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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a larger screen size, more storage, and a more powerful CPU and graphics card, which makes it ideal for intensive tasks and gaming, however, it is heavier, thus less portable compared to the Gigabyte A5. The Gigabyte A5 has a smaller screen and less powerful hardware but is lighter, making it a more portable choice. Both have the same amount of RAM. If performance for gaming or heavy applications is top priority, and portability is less of a concern, the Acer could be a better option. If you favor portability and are still looking for decent performance, consider the Gigabyte A5. 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 Gigabyte A5
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is built for general use with a powerful CPU and ample RAM that handle tasks swiftly, a high-quality screen with vivid colors, and a spacious storage, although it's heavier and has a moderate battery life which impacts its portability. In comparison, the Gigabyte A5 also offers sufficient power for everyday tasks with a capable CPU and identical RAM size, alongside a good screen and more portability due to its lighter weight and compactness, but it has less storage capacity and its battery life is slightly lower.
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3080 and a high screen refresh rate, making it excellent for gaming and 3D applications, while the Gigabyte A5's Nvidia RTX 3060 and lower refresh rate are also suitable for gaming and 3D, but may deliver slightly less graphic performance.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its higher-tier AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and superior RTX 3080 GPU, offers more power for demanding engineering and design tasks along with better screen quality, which is vital for precise work, although it is less portable due to its larger size and weight. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A5 possesses a competent AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and an RTX 3060 GPU, making it a good option for engineering and design, with the added benefit of being lighter and therefore more portable, but at the expense of somewhat decreased performance and screen quality.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a clear and vivid display suitable for everyday tasks and detailed design work due to its resolution and panel type that presents sharp images with good color representation, making it enjoyable for general use and precise enough for engineering software; however, its lower refresh rate may hinder the smoothness required for immersive gaming and fast-paced 3D applications. The Gigabyte A5 also boasts a resolution and panel quality that ensures crisp visuals for routine activities and sufficient color accuracy for professional design tasks, but like the Acer, it falls short in providing the high refresh rate desired by gamers and those working with dynamic 3D content. Both laptops, with their particular screen attributes, therefore adequately serve users in general use and design fields, but may disappoint those seeking a more fluid visual experience in gaming and intensive 3D environments.
Portability
Fair
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gigabyte A5 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.4
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Gigabyte A5 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
6.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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.
Build Quality
7.2
7.2
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Gigabyte A5 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$830
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Gigabyte A5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | Gigabyte A5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $830 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 14.21" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 49 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
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."
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the Gigabyte A5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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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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