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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you favor higher gaming and engineering performance, the MSI Raider GE78 is superior with its more powerful processor and graphics card, but it also comes with a higher price tag. It also has a larger screen and more expansive storage and memory, which can benefit professionals and gamers alike. On the other hand, the Acer Nitro 16 is a better choice for those looking for a more affordable option that still provides good performance for general use and gaming. Additionally, its slightly lower weight enhances portability, although both laptops may not be ideal for frequent travel due to their size and weight. 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
- The Acer Nitro 16 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE78.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 stands out for general use due to its more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which can handle multitasking and demanding applications better than the Acer Nitro 16. However, the Acer Nitro 16 is lighter and boasts a slightly longer battery life, making it more portable and convenient for on-the-go use despite its somewhat lesser performance and screen quality compared to the MSI Raider GE78.
Gaming and AI
8.0
9.5
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
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
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 16 is very good.
The MSI Raider GE78 surpasses the Acer Nitro 16 in gaming and 3D performance primarily because it is equipped with a superior GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4090, and has a higher screen refresh rate of 240Hz compared to the Nitro's RTX 4070 GPU and 165Hz refresh rate. The Raider also benefits from a more powerful CPU and better screen quality, contributing to its top positioning for gaming and 3D usage.
Engineering and Design
8.2
9.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 16 is very good.
The MSI Raider GE78 is better suited for engineering and design tasks due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a superior Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU compared to the already capable AMD Ryzen 7 and Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU in the Acer Nitro 16, which provide very good performance for such tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
8.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
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
8.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
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
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 16 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Nitro 16 and the MSI Raider GE78 offer screens with good resolution and brightness, ensuring sharp visuals and comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions, which is essential for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing. For engineering and design, where accurate color representation is crucial, their displays cover a wide range of color gamuts, presenting vibrant and precise colors needed for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the importance lies in how smoothly action can be portrayed; unfortunately, both laptops have lower refresh rates, which may lead to less fluid motion and a less immersive experience in fast-paced environments.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.1in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 16 to have only fair portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Nitro 16 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the MSI Raider GE78
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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