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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Acer Nitro 16 with its powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card can be a compelling choice, and it's also more affordable. However, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a higher refresh rate display, which can make fast-paced games appear smoother, at a premium price. The Acer Nitro 16 boasts a slightly larger screen and better battery life but is a bit heavier, affecting portability. Both have similar storage and memory, and feature high-resolution IPS displays, but the Acer has a 16:10 aspect ratio compared to the Alienware's 16:9, offering more vertical space which can be useful for productivity tasks. 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for general use, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 both offer clear, high-resolution displays with good brightness, making them great for everyday tasks like browsing, watching videos, and working with documents. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops provide a wide range of colors, meeting professional standards with their ability to accurately represent DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces, which is essential for precise color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screen quality falls short due to lower refresh rates, which means they may not deliver as fluid motion or be as responsive as screens with higher refresh rates, an aspect critical for fast-paced gaming and smooth 3D rendering.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 5 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
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good 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
$1,050
$2,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 offers a balance for general use with its capable AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, 16 GB RAM, and a high-quality 16-inch screen, which promotes better multitasking and viewing experience, alongside better portability and a longer battery life when compared to the Dell Alienware m15 R7. While the Dell Alienware m15 R7 also has 16 GB RAM and boasts a more powerful AMD Ryzen 9 processor, it is designed with a focus on gaming, evident from its higher refresh screen, which affects its battery life and makes it less portable than the Acer, but more suited for intensive tasks and gaming.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.8
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 16 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is highly suited for gaming and 3D tasks thanks to its Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a 165Hz screen refresh rate, popular attributes for smooth visuals and detailed graphics in high-paced games. Comparatively, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, also tailored for gaming, comes equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a higher 240Hz refresh rate, offering extremely fluid motion which is beneficial for competitive gaming, though it operates with a slightly less advanced GPU.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design.
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
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Nitro 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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.
By the numbers
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CEO and Laptops Editor
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