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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is a more budget-friendly option and offers good gaming performance with a high-refresh-rate screen. If gaming is your main focus and you're sensitive to price, this could be a sensible choice. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 is a premium laptop with top-of-the-line performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications, and it has a higher-resolution display which would be beneficial for those details. However, it's heavier and more expensive, with a larger power brick, making it less portable than the Acer. If professional performance and a superior display are your priorities, and cost is less of a concern, the MSI would be a better fit. 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
- The Acer Nitro 5 17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE78.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use as it houses a more powerful CPU and double the RAM of the Acer Nitro 5 17, which contributes to faster and smoother multitasking and performance. Additionally, the Raider GE78 offers better screen resolution and color range, providing crisper visuals, but is less portable and heavier than the Nitro 5 17, which may be more suitable for users prioritizing easier transportation and lesser weight.
Gaming and AI
7.7
9.5
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is equipped with a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card and offers a high screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, making it suitable for gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Raider GE78, however, includes an even more advanced Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, alongside a higher resolution display, which together provide top-notch gaming and 3D experiences, hence it's considered the best.
Engineering and Design
8.0
9.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good.
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design thanks to its superior Intel CPU, double the RAM, and a more powerful Nvidia GPU compared to the Acer Nitro 5 17; additionally, the MSI has a higher resolution and more color-accurate screen, enhancing visual clarity and fidelity for design tasks. While the Acer is good for engineering, with a capable AMD CPU, Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, and a quality IPS screen, its lower RAM and screen resolution make it less optimal for the most demanding engineering applications compared to MSI.
Content Creation
7.8
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 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
8.6
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 5 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with a focus on panel type, resolution, and brightness, offers vibrant and sharp visuals suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, which is why it's highly regarded for general use, but its lower refresh rate diminishes the experience for fast-paced gaming or 3D rendering. The MSI Raider GE78's superior color accuracy, due to a wider color gamut coverage, enhances the precision needed for professional engineering and design work. However, both laptops fall short for 3D applications, as their refresh rates, despite being adequate for non-gaming purposes, aren't high enough to meet the demands of high-frame-rate gaming or smooth 3D animations.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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.
Cost
$830
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.1in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 5 17 to have only fair portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
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."
MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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Why trust us
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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