Gaming laptops dominate the market with manufacturers delivering high performance at affordable prices. Intel’s latest processors and Nvidia’s discrete graphics options elevate performance standards. With numerous choices available, why choose Acer Nitro 5?
Acer Nitro 5 presents a compelling option, featuring 7th-gen i5/i7 processors with up to 16GB of RAM and GTX 1050 Ti graphics. Is it the ultimate budget gaming laptop? Let’s delve into the Acer Nitro 5:
Note: We possess the A N515-51 model equipped with the Intel i7-7700HQ processor, 16GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1TB HDD, and Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti, available for ₹91,999.
Acer Nitro 5 Specifications
Prior to delving into the review, let’s first address the specifications. The Acer Nitro 5 boasts impressive hardware, featuring the 7th-gen Intel i5 or i7 processor, paired with 16GB DDR4 RAM. We utilized the i7 model, which includes 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD storage. Given its gaming nature, a dedicated GPU is essential, and Acer incorporates the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti GPU. Below outlines the hardware powering the Acer Nitro 5:
| Dimensions | 390 mm x 266 mm x 26.75 mm |
| Processor | Intel® Core™ i5-7300HQ / i7-7700HQ |
| Memory | Up to 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 1TB HDD + 128GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ Full HD (1920×1080) ComfyView IPS Technology |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GDDR5 |
| WiFi | 802.11ac wireless LAN |
| Ports | 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB Type-C, HDMI Output |
| Battery | 4-cell 3220 mAh Li-Polymer |
| Adapter | 135 W |
| Weight | 2.7 kg |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
Let’s dive into the review of the Acer Nitro 5.
Design and Build Quality
The Acer Nitro 5 boasts a budget gaming laptop design, blending in with other gaming laptops. I, for one, use the Lenovo Y50 daily, and when I switched to the Acer Nitro 5 for review, no one noticed a difference at first glance.
Upon closer inspection, however, the device’s shortcomings become apparent. While it sports a red and black theme throughout, its predominantly plastic body feels notably cheap.
The Acer Nitro 5’s body is flimsy, lacking overall structure in its design. While some may find the design appealing, the use of cheap plastic is disappointing.
The build quality of the Acer Nitro 5 is simply bad.
Connectivity
The Acer Nitro 5 includes nearly every expected port for a device in 2018 at its price, minimizing complaints.
Left side: Kensington Lock, RJ45 LAN Port, USB Type-C port, HDMI port, USB 3.0 port, SD Card slot.
Right side: DC Charging port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, 3.5mm headphone jack.
Moreover, the laptop includes the “ExoAmp Antenna.” Acer states that the WiFi utilizes MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output) technology, providing faster wireless speeds and accommodating more devices simultaneously. Personally, I experienced excellent wireless signals throughout, even with the WiFi router at a distance from my system.
In summary, the Acer Nitro 5 fulfills all expectations and leaves little room for complaint. While Thunderbolt 3 support for the Type-C port would have been appreciated, the laptop performs admirably even without it.
Display
The Acer Nitro 5 features a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) display with a glossy finish for enhanced colors. However, this makes it unsuitable for outdoor use.
Having previously tested the Acer Nitro 5 Spin, I found the display of the non-convertible model satisfactory. The colors were vibrant, and the color gamut was impressive. Overall, it offers one of the best color reproductions among budget gaming laptops.
The display rests within large bezels. Although common among gaming laptops, I found the overall structure flimsy. The hinges at both ends result in significant flex in the middle section of the screen, indicating the low quality of the plastic frame.
While the display performs well, users should be aware of the less sturdy frame.
Keyboard
The Acer Nitro 5 features a full-size island-style keyboard, which is a pleasure to use. Whether for gaming or typing, it has not disappointed me. In fact, I have written this entire review using this laptop.
The Acer Nitro 5 keyboard offers optimal key travel for easy use. Additionally, a red backlight enhances visibility in low-light conditions.
However, the automatic shutdown of the backlight after 30 seconds of inactivity is inconvenient. User control would improve this feature.
Touchpad
The Acer Nitro 5’s touchpad stands out among gaming laptops in its price range. It utilizes Windows Precision drivers, ensuring smooth gesture functionality. The touchpad features a solid structure and robust multi-finger support.
One thing missing is a fingerprint sensor, a feature many manufacturers are adding to their laptops’ touchpads. The Acer Nitro 5 Spin previously had a fingerprint scanner, so I was surprised when this device lacked Windows Hello compliant protection. It’s not a deal breaker for me, but it might matter to some users.
