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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers strong performance, especially for gaming, with its high-end Nvidia GPU, and it has a larger 17.3-inch screen with a high refresh rate, suited for fast-paced games. It also includes a full RGB backlit keyboard and more ports, but at the cost of heavier weight and less battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16 has a sharper and brighter display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, better portability due to its lower weight, longer battery life, and a professional look. It relies on integrated graphics, which are less suited for intensive gaming but still provides strong performance for general and engineering use, along with double the RAM of the Acer, which can be valuable for multitasking and complex tasks. The choice comes down to whether you prioritize gaming and screen size (Acer Nitro 5 17) or portability, display quality, and professional use (MSI Prestige 16). 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
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 surpasses the Acer Nitro 5 17 in general use primarily due to its superior CPU and double the RAM, which significantly impacts performance, alongside a higher resolution and brighter screen that enhances visual experience. Even though both laptops have similar storage and decent battery life, the Prestige 16 boasts a more portable design and longer battery life, making it more suited for on-the-go use than the bulkier Nitro 5 17.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.7
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is fitted with a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and an admirably high screen refresh rate, which is excellent for gaming and 3D applications; however, it has a standard full HD screen which might not be as sharp as some alternatives. The MSI Prestige 16, while also good for gaming and 3D tasks with its capable Iris Xe graphics, offers a higher resolution screen which means improved screen quality, but has a lower screen refresh rate compared to the Acer, which could impact fast-paced gaming experiences.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 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
8.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 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
8.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a display that excels in clarity and brightness, making it suitable for daily tasks and visual work in engineering, but its lower refresh rate can hinder the smooth visuals desired in fast-paced gaming or 3D animation. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16, with similar clarity and brightness, also boasts a wide color gamut, enhancing the precision for professional engineering and design work without the high refresh rate needed for optimal gaming or 3D modeling experiences. In both cases, while the displays serve well for general computing and detailed design tasks, the lack of a high refresh rate impacts their performance in delivering the fluid visual experience often needed in gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$830
$1,611
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, is ideal for engineering and design due to its strong performance capability, complemented by a larger screen, but it is less portable and has a lower screen resolution than the MSI Prestige 16.
Build Quality
7.2
7.4
The MSI Prestige 16 and Acer Nitro 5 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 Prestige 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | MSI Prestige 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $1,611 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 17
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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 Prestige 16
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Dig into reviews and images
Make Use Of
Paul Antill | June 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the MSI Prestige 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 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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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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