The Acer Nitro 5 (2021) is the perfect gaming laptop for people on a budget.
At R14 999, the 2021 standard AMD configuration allows players to play most triple-A titles at 1080p with upwards of 30FPS.
Depending on which configuration you choose, the price can vary between R14 999 and R 19 999.
Specifications
| Acer Nitro 5 | |
|---|---|
| Screen dimensions | 15.6″ |
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
| Processor | 3 GHz AMD Ryzen 5 5600H |
| RAM | 8GB 1RX8 |
| Hard Drive | 512GB SSD |
| Graphics Coprocessor | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 |
| Battery | 57WH |
| Dimensions | 36.3 x 25.4 x 2.3 cm |
| Weight | 2.4Kg |
Regarding ports, on the left side of the laptop there is:
- 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A
- 1 x 3.5mm audio combo jack
- 1 x Kensington laptop lock
- 1 x Gigabit ethernet port
And, the right:
- 1 x USB type C
- 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A
- 1 x HDMI 2.1 output
The Nitro 5 keeps gamers in mind and has its power port at the back of the laptop, in the middle just below the screen, which helps not to have cables get in the way of your hands when gaming.
Performance
The graph below shows the FPS performance of both the standard AMD version in red and the Intel configuration in blue when playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on high settings.
The Acer Nitro 5 with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600H reaches a comfortable 67.83FPS when playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on high settings.
Both configurations of the Nitro 5 fair relatively well for their price.
In comparison, the top-performing laptop is the MSI Raider GE76 11UH which costs R58 999. (Click the image to enlarge)
FPS comparison between Acer’s lineup and various laptops of different prices and specifications
Upgradability
The Acer Nitro 5 offers memory upgradability.
With one Philips head screwdriver, you can open up the back of the case and install an additional 8GB of RAM to give a substantial boost when gaming.
You could also install an additional HDD or SSD to increase storage capacity.
Acer even gives the necessary adapters.
Battery Life
One major issue with the Acer Nitro 5 is the battery life, especially on the Intel i5 model. It is one of the lowest-performing compared to other gaming laptops.
The Ryzen 5 model is highlighted in red and the i5 model in blue in the graph below. The numbers indicate time in minutes (Click the image to enlarge):
Comparison of battery life between models and other gaming laptops courtesy of Jarrod’sTech. Time measured in minutes.
Even with the better performing Ryzen 5 model, you only get just over an hour and a half of unplugged gaming.
In some regards, this makes the Acer Nitro 5 more of a portable desktop PC than a gaming laptop.
Appearance
The Nitro 5 sports a primarily black exterior with red plastic accents.
This design choice might make people hesitant to take this laptop to the office. However, Acer chooses not to hide that the Nitro 5 is a gaming laptop.
If you were to try and replicate the hardware and performance of the Nitro 5 with a standard PC build, you would most likely exceed the R14999 price point. This is yet another reason why the Acer Nitro 5 is the best value for money gaming laptop currently available.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Loading ...
