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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize battery life and a larger screen size for tasks like multitasking and media consumption, the Acer Nitro 5 17 could be a good fit, and it usually comes at a more affordable price. On the other hand, if you prefer higher overall performance for demanding activities such as gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software and don't mind a smaller screen and a higher price, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 may be more appropriate. Keep in mind that the ASUS is also a bit more portable, which could benefit you if you often carry your laptop around. Both have ample storage and RAM for general and intensive use, but consider the higher performance of the ASUS against the better battery life and lower cost of the Acer when making your choice. 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 17
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and 3D due to its Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a high screen refresh rate, enriching visuals and gameplay smoothness. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, while also capable with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a slightly lower refresh rate, offers strong gaming and 3D performance but with a bit less graphical prowess.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.9
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
283.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a better screen for software development.
For general use, the superior panel type, resolution, and brightness of the Acer Nitro 5 17 make for an excellent viewing experience with clear images and vibrant colors. In engineering and design, although both the Acer and ASUS provide good screen quality, professionals would benefit from the wide color gamuts of both laptops, allowing for more precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where high refresh rates are crucial for smooth motion, the lower refresh rates of these screens may lead to less fluid visuals during fast-paced scenes.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have only fair portability, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.8
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have good build quality, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 costs $2,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
283.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 are good for general use because they both offer solid CPU performance, ample RAM for multitasking, and quality IPS displays, although the Acer Nitro is larger and heavier affecting its portability negatively, while the ASUS offers better portability and superior heat management, making it more suitable for extended use. Both have good keyboard quality and ample storage, but the Acer has a slightly longer battery life and the ASUS has an edge in speaker quality, which might enhance the overall multimedia experience.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a high-end AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, delivering robust performance for engineering and design applications, backed by a large 17.3-inch display to enhance productivity; however, it's heavier and bulkier which may hinder portability. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, with its high-performance Intel i9 CPU and RTX 3070 Ti GPU, offers similar computational prowess in a more compact and lightweight form with superior keyboard quality, making it easier to carry but with a slightly smaller screen.
Content Creation
7.8
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 to be very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 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
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Nitro 5 17 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.
Battery
6.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has 5.5 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 13.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 5.07 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 300Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 283 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | No Webcam | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2021
"The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a solid mid-range gamer. The Nitro 5 does not belong to the top group of RTX 3070 notebooks: Compared with the RTX 3070 notebooks tested so far, the computer delivers below-average frame rates - this is due to the 100-watt TGP. The GPU performance can be increased a bit with a firmware update. The device scores with a high level of CPU performance. Throttling is not a concern. CPU and GPU can produce their performance constantly. The laptop heats up moderately under load. The noise development is on the usual class level."
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam | May 2022
"Asus continues to refine the ROG Strix Scar lineup with new upgrades. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 offers almost everything you would expect from a gaming laptop at this price. The build quality is great, connectivity options are decent, and there is enough scope for internal upgrades as well. Asus reverts to membrane switches for the keyboard — though not as "clickety" as the opto-mechanical ones we saw with last year's model, they still make for a decent typing and gaming experience. The lack of biometrics in any form is a downer."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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