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Updated January 12, 2024·
If budget is your main concern, the Acer Nitro 5 17 could be the better option since it is significantly less expensive. It's equipped with a powerful AMD processor and an Nvidia RTX 3080, making it very capable for gaming and resource-intensive tasks. However, the MSI Katana 17, while more expensive, has a newer Intel processor, an Nvidia RTX 4060, and double the RAM, which may offer better performance for certain tasks and applications. Ultimately, your decision should be based on the types of tasks you'll perform most often and whether the extra cost of the MSI Katana 17 aligns with your need for a higher level of performance. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Acer Nitro 5 17.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.2
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a balance of resolution and brightness, making it well-suited for general tasks like web browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, although its color accuracy is commendable, it falls short compared to specialized displays with wider color gamuts. In contrast, for fast-paced gaming or 3D work, its lower refresh rate may result in less fluid motion and responsiveness.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 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.
Cost
$830
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 is preferred for general use due to its higher RAM, which improves multitasking performance, and its more updated operating system, Windows 11 Home, ensuring better compatibility with recent applications compared to the Acer Nitro 5 17's Windows 10 Home. Both laptops have similar screen quality and size, but the Acer Nitro 5 17 has a more powerful graphics card and a slightly larger battery, offering better gaming performance and potentially longer battery life, but these may not be as crucial for general usage.
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a higher screen refresh rate, which translates to smoother visuals and is particularly beneficial in fast-paced games, whereas the MSI Katana 17, despite having a better CPU and more memory, has a lower refresh rate and a lower-tier GPU compared to the Acer's, making it slightly less optimal for the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card and ample RAM, but its heavier weight challenges portability. The MSI Katana 17 offers superior processing with a newer CPU and double the RAM, enhancing multitasking capabilities, yet has a less powerful GPU, which may affect graphics-intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 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
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Katana 17 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Nitro 5 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.2
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
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 | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the MSI Katana 17
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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