Audio
Talking about the audio, I was disappointed. The speakers work well, positioned at the front unlike many laptops with speakers at the bottom. However, while gaming on the laptop’s keyboard, my wrists slightly obstructed the speaker, lowering the sound quality.
Even without that, the volume doesn’t seem up to the mark. The levels are balanced with significant bass in the speakers. Sadly, low volume levels led to disappointment.
Acer’s Bundled Software/Bloatware
The list of apps bundled by Acer is extensive, including Acer Care Center, Acer Collection, Acer Configuration Manager, Acer Quick Access, and more. Honestly, most of my interaction with these software involved closing annoying pop-up notifications. For me, it was mostly bloatware, as expected.
Except for Acer Quick Access, which I used to turn off the always-on USB port, there was hardly anything else from Acer that I wanted to use.
Camera
The Acer Nitro 5’s camera performance falls short of greatness. While shots maintain decent clarity, the camera struggles with light balance.
Though not outstanding, the Acer Nitro 5’s camera should suffice for occasional video calls. However, for streaming during gaming, consider investing in an external webcam or exploring alternative options.
Performance
With a 7th-gen i7-7700HQ processor and 16GB of DDR4 RAM, this laptop was engineered for robust performance—and it delivers. It effortlessly handles day-to-day tasks without any hint of stuttering.
Even when using heavyweight software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop, the laptop handles it effortlessly, with the GTX 1050 Ti sharing the load. Frankly, I could throw almost anything at this laptop, and it would perform well, without breaking a sweat. The 128GB SSD also performs fast, giving you excellent read/write speeds.
Gaming Performance
Ah, gaming! The laptop was designed for this, and probably the main reason why you’re reading this review. If you just want the TL;DR version, the laptop handles gaming with ease and offers the expected performance from the Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti.
Thanks to the Ti variant of the graphics card, the laptop outperforms similarly priced options housing the non-Ti GTX 1050. Gaming tests included heavy titles like The Witcher 3, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Assassin’s Creed, all handled with ease, achieving over 50fps on Medium/High settings. Even on Far Cry 5, the laptop maintained a stable 60fps on High settings. PUBG ran at a respectable 48 fps on medium, which is impressive.
Thermals
The thermals on this laptop rank among the best for budget gaming. MSI’s laptops typically lead in cooling, but this one comes close. The Acer Nitro 5 features Acer CoolBoost technology with dual fans and additional heatpipes. These heatpipes efficiently dissipate heat.
Acer CoolBoost technology allows manual control of the cooling process, resulting in an 11% reduction in CPU/GPU temperature. During regular use, temperatures never exceeded 51 degrees, and while gaming, the highest reached was 78 degrees.
Battery Life
The Acer Nitro 5 boasts a 4-cell 3320 mAh Li-ion battery, promising up to 8.5 hours of use. In reality, battery life typically ranges from 4.5 to 7 hours, depending on usage. While activities like watching movies and light web browsing align with this estimate, gaming significantly shortens battery longevity.
Generally, gaming on a laptop without a direct power source is ill-advised due to inadequate power distribution to the CPU and GPU, resulting in notable throttling. However, if necessary, the laptop can sustain gaming for approximately 2 hours on battery power.
The Acer Nitro 5: Affordable Gaming Excellence
The Acer Nitro 5 offers a lot for its price and leaves little to complain. Apart from some minor nitpicking, the laptop works well, and the overall performance is impressive. While not as powerful as the 1060, the 1050 Ti, coupled with Acer CoolBoost technology, provides a unique user experience. Comparing it to competitors like the Lenovo Legion series, while Lenovo excels in audio, it falls short in thermal management. The Acer Nitro 5 stands out as the best budget gaming laptop currently available.
- Excellent Performance
- Effortlessly handles games
- Touchpad and Keyboard are enjoyable to use
- Display quality is commendable
- Keyboard Lighting Turns off Automatically
- Flimsy Structure
- Build Quality isn’t Great
Buy Acer Nitro 5 from Flipkart: (Rs. 57,900, i5-variant; Rs. 91,999, i7-variant)
Acer Nitro 5 Review: Decent Performance at a Budget
Overall, would I recommend the Acer Nitro 5 Spin to you? Absolutely! The laptop works well, offers great performance, and fulfills the promises offered by the company. It’s designed as a budget gaming laptop and certainly performs like one. Despite the flimsy build quality due to the cheap plastic, the Acer Nitro 5 is among the best budget gaming laptops on the market, and an easy recommendation for anyone.
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
