For intensive gaming or 3D and machine learning tasks, the Acer Nitro 16 with its Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU is a strong choice but is less portable due to its larger size and weight. The Dell Precision 5470 is more portable and also offers strong performance with its Nvidia RTX A1000, making it suitable for engineering and professional work, though at a higher price and with less gaming-oriented features. Both come with similar RAM, but the Acer has more storage space. Consider the Acer if gaming performance and storage are priorities, and the Dell for professional, portable, and business use despite its higher cost and lower storage capacity. 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
Advantages of the Dell Precision 5470
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
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 Dell Precision 5470 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.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
7.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Dell Precision 5470 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 offers a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, while its limited refresh rate hinders performance in fast-paced gaming scenarios. The Dell Precision 5470's display, while sharp and reasonably bright for daily activities and precision tasks, might not cover as wide a color spectrum as needed for the most color-critical design work and similarly struggles during high-refresh gaming. Both laptops compromise on gaming and 3D performance due to their lower refresh rates, which are less conducive to the smooth visuals required in those domains.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Dell Precision 5470 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
$1,669
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Dell Precision 5470 costs $1,669.
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Precision 5470 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 provides ample screen real estate with a larger display and a robust AMD CPU, making it a capable machine for general tasks, while also offering quality speakers and efficient heat management. In contrast, the Dell Precision 5470 excels in portability due to its lighter weight, and its top-notch keyboard and build quality make it a reliable choice for those who prioritize a compact yet sturdy laptop for everyday use.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.8/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 16 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Precision 5470 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a more powerful GPU and a larger screen with higher resolution, which makes it very suitable for engineering and design tasks that demand detailed graphics and visual work. In comparison, the Dell Precision 5470 offers great CPU and GPU for engineering but emphasizes portability and build quality, with a lighter weight and premium construction, making it a solid choice for professionals on the move.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.8/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Dell Precision 5470 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
7.7/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 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 Precision 5470 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 Precision 5470 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."
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Dell Precision 5470
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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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