The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a high-end GPU and a larger screen suitable for intensive gaming and engineering programs, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life, which affects portability. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a strong processor, good screen resolution, and a significantly longer battery life, making it easier to carry and use on the go. If performance in gaming and engineering tasks is a top priority and you don't mind the additional weight and shorter battery life, the Acer might be the better option. However, if you prefer a more balanced laptop with good performance and longer battery life for regular use, consider the ASUS. 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 for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
Good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2/10
7.5/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both offer clear and bright displays with high resolution, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. When considering engineering and design, although both laptops provide vibrant colors covering a broad range of the color spectrum, they may not fully meet the precision color needs of professionals using more specialized software. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced visuals are crucial, neither laptop's display refreshes quickly enough to deliver the smoothest experience, and the moderate resolution and panel technology may not provide the sharpest details.
Battery
6.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have solid CPUs and ample RAM, contributing to smooth performance for general tasks; the Acer's larger screen offers an expansive view which is great for productivity and entertainment, though it can impact portability, while the ASUS balances size and portability better, but might have a shorter battery life which could be less convenient for on-the-go use. Considering storage, keyboard, speakers, noise, and heat, both laptops perform competently, with no major shortcomings that would affect typical use, confirming their suitability for general purposes.
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
7.4/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its Nvidia RTX 3080 and a very high screen refresh rate, offers superior graphics performance suited for high-framerate gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has an AMD RX 7600S and a decent screen refresh rate that provides good gaming performance but at a lesser intensity compared to the Acer, making it suitable for gaming and 3D tasks where ultimate performance is less critical.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 5 17 to be very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is better suited for engineering and design tasks owing to its more powerful GPU, making it ideal for demanding software that requires high graphics performance, while its large, high-refresh-rate screen aids in detailed visual work. On the other hand, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers greater portability due to its lighter weight and has a higher battery capacity for longer use on-the-go, but its GPU, while solid for engineering tasks, is less capable than the Acer's for the most intensive applications.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.4/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.2/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$838
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $838.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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