Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G Review – Best Budget Laptop In 2023?
If you go to an electronics store to buy a laptop, you will definitely be attracted to gaming laptops with RGB lighting all over. While they look fantastic and are pretty powerful, they will also blow a hole in your wallet. Therefore, a budget laptop like the Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G might be what you are looking for at just $769.
To learn more about this laptop and how much value for money it can provide in 2023, keep on reading this review post till the end.
Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G Specifications
The specifications of what’s inside the Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G-76V1 are:
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Display | 17.3” FHD Screen (1,920 x 1,080p resolution, IPS Panel) |
| Processor | 8th Generation Intel Core i7 8750H (6 cores, 12 threads, 2.2 GHz – 4.2 GHz) |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB VRAM) |
| Memory | 16 GB DDR4 Dual-Channel RAM (2,400 MHz – expandable to 32 GB) |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD |
| Connectivity Ports | RJ45 Ethernet Port, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C Port, USB 3.0 Type A Port, HDMI Port, SD Card Reader Slot (Left); 2x USB 2.0 Ports, 3.5 mm Aux Port (Right) |
| Dimensions | 16.7” x 11.4” x 1.1” (W x H x D) |
| Weight | 2.9 kgs (6.39 pounds) |
| Release Date | May 2018 |
| Price (2023) | $769 |
Read More: Alienware Area 51 Threadripper Review, Features, Specifications
Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G Review
After getting my hands on this laptop, I fiddled around with it for a few days. Here’s my review of this laptop, highlighting what I liked and disliked about this laptop:
Design
This laptop has a pretty minimalistic design, which I think looks pretty good. The model I used was black granite with a smooth glossy texture. Its polished surface is the same.
When it came to using the laptop, I felt the budgetary constraints made this laptop a bit stiff. I thought it was too tight when I tried to open the hinge. In a few instances, I almost pulled up the entire base!
In addition, since it’s glossy black, I found it highly susceptible to fingerprints and smudges. Plus, upon touching the upper lid and the base, I found the top to be as cold as frozen metal while not in use.
Overall, the design around the edges is good, if not a bit stiff. The Aspire 7 A717-72G is an eye-catching addition to any workspace because to its svelte and stylish design. In addition to being visually appealing, the design is also thin and light. It is a useful laptop for work-related travel or school assignments.
Display
The display of the Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G is pretty standard. It has the exact old 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080p), which has become pretty average in 2023.
However, the best aspect of this laptop’s display is its size. The display is 17.3”, a bit bigger than the standard fare of 15.6”. Therefore, when I used this laptop to play games and watch movies, it was bigger than I expected. However, that is because I am used to 15.6” laptops.
In addition, the display here has one major pro and a con. The pro here is that it has a max brightness of 357 nits, which makes the screen relatively brighter than other budget gaming laptops. Only the Dell XPS 15 touch screen came close to its brightness.
However, its pixel density of 127 PPI is pretty low in comparison, making the display a bit pixelated up close. Overall, it’s a pretty decent screen, with its size being its size and brightness being its saving grace.
In conclusion, the 15.6-inch IPS display of the ACER Aspire 7 a717-72g has a strong contrast ratio and steady colors no matter the viewing angle. Although it could be brighter, it can be used both inside and outside. The Aspire 7 is a fantastic low-cost laptop alternative with an IPS display and strong CPU for 3D gaming and multimedia.
Keyboard & Touchpad
If you do any kind of typing work, as I do daily, a sturdy keyboard and touchpad are a must. In this laptop, the keyboard is pretty good, with my first appreciation for it coming as having the Num pad on the right. Many modern laptops omit that entirely.
However, if you are used to typing on full-sized keyboards, you will find some keys here smaller than average. This is true in the case of the left shift button, with the Insert, Page Up and Down, Home, and End buttons being moved up to the top in line with the Function keys.
However, since I type a lot, the keys were too soft and flimsy. I often feared the keys would come out because of how fast I typed on ChatGPT.
The touchpad, however, is as basic as it can get. There are no extra bells and whistles here.
Moreover, the touchpad lacked the different mouse buttons expected in a laptop. In addition, it lacked any touchpad software, leaving many stuck with standard Windows 10 gestures.
