, and it has a decent screen for design work; however, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio surpasses it with a more powerful CPU, higher RAM capacity, superior GPU performance, and a higher-quality screen that professionals might prefer for precision tasks. While both are less portable due to their size, the MSI's enhanced keyboard and quieter operation may provide a better user experience despite its likely higher cost.
Content Creation
7.8
8.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Nitro 17, with its decent resolution and brightness, offers an enjoyable viewing experience for everyday tasks and detail-oriented work like engineering, but its lower refresh rate doesn't cater to the smooth visuals crucial for gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts high resolution and brightness, ensuring sharp and vibrant visuals, which, along with superior color accuracy, makes it suitable for professional engineering and design work; however, similar to the Nitro 17, it falls short for gaming and 3D purposes due to a less optimal refresh rate. While both laptops excel in providing quality displays for general use and precision tasks, they are not ideal for gaming and 3D modeling where fluid motion is a priority.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good 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
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to have only fair portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 17 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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.
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