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Updated January 10, 2024·
The choice between the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 should depend on your priorities. If budget is a primary concern and you need a machine for everyday tasks with some gaming, the Acer Nitro 5 17 is a cost-effective option. However, if you require top-notch performance for heavy-duty gaming, 3D applications, or intensive tasks and are willing to invest more, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a more powerful system. Keep in mind, though, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 may be heavier and have less battery life, reducing portability compared to the Acer Nitro 5 17. Choose the Acer for a balance of price and capability, or the ASUS for maximum performance at a higher cost. 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
- The Acer Nitro 5 17 has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17.
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a high 360 Hz screen refresh rate, making it a solid choice for gaming and 3D applications, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, though it has a slightly less powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, compensates with a high-quality screen and an advanced Intel i9 CPU, enhancing its capability for detailed graphics and fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.6
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 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both very good for engineering and design, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 are both suitable for engineering and design use as they have powerful CPUs (AMD Ryzen and Intel i9) and high-performance GPUs (Nvidia RTX 3080 and 3070 Ti), ample RAM, and IPS screens with full HD resolution, ensuring smooth multitasking, detailed graphics rendering, and good color accuracy. However, the ASUS has an edge in portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, despite both having similar screen sizes and screen quality, but it may offer a slightly better keyboard and less operating noise; these aspects can enhance the overall user experience in prolonged engineering and design sessions.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.1
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen for software development.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 both offer vivid colors and sharp images due to their panel type and resolution, which enhances the viewing experience for everyday tasks and video playback. When it comes to engineering and design work, these laptops display a wide range of colors accurately, which is critical for precision in visual projects, although they may not cover the full spectrum that professional photo and video editors might require. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops mean they won't provide as smooth of a visual experience as models specifically designed for these tasks, which can detract from fast-paced games or fluid 3D modeling.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 costs $2,499.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a powerful CPU and high-quality GPU, offers respectable battery life, and has a good build quality, making it suitable for general use. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, while slightly less portable, features an even more robust CPU, superior speaker and keyboard quality, and a significantly longer battery life, elevating its status for general use.
Content Creation
7.8
8.2
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 17 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
7.5
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
9.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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
7.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 5 17 to have only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 11.1" | |
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 | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 292 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 5.9/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
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 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 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 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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