When choosing between the Acer Nitro and Dell Alienware laptops, consider that the Alienware typically offers higher performance for gaming and heavy tasks but may cost more and be less portable due to increased weight and size. The Nitro may save you money and be easier to carry around, but it may not match the Alienware's capabilities for demanding software and games. Battery life often suffers with high-performance machines like the Alienware, so if you value longer unplugged usage, the Nitro could be more appealing despite its potential performance compromises. 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 Dell Alienware m16 R2
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for general use.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 have vivid displays with sharp resolution and brightness that contribute to a clear and comfortable viewing experience during everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design, professionals require accurate color reproduction, and both laptops deliver on this front with their wide color gamuts, ensuring that designers see true-to-life colors when working on detailed projects. However, for gaming and 3D applications, a high refresh rate is crucial to render fast-moving images smoothly; since both laptops have lower refresh rates, they are less suitable for these purposes where visual fluidity is key.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Acer Nitro 16 both have only fair portability, though the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 both offer strong CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring smooth general use, while their high-quality screens enhance visual experience. However, the Acer might be easier to carry around and generally lasts longer on a single charge, whereas the Dell, with its advanced cooling system and potentially quieter operation, is built to accommodate more demanding applications with greater ease, despite possibly being heavier and having shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 m16 R2 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 offers a strong GPU and high screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications, which require fast and smooth graphics processing. Meanwhile, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 also provides a powerful GPU and high screen refresh rate, along with a high-quality CPU and screen, delivering exceptional performance and visuals for intensive gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.4/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Acer Nitro 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 packs a strong CPU, ample RAM, and a robust GPU that cater to engineering software and design tasks, while its high-quality screen delivers crisp visuals, which are crucial for detailed work. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 matches these capabilities, but also boasts a premium build that provides a comfortable keyboard, better speakers, and manages operating noise efficiently, which might make up for the extra weight compared to the more portable Acer Nitro 16.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
7.7/10
7.6/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Dell Alienware m16 R2
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.
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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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
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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