Connectivity
The Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G has all the usual ports you would expect from a budget gaming laptop.
It also has USB ports, an RJ45 ethernet port, and a dedicated SD card reader slot. Therefore, if you plan to game using a wired controller, keyboard, or mouse, you can do so easily.
In addition, the SD card slots make transferring photos from your camera memory card to your laptop becomes easier. Overall, it has most ports required in a laptop, barring some modern ones like Thunderbolt ports.
Storage
There are numerous storage options available with the Aspire 7 A717-72G. The ideal laptop for both work and games is this one. It can store a lot of data because to its huge 1TB HDD and 256GB SSD.
Additionally, the 8GB DDR4 RAM guarantees smooth operation. A 17.3″ FHD LED backlit display, a 7th Gen Intel Core processor, and an upgraded wifi card with higher speeds are just a few of its standout features.
Battery
At first, I thought that the Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G battery might not be up to work for a 17” laptop. This is because other 17” laptops have 65 Wh batteries, while this one had only a 48 Wh battery.
However, after watching movies, typing posts, and playing games, the battery ran decently, especially in power saver mode. Using this laptop for web browsing, watching videos, and doing office work will last for 6 hours maximum.
On the other hand, if you play games, or do heavier tasks, expect it to last around 3.5 hours. Overall, it’s pretty decent.
Performance
Regarding the Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G gaming performance, it has become somewhat outdated in 2023.
The GTX 1060 could run most games at high settings and 60 fps in the mid-2010s. But now, even older games like the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) will run at 40 fps at the highest settings.
Therefore, if you plan to play newer AAA games, you can do so at the lowest settings, which might still be heavy for this laptop. However, older games pre-2014 will run pretty well.
Apart from gaming, the laptop performed well in other tests, except in video editing and 3D Animation. Using Blender and Adobe Premiere Pro caused a lot of slowdowns as I put in more effects on the screen.
What About The Price?
The majority of basic school-related chores can be completed on the affordable laptop known as theACER Aspire 7 a717-72g. It has a 32GB hard drive and an Intel Celeron N3150 processor. It has a built-in camera, runs Windows 10, and is covered by a three-year warranty.
One of the main problems with the Acer Aspire A-short G is its limited battery life. A full charge is required just after three hours of use. When compared to other computers in its class, which frequently cost more than $300, this one is an amazing bargain.
Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G Alternative
The best alternative to Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G is the HP 17z. The primary specifications of the HP 17z CP000 are:
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Display | 17.3” FHD (1920 x 1080 resolution), 250 Nits brightness |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (6 cores, 12 threads, up to 4.3 GHz) |
| Graphics Card | Integrated AMD Radeon Graphics |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 RAM (3200 MHz) |
| Storage | 256GB PLIe NVMe SSD |
| Ports | 1x USB Type C, 2x USB Type A, 1x 3.5mm Audio jack, 1x Smart AC Pin, 1x HDMI 1.4 Port |
| Webcam | HP TrueVision 720p Camera (with inbuilt mic) |
| Keyboard | Island Style keyboard with NumPad |
| Trackpad | Precision Touchpad |
| Speakers | 2x Inbuilt speakers |
| Battery | 41 Wh Lithium Ion Prisma Battery (3-cell) |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 15.8” x 10.2” x 0.8” |
| Weight | 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg) |
| Available Colors | Jet Black, Snow White, Natural Silver |
| Release Date | November 2022 (Current version) |
| Price (2023) | $469 |
The HP 17z is an entry-level laptop with a price tag of only $469. With integrated AMD Radeon Vega graphics and Ryzen 5 processors, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD, its non-gaming performance is close to the Acer Aspire 7. However, regarding gaming, the Acer is definitely better.
Read More: Xbox Duke Controller – Review, Price, Specifications, And More
Final Verdict: Is The Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G Worth Buying In 2023?
If you plan to buy the Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G in 2023, I recommend not doing so since it’s a pretty outdated laptop. But I would say this for gaming only. If you want a laptop for simply browsing, Netflix, and chilling, then this laptop will suffice.
| PROS | CONS |
| ➕Big and bright 17” screen | ➖Weak keyboard feedback |
| ➕Pretty sturdy build | ➖Outdated graphics card |
Read Also:
