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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Aspire 1 and the Acer Aspire 5 17, consider that the Aspire 1 is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it easier to carry around, but it offers less power, less storage, and a lower-quality screen compared to the Aspire 5 17. The Aspire 5 17, on the other hand, is a bit heavier, comes with a larger screen, more processing power, more memory, and better graphics capabilities, which makes it suitable for more demanding tasks. However, it is more expensive. The Aspire 1 has a lower-quality TN panel, whereas the Aspire 5 17 has an IPS panel with better color representation and viewing angles. If your workload includes intensive tasks or you need better screen quality, the Aspire 5 17 is more suitable, while for basic tasks and portability, the Aspire 1 would suffice. 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 Aspire 1
- The Acer Aspire 1 has no clear advantages over the Acer Aspire 5 17.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 5 17
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
266.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1, with less RAM and a lower-tier Intel Celeron processor, is less equipped for general use compared to the Acer Aspire 5 17, which offers more RAM and a more powerful Intel i5 processor. Additionally, the Aspire 5's larger IPS display delivers better screen quality, while both models maintain similar battery life, although the Aspire 1's lighter weight could make it more portable.
Gaming and AI
5.7
6.3
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 has a lower-end graphics unit with the Intel Celeron UHD Graphics, which is inadequate for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the Acer Aspire 5 17 is equipped with the more capable Intel Iris Xe Graphics, offering fair performance for these tasks. Additionally, the screen quality and refresh rate of both are identical and relatively basic; however, the Aspire 5's better CPU and screen quality favor gaming and 3D compared to the Aspire 1's lesser capabilities in these areas.
Engineering and Design
5.5
6.8
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
2.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is less suitable for engineering and design use because it has limited RAM, a basic CPU and GPU, and a lower-quality TN screen, which may hinder performance and visual clarity crucial for such tasks. In contrast, the Acer Aspire 5 17 offers more RAM, a better CPU and an integrated Iris Xe GPU, alongside a higher-quality IPS screen, boosting its capability for more demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
5.9
7.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
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
6.1
7.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Aspire 5 17 is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 is only fair.
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
5.2
6.2
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
266.0 nits
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1's screen may not provide the clarity and vibrancy needed for everyday tasks due to its lower resolution and brightness, impacting your viewing experience even in well-lit environments. For engineering and design work, this laptop's limited color gamut could result in less accurate color representation, which is crucial when precision is key. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lack of a high refresh rate combined with moderate resolution and panel quality could lead to a less fluid and immersive experience.
Build Quality
5.5
6.5
The Acer Aspire 5 17 has only fair build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$215
$490
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $215 and the Acer Aspire 5 17 costs $490.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Acer Aspire 5 17 has 7 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Aspire 1 and Acer Aspire 5 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Acer Aspire 5 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Acer Aspire 5 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$215 | $490 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 15.8'' x 10.1'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.61 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i5-1335U | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | UHD Graphics | Iris Xe | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 50.3 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 266 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | N/A | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
Acer Aspire 5 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | March 2021
"The Acer Aspire 5 17 laptop shows the expected strengths in the test. Besides the usual high build quality, the configuration convinces in most benchmarks and tests. The combination of CPU, GPU, and RAM is absolutely sufficient for the everyday office and browsing tasks of a laptop. It also renders the odd game passably if the requirements aren't too high. We liked the matte display in the test as well as the fairly manageable dimensions despite the screen size. It can also be used outdoors, even if it's certainly not a laptop designed for mobility."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Acer Aspire 5 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.
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