The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers powerful performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming due to its potent GPU; however, its larger size and heavier weight reduce portability, and its battery life is shorter. By contrast, the LG Ultra 16 is more portable thanks to its lighter weight and longer battery life but may not handle intensive tasks as well due to a less powerful GPU, making it better suited for general use. Both are in a similar price range, but if gaming or high-performance tasks are important, the Acer Nitro is a better choice, while the LG Ultra is ideal for everyday use and mobility. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Acer Nitro 5 17
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good keyboard
Advantages of the LG Ultra 16
Good portability
Excellent battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
6.2/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 16 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 stands out for gaming and 3D applications due to its Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU known for high performance in graphics-intensive tasks and a high screen refresh rate of 360, which provides smoother visuals and gameplay. In contrast, the LG Ultra 16 has a lower-tier integrated Vega 8 GPU suitable for less demanding games and a standard screen refresh rate of 60, which won't be as fluid for fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
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 LG Ultra 16 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
6.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
270.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 16 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17's combination of panel type, higher resolution, and brightness offers a clear and vibrant display, outshining the LG Ultra 16's fair performance in these aspects. In engineering and design tasks, the Acer's ability to display a wider range of colors is crucial, giving it an edge over the LG Ultra despite both having decent color accuracy. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D tasks where motion should be smooth, the lower refresh rate of the Acer Nitro 5 17's screen falls behind, despite its resolution and panel type, making it less suitable for these activities compared to screens designed for higher refresh rates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
17.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The LG Ultra 16 has 17 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
3.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The LG Ultra 16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality, while the LG Ultra 16 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the LG Ultra 16 costs $1,000.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and LG Ultra 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 boasts a strong CPU and ample RAM, making it reliable for general tasks, while its large screen offers ample workspace despite being less portable and having a shorter battery life. The LG Ultra 16 features a capable CPU and the same amount of RAM in a much lighter and thinner design with a longer-lasting battery and a higher resolution screen, though its integrated graphics may not handle intensive applications as well as the Acer's dedicated GPU.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and LG Ultra 16 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
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The LG Ultra 16 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the LG Ultra 16 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."
"Unlike the gram, the Ultra PC isn't designed to be as lightweight as possible. The 16-inch laptop is a whole 400 g (0.88 lb) heavier than its 16-inch gram counterpart partly because its chassis is not made of magnesium. Other than that, the Ultra PC seems like a copy of the gram – but with longer battery life, lower noise levels, and a clean, delicate look."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the LG Ultra 16
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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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