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Updated January 16, 2024·
Given the substantial price difference between the Acer Nitro 5 and the HP Stream 14, it’s essential to consider your needs. If you require a laptop for gaming, graphic design, or video editing, the Acer Nitro 5, although more expensive, provides high performance and is better suited for these tasks. In contrast, the HP Stream 14 is more budget-friendly and sufficiently meets the needs for everyday activities like browsing the web, using office applications, or streaming media. It's also lighter and easier to carry around, but won't handle intensive applications as well. Remember, investing in the Acer might make sense if you need its advanced capabilities, but if portability and general use are your priorities, the HP Stream should suffice and save you money. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is equipped with a more powerful CPU and a dedicated GPU that enhance performance for a range of tasks, paired with a larger, higher resolution IPS display that offers better color and viewing angles than the HP Stream 14", which has a smaller TN panel with lower resolution. While both have ample RAM for multitasking, the HP Stream is more portable with longer battery life and a lighter build, but its lower-end processor and integrated graphics are less suitable for demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
7.5
5.7
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 HP Stream 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.9
5.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.5
6.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
6.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a clear and vibrant display for everyday tasks like browsing the web and watching videos, the Acer Nitro 5 15 is suitable due to its superior resolution and brightness. For engineering and design work where accurate color representation is critical, the Acer's ability to cover a wider range of color gamuts gives it an edge over the HP Stream 14". However, gamers and those working with 3D applications might find the Acer's lower refresh rate less appealing, although it still outperforms the HP Stream, which has a limited screen offering that doesn't cater well to high-speed visuals or detailed creative tasks.
Battery
5.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" 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.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" 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
5.5
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has good build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$780
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a price of $780 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 15 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 15 | HP Stream 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$780 | $299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.19" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.67" | 8.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | Intel Celeron N4120 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 320 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
HP Stream 14"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 15 or the HP Stream 14"
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.
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