A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 is pricier but offers superior performance for engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and gaming due to a more powerful CPU and GPU. Its larger screen and higher refresh rate enhance visuals but at the cost of heavier weight and less portability. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 costs less and is more portable with a lighter build, suitable for general use and casual gaming. However, its performance for intensive tasks and gaming is modest compared to the Acer. Both have ample storage and RAM, but if gaming or high-performance applications are crucial, the Acer is preferable. If value for money and portability are priorities, consider the ASUS. 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
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook S 15
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.3
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Vivobook S 15 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and 3D because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU with a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, ensuring smoother visuals in fast-paced games and better rendering in 3D applications. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is fair, as it comes with an integrated AMD Vega 8 GPU and a standard 60 Hz screen refresh rate, which provides decent but less impressive performance for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 stands out for engineering and design use with its more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU which supports hardware ray tracing, a higher-resolution and higher-refresh-rate screen for precise visuals, along with a better contrast ratio, making it very good in those areas. While the ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a Vega 8 GPU which is less powerful for graphic-intensive tasks and a standard resolution screen, it is lighter and thinner, offering greater portability and still good performance for engineering and design due to similar CPU and RAM.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Nitro 16's superior screen quality for general use and engineering stems from its high resolution and brightness, along with a wider range of colors, providing clarity and accurate color representation crucial for these tasks. However, its poorer screen quality for gaming and 3D applications is due to a lower refresh rate, which can lead to less fluid visuals, impacting the overall experience. The ASUS Vivobook S 15's fair screen quality across the board indicates a balance, with neither high resolution and color fidelity nor a high refresh rate, making it a compromise for both productivity and entertainment uses.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$908
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 costs $908.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 boasts a robust CPU and high-quality screen, making it reliable for varied tasks, while its heavier build and shorter battery life implies less portability compared to the ASUS Vivobook S 15, which offers greater portability and sufficient performance for everyday tasks thanks to a lighter frame and longer battery life.
Content Creation
7.8
7.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 16 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | ASUS Vivobook S 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $908 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.97 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9.17" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 70 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
See more
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 Vivobook S 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | February 2023
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the ASUS Vivobook S 15
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Acer Nitro 16 vs. Acer Nitro 5 15
VS
Compare Acer Nitro 16 vs. Samsung Galaxy Book3 360
VS
Compare Acer Nitro 16 vs. Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
VS
Compare ASUS Vivobook S 15 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
VS
Compare ASUS Vivobook S 15 vs. Apple MacBook Air (2020)
VS
Compare ASUS Vivobook S 15 vs. Apple MacBook Air (2022)
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
109,995
Recommendations made
23,833
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
