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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 is tailored for gaming and demanding tasks due to its powerful graphics and processor, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use. The Apple MacBook Air (2022), on the other hand, offers a balance of performance and portability with a lightweight design and long battery life but might not be suitable for heavy gaming or intensive engineering software. The MacBook Air generally comes with a higher price tag but offers a seamless experience if you're already using Apple products. Consider the Acer Nitro if your primary concern is power for tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or engineering software, and the MacBook Air for everyday use with the advantage of portability and longer battery life. 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 engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
- Very good for software development
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.4
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a more powerful AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX GPU that excel in demanding engineering and design applications, accompanied by a larger RAM and high-refresh rate screen, making it very good for such tasks but less portable due to its size and weight. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers a strong balance of performance with its Apple M2 chip for good engineering capabilities, complemented by a high-quality IPS screen and the advantage of silent, fanless operation, making it more portable and comfortable for extended use.
Screen Quality
8.3
7.6
16.0in
SIZE
13.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, and gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air has a better screen for content creation.
The Acer Nitro 16 boasts a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness that make it suitable for general use and engineering tasks where clarity and color accuracy are key. The Apple MacBook Air excels in these areas as well with a screen that offers excellent resolution and color fidelity, essential for detail-oriented work in engineering and design. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D work, as their displays lack the high refresh rates required for smooth visuals in fast-paced environments, making them less ideal for those specific uses.
Battery
9.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Nitro 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,275
$839
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,275 and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) costs $839.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16, with its stronger CPU and larger RAM, is well-suited for demanding tasks, and its high-quality screen and substantial battery capacity make it versatile for various general uses, but it's heavier and less portable compared to the lighter Apple MacBook Air (2022), which offers excellent build quality and speaker sound, a high-resolution screen for sharp visuals, and formidable battery life for everyday tasks and on-the-go use, although it has less storage and RAM.
Content Creation
7.8
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for content creation.
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
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Apple MacBook Air (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,275 | $839 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | July 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 52.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1664 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
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."
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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