Acer Nitro 5 review: Big screen backed by solid budget gaming performance

Price When Reviewed

$1,199.99

Best Prices Today: Acer Nitro 5 AN517

If you’ve got shopped for a funds gaming laptop computer, then you’re possible accustomed to Acer’s Nitro 5. Most Nitro 5 items are based mostly on a 15.6-inch show, however this Nitro 5 AN5174-2 mannequin bumps out the display to an expansive 17.3 inches. It will come as no shock once I inform you that this bigger model is heftier and bulkier than the already hefty and hulking 15-inch dimension. And whereas the panel could also be bigger, it definitely isn’t any brighter than the dim show we’ve skilled on the smaller mannequin.

If getting essentially the most bang in your 3D-pixel-pushing buck, nevertheless, is extra necessary than acquiring a glossy design with a shiny show, this Nitro 5 AN512 unit delivers aggressive efficiency for an important value. For an affordable $1,199.99, our check system companies up an octa-core Ryzen 7 CPU from AMD’s newest 6000 sequence and a midrange GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. This mixture groups as much as produce framerates normally discovered on costlier techniques.

Acer Nitro 5 specs and options

Our check mannequin (AN517-42-R85S) is predicated on the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU and GeForce RTX 3060 graphics. It’s on sale at MicroCenter for $1,199.99, which is $330 lower than its common value of $1,529.99. Here’s the longer spec listing:

• CPU: Octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
• Memory: 16GB
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
• Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch, 1920×1080, 144Hz IPS LCD
• Webcam: 720p
• Connectivity: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, ethernet, combo audio jack.
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: None
• Battery capability: 96 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 15.77 x 11.59 x 1.1 inches
• Measured weight: 6.6 kilos (laptop computer), 1.67 kilos (AC adapter)
• Price: $1,199.99

Acer sells various 17.3-inch Nitro 5 AN517-42 fashions with the Ryzen 7 6800H CPU that vary in value from $1,319.99 to $2,199.99. All are based mostly on the Ryzen 6800H CPU and graphics choices vary from the RTX 3050 Ti to the RTX 3070. Two resolutions are provided for the 17.3-inch show, both 1920×1080 or 2560×1440. 

Big and hulking, however quiet

The Nitro 5 AN517 is a giant honkin’ laptop computer. It’s practically 16 inches broad, greater than 11 inches deep, over an inch thick and suggestions the scales at 6.75 kilos. And its big, 280-watt energy brick provides one other 1.67 kilos to the whole carrying weight. This just isn’t a laptop computer for every day and even frequent journey.

The extra-large Nitro 5 follows the identical script because the extra widespread 15-inch fashions. Black molded plastic guidelines the day. In addition to the standard crimson accents that the Nitro 5 has been rocking for a while now, this mannequin has some faint blue accents on the lid together with the refined crimson accents. Open the laptop computer up and it’s an all-matte-black affair: black-matte show bezels, black-matte keyboard deck, and matte-black keys. Breaking up the monochrome matte-black look are the edges of the keys, that are white. That lends a little bit of a distinction and visible curiosity to the general look of the laptop computer.

In addition to the edges of the keys, 9 keys characteristic a white border on the highest floor of the keycap. Eight of those keys are identified to avid gamers: the 4 arrow keys and the WASD keys. The ninth key to get the white-border remedy is the “N” key above the numpad. It launches Acer’s NitroSense utility the place you may alter the laptop computer’s energy mode and velocity of the cooling followers. You can even customise the RGB keyboard backlighting throughout 4 zones. Pricier gaming laptops provide per-key lighting, however the four-zone keyboard lighting nonetheless permits for sufficient choices to jazz up the look of the Nitro 5.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

The keys themselves provide a smooth, quiet really feel however they do wobble a bit should you hit them off-center. I want the keys had been a bit firmer and fewer mushy for a quicker response. I additionally want the touchpad had been greater. It appears to be like comically small on the massive expanse that’s the laptop computer’s wrist relaxation. Although undersized, the touchpad felt correct with a agency, snappy click on response.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

One profit of a bigger, bulkier chassis is the laptop computer’s cooling followers are leaned on much less to maintain thermals in examine than they might be on a extra compact enclosure. The Nitro 5 AN517’s followers kick in throughout video games and different intensive graphics duties and may clearly be heard, however they function at a whisper throughout basic Windows use.

Dim show, awful audio system

The Nitro 5 AN517 is predicated on a roomy, 17.3-inch 16:9 show. It’s accessible in both full HD (1920×1080) or QHD (2560×1440) decision. Ours options the previous, which fits the RTX 3060 GPU that’s greatest for 1080p gaming. While you’re unlikely to play video games at the next decision with the midrange RTX 3060, the 1440p panel would make the laptop computer extra versatile as the upper decision creates a finer picture for extra detailed media enhancing and a bigger workspace for juggling a number of home windows when utilizing the laptop computer for issues apart from gaming.

