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At a look
Specialist’s Rating
Pros
- Great construct quality for the cost
- Strong video game efficiency
- A lot of connection
Cons
- Cuts corners on processor, RAM
- Show quality is simply okay
- Brief battery life
Our Verdict
Acer’s Nitro V 15 cuts a couple of corners however provides strong PC video gaming efficiency at an extremely low rate.
Budget plan video gaming laptop computers remain in a difficult area. While numerous are still readily available under $1,000, the sacrifices needed to accomplish a three-digit rate are ending up being more obvious with current makers. Acer’s Nitro V 15 makes its reasonable share of sacrifices to strike an MSRP of $850, however video game efficiency stays undamaged. In addition to the trusted video game efficiency, there’s likewise a varied port choice and the develop quality is remarkably great. Let’s enter it.
Searching for more alternatives? Have a look at PCWorld’s roundup of the very best video gaming laptop computers offered today.
Acer Nitro V 15: Specs and functions
Acer’s cost-cutting procedures appear in its requirements. The laptop computer selects Intel’s Core i5-13420H, an eight-core processor that sits near the bottom of Intel’s H-Series line-up, and cuts memory to a weak 8GB.
- CPU: Intel Core i5-13420H
- Memory: 8GB LPDDR5
- Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 4050 6GB
- Show: 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS 144Hz
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Cam: 720p
- Connection: 1x HDMI, 3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2
- Networking: WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, Gigabit Ethernet
- Biometrics: None
- Battery capability: 57 watt-hours
- Measurements: 14.3 x 9.4 x 1.06 inches
- Weight: 4.66 pounds
- MSRP: $849.99
This conserves money for the essential element: Nvidia’s RTX 4050. Barely a powerhouse, the Nvidia RTX 4050 is a contemporary Nvidia GPU that supports the 40-series’ complete variety of functions. Just a handful of option like the Lenovo LOQ 15 and the current MSI GF63 Thin Series provide the RTX 4050 at a comparable rate.
Acer Nitro V 15: Design and develop quality
IDG/ Matthew Smith
The Acer Nitro V 15 is at the really bottom of the budget plan video gaming market, so it’s smart to keep expectations in check. It has an easy, matte black plastic outside decorated just by blue-and-silver stripes along the screen cover and a Predator logo design. It looks great, however not modern-day. A style like this might’ve struck shop racks at any time over the previous 5 years.
It’s a huge laptop computer. The 15.6-inch screen’s bezels aren’t enormous however are bigger general than on more pricey video gaming laptop computers. That makes the Nitro V 15 approximately as large as some 16-inch designs, though not as deep. Density is available in at a girthy 1.06 inches, too.
Acer ratings a win with the laptop computer’s affordable 4.66 pounds of heft. That’s less than comparably priced video gaming laptop computers like the Dell G16 Gaming (at 6.3 pounds) and Asus TUF Gaming A15 (at 4.85 pounds). I would not call the Acer Nitro V 15 airy, however it fits well in many laptop knapsacks and will not feel too challenging to bring across school or to your regional coffeehouse.
The Nitro V 15 is a bit more stiff than anticipated, too. Show flex is obvious when opening the laptop computer, however no more so than with any likewise priced device and the lower chassis feels strong in-hand. That’s constantly excellent to see in a spending plan video gaming laptop computer.
Acer Nitro V 15: Keyboard, trackpad
IDG/ Matthew Smith
A keyboard with numpad is packed inside the Acer Nitro V 15’s frame. It hardly fits and needs a couple of sacrifices like half-sized numpad secrets and somewhat undersized Shift, Tab, Control, and Caps Lock secrets. Still, the Nitro V 15 is a big laptop computer and there’s lots of palm rest area listed below the keyboard.
Secret feel is great, however typical. Each essential supplies a healthy series of travel and ends its journey with a conclusive thud before bouncing back with a vibrant action. Typing can feel a bit unclear in spite of that, maybe due to a minor flex and wobble throughout the middle of the keyboard when typing at high speeds. That’s normal for a spending plan video gaming laptop computer, however, and the Nitro V 15’s keyboard stays functional for hours on end.
The Nitro V 15’s touchpad is a frustration and duplicates the low-cost, basic feel typical to many video gaming laptop computers. It’s fairly big, determining about 5 inches large and 3 inches high, which is excellent news if you like to utilize multi-touch gestures. The surface area feels inadequately specified from the palm rest and suffers a low-cost, toy-plastic shine. It’s satisfactory however not enjoyable to utilize for more than a couple of minutes.
