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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is less expensive and offers a larger screen, dedicated Nvidia graphics, and is more suited for gaming and engineering. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 is more portable with a higher resolution Mini LED display, better battery life, and a premium build, but it is significantly more expensive. The MacBook also uses Apple's own processors which offer strong performance for general use, 3D tasks, and machine learning but it may not be as compatible with some engineering software compared to the Acer's Windows 11 platform. 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 5 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in general use over the Acer Nitro 5 15 largely due to its superior screen quality, including a higher resolution and brightness, better color accuracy, and a higher contrast ratio, which enhances the visual experience. Additionally, the MacBook Pro's advantages in portability, battery life, and quieter operation make it a more suitable choice for users who prioritize mobility and long hours of use without the need for frequent charging or dealing with excessive noise and heat.
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.8
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is well-suited for gaming and 3D applications because it has a high-refresh-rate screen and a dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, which supports high-framerate gaming; however, keep in mind that the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021), while offering high screen quality and a capable integrated GPU, may not support many popular games due to its operating system limitations.
Content Creation
7.5
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 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
8.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 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
6.9
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 5 15 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 14's high-resolution, bright IPS panel offers sharp, vivid images, making it superior for tasks like browsing and video streaming, whereas the Acer Nitro 5 15, while still of decent quality, may not match the MacBook's screen clarity or brightness. When it comes to engineering and design, the MacBook Pro 14 covers a wider color gamut, ensuring more accurate color representation which is crucial for professional photo editing or graphic design; Acer Nitro 5 15's screen, despite being adequate, doesn't offer the same level of color precision. However, for 3D applications and gaming, the Acer Nitro 5 15's lower-quality screen might hamper the experience as it likely has a lower refresh rate compared to gaming-centric laptops, which limits motion smoothness, while the MacBook Pro is also not ideal for 3D due to its traditionally lower refresh rates despite its high resolution and quality.
Battery
5.5 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$780
$1,905
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a price of $780 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) costs $1,905.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a superior screen with higher resolution and brightness, making it more suitable for design where screen quality is paramount. In contrast, the Acer Nitro 5 15 offers a mix of reasonable performance and a larger screen which may appeal to engineering users who also need to keep an eye on the budget.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 15 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 15 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$780 | $1,905 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.19" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.67" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 479 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 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 | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2022
"The Acer Nitro 5 is a fast QHD gaming notebook. The Nitro 5 is a well-balanced gaming laptop for just under US$ 2400. A Core i7-12700H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU enable QHD gaming at high to maximum settings, accompanied by fast PCIe-4-SSD (1 TB) and 16 GB of RAM. Acer delivers a solid QHD gaming notebook with the Nitro 5 AN515-58. However, the laptop is not completely free of shortcomings. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The laptop heats up noticeably under load, but not excessively. Noise development is on the usual class level. Once again, however, Acer needs to improve the fan control."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 15 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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