Gaming laptops can be expensive, especially ones with the latest RTX graphics cards. The Acer Nitro 5, however, is an affordable option for those who want to play their favorite games without breaking the bank.
The new Nitro 5 looks very similar to its predecessor, but a few key changes make it better in my book. For one, the trackpad is now a bit bigger and feels better. Previous models had a small trackpad that made it hard to do tasks outside of gaming. This model, however, has a much more spacious one that should accommodate most gamers.
It also has a better display than most budget gaming laptops. The panel has a 1,920×1,200-pixel resolution that is more than enough for most games. It’s brighter, too, which makes it easier to see when playing in bright conditions. It’s a nice change from most budget laptops that typically have a dull 250- or 300-nit panel.
Another improvement is the Intel Core i5-12500H processor. The old model used an older generation chip, but the new one is a step up in both performance and power efficiency. In fact, in Geekbench 5, a CPU benchmark that leans heavily on single-core processing power, it earned a score of 1,652. This is a decent result for a budget gaming laptop, and should provide plenty of gaming performance for most users.
This version also comes with 6 GB of VRAM, which is more than enough for most games. As such, it should be able to run most modern games at a solid frame rate. That said, it’s still not the best gaming laptop for performance hounds. Those who want to run the most demanding titles at full settings will probably need to spend some time uninstalling visual settings to get a stable 60 frames per second or higher.
Other improvements are less noticeable, but welcome. For example, the keyboard now has a convenient software button that opens Acer’s dedicated laptop software. By pressing this, you can monitor the CPU and GPU temperature, adjust cooling fan speeds, and optimize performance.
Acer’s Nitro 5 is a smartly focused machine that delivers on its promise of portable PC gaming. It’s not as good as some of our other picks, but it’s an excellent choice for those who prioritize affordability over features.
As always, the price is the biggest draw, but the Nitro 5 also offers impressive gaming and productivity capabilities. If you’re in the market for a budget gaming laptop, it’s hard to find a better deal than this one.
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