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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 offers superior performance with a more powerful processor and graphics card, suited for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or video editing, but it's heavier and has a larger form factor, which impacts portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more affordable, lightweight, and has a smaller footprint, making it ideal for general use and carrying around, but it will struggle with demanding applications due to its less powerful hardware. The choice depends on whether you prioritize performance and are willing to pay more and handle additional weight, or if affordability, lightness, and convenience for everyday tasks are your main concerns. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 16 is better for general use due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, a larger and higher resolution screen with superior brightness, contrast, and color coverage, which enhances multitasking and media consumption. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, while lighter and offering superior portability and a slightly better keyboard and heat management, falls short with a less powerful CPU, half the RAM and storage, and a smaller, less vivid screen, affecting its performance for demanding tasks and its suitability for extensive multimedia use.
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.1
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, making it well-suited for demanding tasks like gaming and 3D rendering. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which are adequate for less graphics-intensive applications but may not deliver the same visual fluidity or handle complex 3D tasks as smoothly.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 is better suited for engineering and design because it features a robust CPU and GPU, more RAM, and a higher-quality screen, all essential for demanding software typical in these fields. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers greater portability and higher quality speakers and keyboard but falls short with a less powerful CPU and GPU, less RAM, and a lower resolution screen, which may hinder performance in intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Software Development
7.7
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 16 likely offers vibrant colors and sharp images due to its strong resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate hampers the smooth visuals crucial for immersive gaming and fluid 3D rendering. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with good resolution and brightness, provides an adequate display for daily activities and precision required in design, but it would fall short for gaming and dynamic 3D applications because of its modest refresh rate. The importance of color accuracy for professional engineering and design is covered by both models, but their lack of high refresh rates dampens their effectiveness for fast-paced gaming scenarios.
Portability
Fair
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$699
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $699.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-1235U | |
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 | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
See more
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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Why trust us
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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Laptops evaluated
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
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
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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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