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Updated January 12, 2024·
If price is your main concern and you need a laptop for gaming or heavy tasks, the Acer Nitro 5 with its larger screen may serve you well despite being heavier and possibly having shorter battery life. However, if you prioritize portability, a lighter, sleeker design, and potentially longer battery life for everyday tasks and light work, the Microsoft Surface Laptop may be the better choice, assuming you're okay with a smaller screen and higher cost. The difference in specifications can affect performance significantly, with the Acer likely to offer better performance for intensive tasks, at the expense of portability and possibly battery life. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.1
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 delivers strong gaming and 3D performance due to its Nvidia RTX 3080 with advanced features like hardware ray tracing and high screen refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity and detail in complex scenes. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a less powerful Intel Iris Xe GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, limiting gaming and 3D capabilities but offering greater portability and a higher resolution display for general use.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a high-end AMD Ryzen CPU and a powerful Nvidia RTX graphics card, providing robust performance for demanding engineering software and design tasks; it also has a larger screen, but it's heavier, making it less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which is lighter with a high-quality small screen and a lower-end Intel integrated GPU, making it better suited for lighter tasks and easier to carry around.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offer screens with sufficient resolution and brightness, making text clear and videos vibrant, which is appealing for everyday tasks. When it comes to engineering and design, the color accuracy matters significantly, and while both laptops provide decent color coverage, professionals may find them lacking compared to specialized screens that cover a wider color gamut. In contrast, gamers and 3D designers seeking fluid motion would find both laptops less satisfactory due to lower refresh rates, which could lead to less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes or animations.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers robust performance with high-end CPU and RAM, suitable for demanding tasks and a large, vibrant screen, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a smaller, high-resolution touchscreen that's easier to carry with better battery life, yet its performance is tailored more for everyday tasks rather than intensive applications.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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