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Updated February 23, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Nitro and the ASUS Zenbook, consider that the Acer Nitro is usually more expensive because it's geared towards gaming and demanding tasks with higher performance, while the ASUS Zenbook is more affordable, lighter, and thus more portable, making it suitable for everyday use and travel. If you prioritize gaming or resource-intensive applications, the Acer might be the better option despite the higher cost and lesser portability. Conversely, if general use and easy carrying are your main concerns, the ASUS Zenbook should suffice at a lower price point. 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
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 16 stands out for general use due to its strong CPU, higher RAM capacity, superior graphics, and excellent heat management which are key for performance and multitasking, though it is bulkier and might have reduced portability compared to slimmer laptops. The ASUS Zenbook 14, while more compact and likely better for carrying around, has a less powerful CPU, lower RAM, and integrated graphics, which may limit performance, but it still maintains adequate screen quality and decent battery life for day-to-day tasks.
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.1
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.3
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14 for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
When considering screen quality for general use, both the Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Zenbook 14 offer clarity and vibrancy due to their high resolution and bright displays, making them suitable choices. For engineering and design tasks, these laptops provide wide color ranges ensuring precision in color-critical work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates might not deliver as fluid motion as dedicated gaming laptops, potentially leading to less smooth visuals during fast-paced action.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the ASUS Zenbook 14 costs $300.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.7
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 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
7.8
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | ASUS Zenbook 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12.4'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 12.35" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-1240P | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 90Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 339 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 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 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | August 2022
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the ASUS Zenbook 14
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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