Acer Nitro 5 17 vs Apple MacBook Air (2020)

The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card and a high 360Hz screen refresh rate, which are very important for smooth gameplay and handling 3D graphics efficiently. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a comparatively less powerful Apple M1 integrated GPU with a 60Hz refresh rate, and since many popular games do not run on macOS, its suitability for gaming and 3D tasks is limited.

The Acer Nitro 5 17 is particularly suitable for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, higher RAM capacity, and beefier dedicated GPU which are crucial for intensive tasks, albeit with a heavier build and larger screen that reduce its portability. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air (2020), while offering a high-quality screen and silent operation, has a less powerful integrated GPU and less RAM which might limit performance on very demanding engineering software, but gains an edge in portability and a higher-quality keyboard and speakers.

The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its large screen and solid resolution and brightness, provides a clear and vivid display for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate reduces the smoothness needed for high-end gaming and 3D applications. The Apple MacBook Air (2020), known for its high-resolution Retina display and excellent color accuracy, offers an immersive experience for both general usage and professional design tasks, but it falls short for 3D content due to its standard refresh rate not being geared towards fast-paced visuals. Both laptops, while suitable for their respective strengths, may not satisfy users seeking the best experiences in 3D environments where high refresh rates are crucial.

Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.

PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.

The Acer Nitro 5 17's faster CPU and larger RAM make it well-suited for heavier tasks, while its ample storage and high-quality speakers add to a versatile user experience, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the lightweight Apple MacBook Air with its remarkable screen quality and long-lasting battery, making the MacBook Air ideal for on-the-go use and multimedia consumption.

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.

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.