Acer Nitro 5 17 vs Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)

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.

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.

When considering screen quality for general use, aspects like panel type, resolution, and brightness are crucial, and both the Acer Nitro 5 17 and Apple MacBook Air 15 have pleasing displays that are sharp, clear, and sufficiently bright to handle daily tasks well. For engineering and design work, accurate color representation is essential, so the high-quality color gamuts on the MacBook Air make it a better choice for these professionals who need precision for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where rapid on-screen movements are common, the lower refresh rate of both laptops may lead to less fluid motion, potentially giving a less immersive experience in fast-paced scenes.

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, with its high-performance CPU and GPU, ample storage, and larger screen, is suitable for general use that may include gaming or resource-intensive applications, but is less portable and has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers a high-quality IPS display, better portability due to its lightweight and slim design, and a longer battery life, making it ideal for general use that prioritizes mobility and screen quality over the highest processing power.

The Acer Nitro 5 17 excels in engineering and design tasks with its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, abundant RAM, and high-performance Nvidia RTX GPU, making it suitable for demanding applications that require intensive computing power and graphics processing, though it is heavier and less portable. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) with its Apple M2 chip provides good performance with impressive screen quality and is more portable due to its lighter weight, but has less RAM and integrated graphics which may not perform as well in the most demanding engineering scenarios.

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.