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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a larger screen and better performance for 3D applications, machine learning tasks, and gaming, the Acer Nitro 16 with its larger display and more powerful graphics would suit you well, but it's heavier and thicker, making it less portable. Conversely, the Dell Alienware x14 R1 offers greater portability due to its lighter and thinner design, which is beneficial if you frequently travel with your laptop. The Alienware also has a higher contrast ratio, which might make for a crisper image, though it has a smaller screen and less powerful GPU than the Nitro, affecting performance in graphically demanding applications. Both laptops are designed with gaming in mind and are similarly priced. 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
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.3
7.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware x14 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a vibrant, sharp display for browsing, watching videos, or document work, the Acer Nitro 16 stands out due to its higher resolution and brighter panel, which enhances these experiences. For engineering and design tasks, where color precision matters, its wide color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, crucial for professionals in graphic design or video editing. However, for gaming or 3D modeling where fluid motion is key, the lower refresh rate on the Acer Nitro 16 might make visuals appear less smooth compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming, which typically have higher refresh rates to support fast-paced action.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
$1,201
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 costs $1,201.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 is suitable for general use due to its balance of CPU and GPU for multitasking and entertainment, with a bigger screen that has a higher resolution offering a vivid display experience, although it is heavier and thicker than the Dell Alienware x14 R1, limiting its portability.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.6
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
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 x14 R1 is good.
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
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 is well-suited for engineering and design use due to its AMD Ryzen processor, RTX 4070 GPU, and high-resolution 16-inch IPS display, which offers strong performance and screen quality, vital for such tasks. The Dell Alienware x14 R1, while more portable and offering a high-quality keyboard and less operating noise, has a less powerful RTX 3060 GPU and a smaller, lower resolution screen, making it less optimal for the most demanding engineering applications despite its overall competence in the category.
Content Creation
7.8
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Nitro 16 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 Dell Alienware x14 R1 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Dell Alienware x14 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $1,201 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 12.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.34" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 411 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
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."
Dell Alienware x14 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Dell Alienware x14 R1
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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