Acer Nitro V 15: Display, audio
IDG/ Matthew Smith
The Acer Nitro V 15’s screen is a 15.6-inch 16:9 widescreen with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 and a refresh rate of 144Hz. It’s about as fundamental as it gets for a video gaming laptop computer in 2023.
Image quality is appropriate. The display screen does not have the dynamic color and deep contrast discovered in laptop computers with an OLED or Mini-LED display screen, and 1080p does not have the crisp discussion of options with 1440p (or much better) resolution. Still, 1080p appearances rather sharp on a 15.6-inch screen.
Brightness can be a problem, however, as the Acer Nitro V 15’s display screen has an optimum of simply 275 nits. That’s rather low (most laptop computers attain 400 nits, or more) and can make the laptop computer tough to utilize in an intense, sunlit space or outdoors.
Movement clearness, on the other hand, is great. The Nitro V 15’s refresh rate of 144Hz isn’t innovative however it’s okay, either. Movement clearness is significantly enhanced over a 60Hz screen with great information in quick moving things and a crisp discussion throughout quick video camera pans in 3D video games.
While the Nitro V 15’s display screen is appropriate for the cost, audio quality fails. The integrated speakers do not have volume and have a severe, metal noise at high volumes. Bass is mainly missing, too, which offers music and video games a flat and hollow discussion. Earphones or external speakers are obligatory to delight in video games, films, or music.
Acer Nitro V 15: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
The most favorable thing I can state about the Acer Nitro V 15’s web cam is that it exists. It’s a standard 720p electronic camera with dreadful sharpness and a dull, flat, lifeless discussion. The electronic camera is functional enough for casual video calls, however do not even consider streaming.
I was more pleased by the microphone. It provided strong volume and a crisp discussion that made my taped discussion simple to comprehend. It didn’t highly get the sound of an area heating system in the exact same space, either, though louder and more abrupt noises will come through.
Biometric login isn’t readily available. That’s not a surprise, as I can’t remember any video gaming laptop computer listed below $1,000 that provides it. You’ll need to step up to the $1,500 cost point, or more, before finger print readers and facial recognition-capable electronic cameras end up being basic.
Acer Nitro V 15: Connectivity
IDG/ Matthew Smith
Acer loads numerous ports into the Nitro V 15, the majority of which line the laptop computer’s left flank. There you’ll discover Gigabit Ethernet, an HDMI 2.0 port, 2 USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port.
The USB-C port likewise manages USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, so it can be utilized to charge the laptop computer and/or get in touch with a USB-C display (or other display, with the best adapter). Acer’s specs do not note the quantity of USB Power Delivery offered, however it seems a bit except the 135 watts supplied by the consisted of power brick. That suggests the laptop computer battery might release while at heavy load and on USB-C power.
An extra USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port and 3.5 mm audio jack are discovered on the left flank. That produces an overall of 3 USB-A ports, which is outstanding– you can link a keyboard, mouse, and still have space left over for a cam or external disk drive.
Wireless connection is terrific, too, with assistance for the current Wi-Fi 6E requirement and Bluetooth 5.1. Both are basic for any brand-new laptop computer, no matter the rate point, however it’s excellent to see Acer didn’t pick to cut corners here. Wi-Fi 6E is going mainstream and offers a good increase to Wi-Fi speeds at brief varieties.
Acer Nitro V 15: Performance
The Acer Nitro V 15 is affordable for a video gaming laptop computer and cuts a couple of corners to make its prices possible. Intel’s Core i5-13420H is a fine example. It’s an eight-core processor with 4 efficiency cores, 4 effective cores, and an optimum Turbo Boost of 4.6 Hz. The more effective Intel Core i7-13700H, which prevails in video gaming laptop computers that cost a couple of hundred dollars more, has 14 cores and an optimum Turbo Boost of 5GHz.
Acer likewise gears up the Nitro V 15 with a simple 8GB of RAM and a little 512GB strong state drive. These are modest specs, and they cause modest efficiency in performance jobs.
