The Acer Nitro 16 is often significantly less expensive and offers strong gaming performance with good battery life. It is suitable for intensive gaming and general use, thanks to its capable processor and graphics card. However, its less premium build and midrange price reflect its positioning as a more budget-friendly option, which might be less appealing to those seeking a top-of-the-line device.
The MSI Stealth GS77 is significantly more expensive and offers high performance for engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and machine learning, complemented by a premium build quality and a larger screen. It's a powerful choice for professionals needing top-tier capabilities, but it comes at a higher cost and with slightly less portability due to its larger size and weight.
Choosing between these two will largely depend on your need for high performance and a premium experience versus a preference for a more budget-friendly option that still provides solid gaming and general usage capabilities. 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
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS77
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS77 is rated higher for general use primarily due to its more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which contribute to better multitasking and overall performance, paired with a larger, higher-quality screen. In contrast, the Acer Nitro 16, while still capable for general use, has a less powerful CPU and half the RAM, making it less suitable for very demanding tasks, although it may offer better portability due to its slightly lighter weight and smaller screen size.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS77 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.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS77 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 16 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Stealth GS77 both offer panels with ample resolution and brightness, providing sharp images and visibility in various lighting conditions. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops exhibit wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color representation for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, which is less ideal for fast-paced content.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS77 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
7.4/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
$2,499
$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 Stealth GS77 costs $2,499.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 16 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Stealth GS77 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a fast screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which is great for gaming and 3D content, while the MSI Stealth GS77 houses the slightly less powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti but compensates with an even higher refresh rate of 240 Hz, making both very capable for immersive and fluid gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.7/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS77 and Acer Nitro 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 is powered by an AMD Ryzen CPU and an Nvidia RTX GPU, delivering strong performance for engineering and design software, with a high refresh rate and resolution screen that provides clear visual details, although it's heavier which slightly reduces portability. In contrast, the MSI Stealth GS77 has a more powerful Intel i7 CPU and a larger amount of RAM to handle complex tasks efficiently, along with a high-resolution screen, but with a larger form factor and slightly more weight, enhancing performance at the cost of portability.
Software Development
7.7/10
8.1/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth GS77 to be 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth GS77 and Acer Nitro 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the MSI Stealth GS77 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 MSI Stealth GS77 is better than the GS76... mostly. The GS77 is a few steps forward and a few steps back from the GS76. Improvements are numerous including the stronger and more rigid skeleton, higher resolution webcam, larger clickpad, easier serviceability, relatively similar battery runtimes, newer display options, and higher performance at about the same TDP and TGP levels as before. CPU performance is better than expected even when compared to other laptops with Core i7 or Core i9 processors. The newer model feels more substantial than the outgoing one for higher quality impressions as well."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the MSI Stealth GS77
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.
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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