The Acer Nitro 5 17 offers a good balance for price and performance, which could make it a suitable choice for general use and gaming, plus it has a slightly better portability compared to the MSI Vector GP76. The Nitro's battery life is slightly better, providing more time for use on-the-go. On the other hand, the MSI Vector GP76, while more expensive, offers higher performance thanks to a more powerful processor and more RAM, making it better for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software. However, its battery life is shorter, and it is less portable than the Acer Nitro 5 17. Each has a large screen size and quality suitable for immersive gaming and detailed work, but the MSI might have an edge in tasks where having more RAM is beneficial. 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 Vector GP76
Very good for general use
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
8.4/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with its Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, offers strong gaming and 3D performance, but the MSI Vector GP76 stands out for its very good gaming and 3D capabilities primarily due to a higher-performance CPU and a more advanced RTX 3070 Ti GPU, despite the latter generally being less powerful than the RTX 3080. Additionally, both have the same high screen refresh rate enhancing the gaming experience, while the MSI Vector GP76's superior CPU aids in more demanding tasks which can also impact gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
8.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Vector GP76 and Acer Nitro 5 17 are both very good for engineering and design, though the MSI Vector GP76 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 5 17, with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, delivers strong performance and vibrant screen quality for engineering tasks, but it's heavier and less portable compared to many laptops. Meanwhile, the MSI Vector GP76 offers an Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU with more RAM for multitasking in design applications, plus a high-quality keyboard, although it may be louder and less portable, affecting work in quiet environments.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
7.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
264.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a better screen than the MSI Vector GP76 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Vector GP76 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the MSI Vector GP76 offer clear, crisp displays thanks to their panel types and resolutions which ensure texts and images are sharp, along with sufficient brightness making them easy to view in various lighting conditions. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops' screens cover a range of colors well, meeting the needs of professionals who require color accuracy for tasks like photo editing or CAD work. However, both fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth motion and gameplay compared to laptops with higher refresh rate screens.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Vector GP76 has 4 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 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
$1,760
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Nitro 5 17 has a price of $830 and the MSI Vector GP76 costs $1,760.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Vector GP76 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 5 17 is good.
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for general use due to its superior CPU and double the RAM of the Acer Nitro 5 17, which translates to faster and more efficient performance in multitasking and demanding applications, though it is slightly less portable and has shorter battery life. Both laptops feature a 17.3-inch IPS display with full HD resolution, which offers solid screen quality, but the MSI's higher contrast ratio suggests better visual depth, enhancing the screen experience for general use.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Vector GP76 to be 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
7.4/10
7.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 5 17 to have only fair portability, while the MSI Vector GP76 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 5 17 and the MSI Vector GP76 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Vector GP76 12UGS is a gaming laptop on speed. The advantages are clear: The Vector GP76 is a real gamer with its 360 Hz display and super-fast response times. In addition, the Core i7-12700H has double the power of the CPU in its predecessor and another highlight is the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti with a real power consumption of 150 watts. This places the device in the top range of our database. The Vector can also operate rather quietly, offers a full sound range, improved battery runtimes, a key-configurable RGB keyboard, a very stable chassis and good upgrade options. Moreover, the display produces a nice, rich and clear picture."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 17 or the MSI Vector GP76
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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
126,495
Recommendations made
27,408
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.