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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a more powerful graphics card suitable for gaming and intensive engineering tasks, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers better battery life, a lightweight design, and an OLED screen with vibrant colors, ideal for general use and on-the-go work, but it's not as powerful for tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning. If performance in demanding applications is a priority, the Acer could be your choice, otherwise, for everyday tasks and easier traveling, the ASUS might serve you well. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.2
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and has a high screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D work; meanwhile, the ASUS Zenbook 13 uses an integrated AMD Vega 8 GPU suitable for less demanding tasks and has a lower screen refresh rate, which is adequate but not ideal for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a more powerful CPU and GPU, and more RAM, all of which are critical for running engineering and design software efficiently, while its larger, high-refresh-rate screen improves visual workspace and fluidity during use.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.8
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for gaming and AI, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
If your primary focus is general use, the ASUS Zenbook 13 with its higher resolution and brighter display offers a more crisp and vivid experience than the Acer Nitro 5 17. For engineering and design tasks, the Zenbook's superior color coverage, including DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensures more accurate color representation, giving it an edge over the Acer. On the other hand, gamers and 3D design enthusiasts might find both laptops lacking due to their lower refresh rates, although the larger screen of the Acer Nitro 5 17 could be a slight advantage for immersive experiences, despite both having less than optimal refresh rates for fast-paced games.
Battery
6.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$830
$890
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 costs $890.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a stronger processor and more RAM, leading to better performance for intensive tasks, along with a larger storage capacity, making it well-suited for general use that involves multitasking and data-heavy applications. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers superior portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, and it boasts a higher-quality OLED screen, making it ideal for general use that prioritizes mobility and display quality.
Content Creation
7.8
7.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.4
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | ASUS Zenbook 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $890 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | February 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 7.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 67 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 378 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the ASUS Zenbook 13
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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