IDG/ Matthew Smith
We begin with PCMark 10, a holistic system criteria that consists of processor, graphics, and memory tests. The Acer Nitro V 15 strikes a reputable however not impressive rating of 6,379, which positions it behind lots of just recently evaluated video gaming laptop computers. To be reasonable, the Nitro V 15 is much more economical than the majority of these options, however it’s unexpected to see even the older MSI Katana with Intel Core i7-12650H leave with a simple win.
IDG/ Matthew Smith
Cinebench R15 tightens up the competitors, though the Nitro V 15 still winds up at the bottom of the load. Its rating of 4,310 is close to the older MSI Katana however undoubtedly exceeded by more costly video gaming laptop computers.
IDG/ Matthew Smith
The story does not alter in Handbrake, where the Nitro V 15 when again posts a modest outcome. That’s not to state it’s sluggish, however its efficiency is more comparable to a thin-and-light laptop computer like the LG Gram SuperSlim than other big, thick video gaming laptop computers.
The Acer Nitro V 15’s processor efficiency is simply okay, however it’s likewise probably not that crucial. Video gaming is what matters most. Nvidia’s RTX 4050 6GB is the star of this program and provides optimal graphics power of 75 watts, which is ideal in the middle of the 35-to-115 watt variety it can support.
IDG/ Matthew Smith
3DMark’s Time Spy criteria offered the Nitro V 15 a strong start with its rating of 7,771. That’s not far off some laptop computers with more effective Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, such as the MSI Prestige 16 Studio, and provides a huge leap over older laptop computers with Nvidia RTX 3050 or RTX 3050 Ti graphics. That’s an essential point, as players on a spending plan are most likely to see older laptop computers with RTX 3050/3050 Ti hardware at costs comparable to the Nitro V 15.
IDG/ Matthew Smith
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Provides a beneficial outcome for the Nitro V 15. It attained approximately 105 frames-per-second at 1080p resolution and Highest information. That’s an amazing strong rating of an affordable video gaming laptop computer and once again provides an enormous uplift over older laptop computers with RTX 3050/3050 Ti graphics.
IDG/ Matthew Smith
The competitors narrows in City Exodushowever the Nitro V 15’s efficiency stays decent. It provided a just-barely-playable average of 32 frames per 2nd at 1080p and Extreme information. That may sound weak, however the video game’s Extreme information setting is precisely that: the video game still looks fantastic at lower information settings, which show completely playable. And while the Nitro V 15’s outcome was borderline, it’s another enormous gain over the older MSI Katana and its RTX 3050 Ti graphics.
Acer’s Nitro V 15 isn’t a powerhouse, however its video gaming efficiency is strong for the rate. It can manage lots of titles from the last console generation at high information settings and 1080p resolution, along with more recent video games that do not press advanced visuals.
Acer Nitro V 15: Battery life
Budget plan video gaming laptop computers tend to battle with battery life and the Acer Nitro V 15 is no exception. It accomplished a little more than 4 hours of endurance in our basic battery test, which loops a 4K file of the brief movie Tears of Steel
4 hours isn’t awful for a laptop computer in this classification, however it’s not adequate to handle a complete work day away, and even a flight from San Francisco to New York. That indicates you’ll wish to load the power brick.
It’s a little power brick, a minimum of, determining about 5 and half inches long and 3 inches large. And while the laptop computer’s USB-C port does not supply adequate power to manage the laptop computer at complete load, it does offer sufficient to charge the laptop computer while it’s idle or carrying out less requiring jobs (like web surfing or Microsoft Word). That’s convenient if you forget the brick in the house.
Acer Nitro V 15: Should you purchase it?
Acer’s Nitro V 15 is a great budget plan video gaming laptop computer that provides what matters most: video game efficiency. It can surpass 60 FPS in a variety of video games at 1080p, though you’ll require to turn image quality down a notch or 2 in the most requiring titles. The Nitro V 15’s processor efficiency is less excellent, its RAM is weak, and its battery life is average, however the exact same holds true for the majority of price-competitive video gaming laptop computers. Eventually, your purchasing choice will depend upon cost. The Nitro V 15 is strong however does not overachieve, so try to find a sale.
Author: Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith is an independent innovation reporter with 15 years of experience evaluating customer electronic devices. In addition to PCWorld, his work can be discovered on Wired, Ars Technica, Digital Trends, Reviewed, IGN, and Lifewire. Matthew likewise covers AI and the metaverse for IEEE Spectrum and runs Computer Gaming Yesterday, a YouTube channel committed to PC video gaming history.