The 1080p is ample, nevertheless, for this dimension of panel, leaving the lackluster brightness because the show’s largest flaw. It’s a relatively dim show with uninteresting colours that’s greatest fitted to gaming in a basement or different darkish setting. In my workplace that receives some pure mild, I had the show brightness set to its max always and infrequently tapped the brightness-up button in a feeble try to extend it additional.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

While many laptops have made the transfer to a 1080p webcam that leads to clearly superior video conferencing, the Nitro 5 is caught prior to now with a mediocre-at-best 720p digicam. It produces a grainy picture with poor stability. Details are shortly misplaced within the brightest and darkest elements of the picture. The digicam that you’ll not need to use with any nice frequency additionally lacks a privateness cowl, which might shield you from prying eyes through the lengthy stretches when it’s not in use.

Despite having room to outfit the system with 4 audio system, the Nitro 5 serves up solely a pair of substandard stereo audio system. Without subwoofers to spherical out the sound, the audio output is decidedly subpar. Bass was all however nonexistent and the mids and excessive tones sounded muddied. Gamers, hold your headphones inside attain.

The port choice is heavy on USB Type-A ports and lightweight on the Type-C selection, however at minimal it affords no less than considered one of every sort. There is a pair of USB-A ports on the suitable facet and one other on the left. Flanking the USB-A port on the left facet is a headphone/mic jack and an Ethernet port.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Where would possibly the USB-C port be, you ask? Why, it’s on the again edge subsequent to an HDMI port and the ability connector. The USB-C port, nevertheless, doesn’t embody Thunderbolt help.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

The laptop computer’s 1TB SSD gives ample room to retailer your favourite video games domestically, and there’s a free M.2 slot do you have to need to develop your native storage with a second SSD. The system additionally options two DIMM slots, each of that are full of 8GB sticks on our check system.

Performance

To put the Nitro 5 AN517’s efficiency into perspective, we pitted it in opposition to different gaming laptops with midrange RTX graphics, all of which characteristic Intel CPUs. The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE, Dell XPS 17 9720, and HP Victus 16 characteristic RTX 3060 graphics. Just under within the RTX pecking order is the RTX 3050 Ti-based MSI Katana GF76 whereas the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is one notch above with RTX 3070.

Before we get to the great things, we first run PCMark 10, which measures efficiency on on a regular basis computing work together with workplace productiveness duties, internet searching, and video chats. The Nitro 5 was unable to maintain tempo with its Intel competitors, all of which crested the 7,000 mark. That stated, the entire techniques right here — the Nitro 5 included — are overqualified for basic Windows use. Anecdotally, the Nitro 5 felt peppy throughout a wide range of multitasking situations with dozens and dozens of open Chrome tabs.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Our HandBrake benchmark assessments how a laptop computer is ready to deal with crushing CPU hundreds over a prolonged interval—on this case, transcoding a 30GB MKV file to a format appropriate for Android tablets utilizing HandBrake, the free video encoding utility. The Nitro 5 did higher on HandBrake than PCMark, ending in the midst of the pack and edging the Dell XPS 17, which options Intel’s high-powered Core i7-12700H and the identical RTX 3060 GPU.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Next up is Cinebench, one other CPU-intensive check however one which renders a fancy 2D scene over a brief time frame. The Nitro 5 was much less aggressive on Cinebench however did handle to remain out of final place.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Graphics efficiency

After assessing the machine’s software and multimedia efficiency, we now have arrived at the great things — gaming efficiency. Before we get to the sport themselves, we ran 3DMark’s Time Spy and Port Royal assessments. The Nitro 5 did effectively on each assessments, ending first among the many RTX 3060 techniques and trailing solely the RTX 3070-based Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Moving on to real-world video games, we first run Rise of the Tomb Raider at 1920×1080 decision set to Very High and in DX11 mode. The Nitro 5 turned in a really playable framerate of 107 fps and was once more on the head of the RTX 3060 pack. On the newer Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1920×1080 decision, the Nitro 5 averaged a powerful 106fps, which was once more first among the many RTX 3060 laptops. Finally, on  the extra demanding Metro Exodus at 1920×1080 on the benchmark’s Extreme preset, the Nitro 5 averaged 31fps, which was proper according to the opposite RTX 3060 laptops and behind the 50 fps of the RTX 3070-based Lenovo Legion 5 Pro.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

To check a laptop computer’s battery life, we loop a 4K video utilizing Windows 11’s Movies & TV app, with the laptop computer set to Airplane mode and earbuds plugged in. We set the display brightness at a comparatively shiny 250 nits to 260 nits, which is an effective brightness for watching a film in an workplace with the lights on. The Nitro 5’s big 96 watt-hour battery lasted 8 hours and alter on our battery rundown check, a powerful consequence for such a large-screened laptop computer.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Capable funds gamer

As you’ve got simply learn (until you skipped to the tip), the Acer Nitro 5 AN517 just isn’t with out its faults. But each funds laptop computer makes a couple of missteps and none of our points with this 17.3-inch Nitro 5 are deal breakers. Sure, the plastic chassis is clunky, the show isn’t the brightest, the keyboard is simply so-so, the touchpad is tiny, and the webcam is horrible. These design drawbacks are what you need to tolerate for the bang that this Nitro 5 gives in your gaming buck. At its core, the Nitro 5’s CPU-GPU pairing of the Ryzen 7 6800H and RTX 3060 graphics permit it to hold with pricier gaming laptops. For budget-conscious consumers, this $1,200 Nitro 5 configuration delivers sturdy 3D efficiency for the value whereas additionally offering a roomy show, quiet operation, and satisfactory battery life.