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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 15 is a more budget-friendly option that offers ample performance for general use and moderate gaming. However, the larger MSI Katana 17, while more expensive, offers more powerful hardware suited for demanding tasks, such as intensive gaming, 3D work, or engineering software. The MSI also has a larger screen, which can be better for multitasking and immersive entertainment, but it may reduce portability compared to the smaller Acer. Deciding between the two will depend on whether you prioritize saving money and portability, or if you need higher performance and a larger display for more demanding activities. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The MSI Katana 17 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 5 15 for software development.
For general use, both the Acer Nitro 5 15 and the MSI Katana 17 offer displays that provide clear visuals and brightness, suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing, video streaming, and document editing. However, when it comes to engineering and design, their screens lack the wider color gamuts necessary for precise color work, making them less ideal for professional color grading or detailed graphical work. When gaming or working with 3D content, the importance of a high refresh rate becomes apparent, and although these laptops might manage basic gaming, their lower refresh rates can detract from a smooth and immersive experience in fast-paced games or intricate 3D modeling.
Battery
5.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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.
Cost
$800
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a price of $800 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 generally outshines the Acer Nitro 5 15 as it boasts a more robust CPU, double the RAM for smoother multitasking, and a larger but sharper screen, enhancing the overall user experience, though this comes at the expense of being less portable with a shorter battery life. While the Acer Nitro 5 15 is more portable and offers longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use, its smaller screen and lower specs may limit performance compared to the MSI, which has superior heat management but is heavier and harder to carry around.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.9
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The MSI Katana 17's better performance for gaming and 3D is attributed to its superior GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4060, compared to the Acer Nitro 5 15's Nvidia RTX 4050, although both laptops possess a similar screen refresh rate of 144Hz which benefits gaming with smoother visuals. While both laptops have efficient CPUs and good quality IPS displays, the MSI's larger screen can enhance the gaming experience despite potentially being less portable due to its size.
Content Creation
7.5
7.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 15 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
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 15 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Nitro 5 15 and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.2
The Acer Nitro 5 15 and MSI Katana 17 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 5 15 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 15 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$800 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.19" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.67" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 15 or the MSI Katana 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 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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