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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is generally designed for gaming and could offer more robust performance for tasks like 3D modeling and intensive engineering software, but it's larger and heavier, making it less convenient to transport. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 provides greater portability and is suitable for general use like browsing the internet, working on documents, and streaming media, but it may not handle demanding applications as effectively. If you need a machine that's easy to carry around and you're focused on typical day-to-day tasks, the Surface Laptop Go 2 could be the way to go. However, if performance for heavy-duty applications is critical and you're less concerned about portability, the Acer Nitro 5 17 may be the better choice, despite being bulkier and potentially having a shorter 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 Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 5 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its stronger CPU, larger screen with high refresh rate, and abundant RAM, excels in general use, offering fast operations and comfortable multitasking, but its large size and heavier weight make it less portable and its battery life isn't very long. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 provides a smaller, highly portable option with solid build quality, a high-resolution touchscreen, and better battery life, but it is less suitable for performance-heavy tasks due to a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and no dedicated graphics card.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.0
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
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 Go 2 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 in gaming and 3D tasks because it features a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card and a high 360 Hz screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and greater detail for fast-paced action. In contrast, the Surface Laptop Go 2 comes with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard 60 Hz screen refresh rate, which are suitable for lighter gaming and less demanding 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a high-performance CPU and GPU, which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, as well as a larger screen with higher refresh rate, providing a more fluid and detailed visual experience. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while more portable and offering a higher resolution touchscreen, has a less powerful CPU and integrated GPU, and less RAM, making it less suited for intensive workloads despite its greater screen sharpness and portability.
Content Creation
7.8
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 both offer screens with adequate resolution, panel type, and brightness, ensuring a satisfying viewing experience for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. When it comes to engineering and design work, both laptops provide screens with color coverage suitable to handle tasks that need accurate color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate significantly enhances the experience, neither laptop's screen excels, so they are less suited for fast-paced, graphics-intensive activities where smooth motion is critical.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has 8 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
12.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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 Go 2 and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$774
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.4
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
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 | 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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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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