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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 with its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX graphics is suitable for intensive gaming and engineering tasks due to its higher performance capabilities. However, it's heavier and has a larger screen, which makes it less portable. The ASUS Zenbook S 13, on the other hand, is much lighter with a smaller screen, making it highly portable and convenient for on-the-go use. It is equipped with an Intel processor and Iris Xe graphics, which provides good general use and multitasking efficiency, but it may not perform as well as the Nitro in demanding 3D tasks. The Zenbook offers a longer battery life, which could be a significant advantage for all-day users without access to power outlets. If screen quality is important, the Zenbook's OLED display delivers superior colors and contrasts. Choose the Nitro 16 for heavy-duty tasks and gaming, or the Zenbook S 13 for lightweight portability, excellent screen quality, and everyday productivity. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Nitro 16
- Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
365.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16, with its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, has the muscle for demanding tasks but is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use compared to the ASUS Zenbook S 13, which boasts a high-resolution OLED screen, more RAM, and a longer battery life in a lighter and more portable frame.
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.5
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.8
8.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.3
8.1
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
365.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook S 13 for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 offer crisp visuals and brightness suitable for everyday tasks due to their high-resolution panels and luminance, making text, images, and videos clear and vivid. Engineers and designers will appreciate their wide color gamuts that ensure accurate color reproduction crucial for detail-oriented work. However, gamers and 3D users might find the screens lacking, as the refresh rates on these laptops aren't as high as specialized gaming models, meaning less smooth visuals in fast-paced games or 3D applications.
Battery
9.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Fair
Best in Class
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.2 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 stands out for engineering and design due to its robust CPU and GPU that handle demanding software with ease, as well as a high-quality screen that is essential for detailed work. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 shines with its combination of powerful CPU, high RAM capacity, and an OLED screen providing exceptional color and clarity, while also offering greater portability due to its lighter and more compact design.
Build Quality
7.4
7.6
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Acer Nitro 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | ASUS Zenbook S 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 11.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.52" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-1355U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 63 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 365 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the ASUS Zenbook S 13
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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