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Updated January 10, 2024·
When deciding between the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, consider the following: the Acer Nitro 5 17 is less expensive, has a larger 17.3-inch screen with a high refresh rate, and a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card, making it well-suited for intensive gaming and engineering tasks. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is more costly, offers a more portable 14.4-inch touchscreen with a higher resolution, boasts a longer battery life, and includes premium features such as facial recognition and a backlit keyboard. It's a better fit for general use, professional tasks that benefit from higher RAM, such as 3D rendering, and for those who need a more portable device. 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 overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a robust AMD Ryzen 7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, with a fair-sized screen for general use, but its weight and the average battery life limit its portability compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which boasts a higher RAM, a more high-resolution and brighter touchscreen display, along with a more portable design and longer battery life, making it suitable also as a drawing tablet thanks to its flexible hinge.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 with its AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and Nvidia RTX 3080 is tailored for high-performance tasks in engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers the versatility of a flexible hinge for tablet use and a more powerful Intel i7-13700H CPU but a slightly less powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU; both have superb screen quality but the Surface Laptop has more RAM for complex multitasking and a higher-resolution display. While the Nitro is heavier and less portable, it may be preferred for its gaming laptop appearance and dedicated numeric keypad, as opposed to the Surface Laptop's lighter build and very good keyboard quality for frequent typing.
Content Creation
7.8
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
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
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
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
7.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both laptops offer crisp visuals and a bright display, enhancing activities like browsing and video streaming; the Acer Nitro 5 17 provides a large screen for multitasking, while the Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers sharpness and clarity with its resolution and panel type. Engineers and designers will benefit from the Surface Laptop Studio 2's superior color accuracy and wider color gamuts, which are critical for detail-oriented tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on both laptops may lead to less smooth visual experiences, even though their resolutions and panel types are decent for moderate gaming needs.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a robust GPU and high screen refresh rate which are crucial for smooth gaming and effective 3D rendering, making it a solid choice for performance-oriented activities. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, while delivering quality GPU performance and a good screen with decent refresh rate as well, might appeal more to users seeking a balance between power and versatile design for various creative tasks.
Cost
$2,899
$2,900
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $2,899 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,899 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-13700H | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | RTX 3080 (100 W) | RTX 4060 (80 W) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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 Studio 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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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