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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming or resource-intensive tasks like video editing or 3D modeling, the Acer Nitro 5 17, with its higher-end graphics and processor, would suit your needs well, but remember, it's not as easy to carry around due to its size and weight. The HP Pavilion 15, on the other hand, is more budget-friendly, lighter, and more portable, making it a solid choice for everyday tasks such as browsing, office work, or online classes. Keep in mind, though, that it may not perform as well with demanding software or games due to its more modest internals. 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
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, is favorable for general use that may include performance-demanding tasks, but its larger size and lower battery life make it less portable than the HP Pavilion 15, which offers decent general performance with an Intel i3 CPU and integrated graphics, in a more portable and lightweight design, yet it falls short in screen quality and battery life compared to the Acer.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.0
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is superior for gaming and 3D applications due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, which is vital for smooth visuals in fast-paced games. In comparison, the HP Pavilion 15 has an integrated Intel UHD Xe G4 graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and HP Pavilion 15 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.
Software Development
7.4
6.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.2
5.3
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17's higher resolution, superior panel technology, and greater brightness deliver a more vivid and clear viewing experience than the HP Pavilion 15, which has a less impressive display. In engineering and design work, the Nitro 5's wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, crucial for detailed work, compared to the Pavilion 15's limited color range. When it comes to gaming and 3D tasks, the HP Pavilion 15's display lags behind due to a lower refresh rate, making the Acer's screen more suitable for these fast-paced applications despite its lesser performance in this area.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Pavilion 15 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
6.2
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$500
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $500.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
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."
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the HP Pavilion 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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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