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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 offers a better graphics card and gaming experience, so it's the preferred choice for gaming and intensive graphics tasks. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is lighter and more portable with a touchscreen and higher build quality, making it better for on-the-go use and creative work. Both are mid-range priced and have similar storage and memory, but the Nitro has a higher battery capacity for longer unplugged usage, while the Surface Laptop Studio offers a unique 3:2 screen aspect ratio that can be better 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 engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.6
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, making it superior for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which has a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz. While both laptops have IPS screens with high resolutions, the higher specs of the Acer Nitro 16 translate into smoother visuals and better handling of graphically intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The Acer Nitro 16, with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, offers robust performance required for engineering and design tasks, along with a high-quality IPS display with a higher refresh rate that appeals to those needs. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a flexible hinge for drawing tablet functionality and a very high-contrast screen, but with an Intel CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti, it is less powerful, though more portable and with better speakers and keyboard quality.
Screen Quality
8.3
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize screen clarity and color accuracy for office work or engineering applications, both the Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offer vibrant displays with high resolution and brightness, ensuring sharp images and a wide color spectrum. These laptops excel in engineering and design tasks due to their ability to represent colors precisely, a crucial aspect when color fidelity and detail are key. However, for gaming or 3D work, their screens may not be ideal due to lower refresh rates, which means fast-moving visuals might not appear as smooth, potentially putting them at a disadvantage for those specific activities.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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