We have seen many gaming laptops come across our review desk here at EFTM, and now, with AI chipsets and software being the latest thing, we are seeing them incorporated into gaming laptops.
The Acer Nitro V 16 Gaming Laptop is one such device so we figured we should check it out to see what all the fuss is about.
The Acer Nitro V 16 we were sent included the following specs:
So how did it fare? Read on!
Let’s start with the build quality. It is very plasticky. Now in a gaming laptop that is designed for use on the go that is not a bad thing in my opinion as it cuts down on the weight of the laptop which clocks in pretty much spot on 2.5kg.
Sure it doesn’t feel as solid as some others we have tested but it is more portable given its weight.
The design is very basic when closed. It doesn’t have any fancy lights, angles or cutouts on the outside that may reveal it as a gaming laptop, aside from the silver Acer Nitro logo in the middle of the lid.
Underneath are a couple of massive vents for fan and cooling which are very much required and something to keep in mind when and where you are using this laptop. I originally had it sitting on a towel (the new rule in my household after my last review laptop scratched the dining table and I ended up in the dog house) but the cooling was insufficient this way and the laptop got very hot.
Open the laptop up and there is some gaming-looking styling next to the wrist rest area on either side of the touchpad. There are also more vents above the keyboard for yet more cooling.
Also above the keyboard on the left is a shortcut button that allows you to switch into and out of performance modes while gaming – Quiet, Balanced, Performance and Turbo. You can also switch and customise these in the Nitro app pre-installed on the laptop – tap the Nitro shortcut button at the top of the Numpad to launch that app quickly.
Overall, the plasticky design is noticeable while gaming with a bit of flex to the laptop but you have to really be going hammer and tong at it for it to actually affect your gaming experience.
The 16-inch 165Hz/3ms WQXGA display is an LCD display, a choice designed to keep the pricing down I dare say given that many gaming laptops are exploring the new OLED displays which look amazing these days.
In saying all that though, the colours and blacks are still pretty good, as you’d expect in 2024 – just not up to OLED standards. Off-centre, the display does wash out a bit as you can see from the photos in this review, but that doesn’t concern me while using a laptop.
The refresh rate is high enough for all games I tested out, given my lack of skill but at 165Hz it should be fine for all but the most professional of gamers.
The brightness is a bit lacking at just 300 nits and this is disappointing. Sure if you are using it on the go you don’t want the display to use up too much battery but if it’s plugged in at home I want that brightness cranked.
Given the GPU in this laptop, the LCD is capable of matching the specs it can push though, so that is all you can ask for.
The keyboard is great for productivity work and something I really liked typing on but it is not what you would expect from a gaming keyboard that’s for sure. There is no fancy switch action going on here with the keys have a soft touch to them and no precise click that gamers normally like to feel.
The keys are backlit but you are stuck with the orange backlight that is installed by Acer with no ability to change the colours, nor customised individual keys to match the keys you use in a game.
Gaming was ok with them given the portable nature of the device but I feel that /Acer could have used nicer keys in the keyboard to match what it is designed to do – game.
The touchpad is nothing fancy and possibly a tad small given the larger sizes we are seeing on so many laptops these days. It works and works well though so it’s fine for basic control. If you are gaming on this laptop you will and should be using a gaming mouse – that’s what I did.
I’m not sure why we always mention the speakers in laptops because they are always small and low quality compared to the sound quality to get from even a half-decent set of gaming headsets (with mic). The speakers on the Acer Nitro V 16 are no different. They are ok, loud enough but a bit tinny, especially if you crank up the volume. You will be able to hear your game easily with them though but I prefer to use my gaming headset every day of the week.
The numbers for the performance of the Acer Nitro V 16 AMD laptop we received were decent – not the best we have ever seen but good enough, especially for a gaming laptop of this level.
I much prefer real-world tests though and my testing in games resulted in great performance. I was even able to mirror the laptop to a gaming monitor that is also on the review desk and push that using all the games I had installed.
There was no stuttering, no lag with the response easily able to keep me on track and/or alive for as long as I normally can and do.
For those buying a laptop of this level and price it will run the sort of games you would expect to be able to play, as well as you would expect it to, comfortably.
At this stage I still feel that AI is a solution waiting for a problem when it comes to PCs. Acer say that the AI for gaming allows the software to “enhance everything from frame rates to fidelity… and to optimise your laptop’s performance.”
The AI capabilities are there though should you wish to install third-party software that can make use of the AI processes. But it’s an AI PC? If you want it to be it can be is more the story.
Gaming laptops are notorious for poor battery life and the small 57Whr battery in the Acer Nitro V 16 AMD does not bode it well.
Using the most efficient Eco mode I was about to eek out about 7 hours of battery life – and that was not while gaming but video watching and general web surfing and productivity work. Gaming dropped it down to a lot less than that so don’t expect it to last very long if you can’t find a nearby power socket.
The Acer Nitro V 16 Gaming Laptop is the laptop for the gamer who is on a budget. It is not for the gamer who is extremely serious and wants only the best performance and you should expect decent gaming, at an entry-level performance.
In saying that I was able to play all my games comfortably but my gaming level is a long long way from anything serious. The keyboard could certainly be improved and the display is nothing exceptional but at this price it should be expected that you won’t be getting high-end specs.
Gaming at a much more affordabel price is what you get with the Acer Nitro V 16 Gaming Laptop, and that is all a lot of people want.
The Acer Nitro V 16 Gaming Laptop is available exclusively at OfficeWorks stores for RRP$2,199 but is currently priced at $1,597 so if you are interested, get in quick.
Scott is our resident open technology expert. If you can mod it, or want to use it your way, Scott has probably done it. From Laptops to phones, headphones and game consoles, he’s played with it and wants to see the next generation.
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