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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're prioritizing gaming or graphics-intensive tasks and don't mind a larger, heavier laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 17 with its larger screen and potentially more robust graphics could serve you well. Conversely, if you value portability and plan to carry your laptop often, the MSI Thin GF63, as suggested by its name, might be lighter and more convenient to transport. The compromise for the MSI's portability may be slightly less powerful graphics capabilities compared to the Acer. It's essential to align your choice with whether you'll be using your laptop on-the-go frequently or mostly in a stationary location where gaming performance is key. 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
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.9
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Thin GF63 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Thin GF63 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 stands out for engineering and design work because it features a more robust GPU, the Nvidia RTX 3080, along with a larger screen, which makes it better suited for graphics-intensive tasks, but it is less portable and has a heavier build than the MSI Thin GF63. The MSI Thin GF63, although more portable and with a newer main processor, comes with a less powerful GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4050, and a smaller screen, which may limit performance in demanding engineering applications compared to the Acer model.
Screen Quality
8.2
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
If you're focused on general tasks like browsing or office work, the more vivid colors and sharper resolution of the Acer Nitro 5 17 make it the better choice over the MSI Thin GF63, which has somewhat lesser display quality but still fair for everyday tasks. For engineering and design work, which demands accurate color representation and a wide range of colors, the Acer's better coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB gives it an edge. However, if your primary interest is 3D gaming, neither laptop is ideal due to their poor refresh rates, but the higher resolution and type of panel on the Acer still offer an advantage for non-gaming 3D work.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Thin GF63 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
6.5
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has good build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$1,150
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 17 is well-suited for general use with a stronger CPU, more storage space, and a larger screen that offers higher color accuracy and brightness, which lends itself to better multimedia usage, yet it's heavier and has less portability compared to the MSI Thin GF63. The MSI Thin GF63, despite its more moderate performance, provides a balance with a lighter build and higher portability, making it suitable for general use, especially for users who value a more travel-friendly laptop with a quality screen, albeit with shorter battery life and lower storage capacity.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and MSI Thin GF63 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 5 17 and MSI Thin GF63 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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How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 17 | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $1,150 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 11'' x 0.98'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.89" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57.5 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
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 | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 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 Thin GF63
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jeffries | November 2022
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the MSI Thin GF63
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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