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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 5 offers a more budget-friendly option with decent gaming capabilities; if you're looking for a laptop that can handle most tasks without breaking the bank, it could serve you well. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, typically coming at a higher price point, offers premium features such as a slimmer design, potentially more powerful hardware, and a higher quality display, making it more suitable for intensive gaming, creative tasks like video editing, or demanding engineering software. The added cost also generally means better build quality and potentially longer battery life. Remember that the added performance and sleek design of the ASUS may come with a tradeoff in terms of value and, in some configurations, portability due to weight and size. If portability and battery life are crucial for you, the Zephyrus M16 may be more appealing, while if you prioritize cost savings and still need competent performance, the Nitro 5 could be the way to go. 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 5 15
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
8.5
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is favored for gaming and 3D because it is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and has a higher screen refresh rate of 240Hz, which provides smoother visuals important for gaming immersion and 3D applications. In contrast, the Acer Nitro 5 15 includes a less powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a 144Hz screen refresh rate, offering good performance for gaming but not as exceptional as the Zephyrus for fast-paced games or detailed 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 excels in engineering and design use due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, higher screen resolution with better color coverage, and larger battery capacity, compared to the Acer Nitro 5 15's slower CPU, less potent GPU, and lower-resolution display. Although the Nitro 5 15 is slightly heavier and chunkier, which may affect portability, both laptops share similarities in their RAM capacity and screen size, hinting that the Zephyrus M16 provides superior performance for design tasks in a more portable package.
Content Creation
7.5
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 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
6.9
9.0
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
262.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 5 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Nitro 5 15 offers a display that is suitable for everyday tasks, providing adequate resolution and brightness, but it may not support the wider color gamuts necessary for precision in engineering and design. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 excels in providing a sharp, bright image with coverage of professional color spaces, making it ideal for detailed engineering or design work. However, both models fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and responsiveness in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality, while the Acer Nitro 5 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$780
$1,842
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Nitro 5 15 has a price of $780 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 costs $1,842.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
262.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
627.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Acer Nitro 5 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 5 15, with a substantial CPU and quality RAM, offers a good balance for general use, and a decently sized battery ensures longer usage between charges; however, it's heavier and therefore less portable than some alternatives. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16, meanwhile, provides a higher-end CPU and double the storage, along with a superior screen quality for crisp visuals, but it comes at the cost of a shorter battery life despite its lighter frame, which enhances its portability.
Software Development
7.4
7.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Acer Nitro 5 15 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 5 15 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 5 15 | ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$780 | $1,842 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.19" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.67" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 262 nits | 627 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 5 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2022
"The Acer Nitro 5 is a fast QHD gaming notebook. The Nitro 5 is a well-balanced gaming laptop for just under US$ 2400. A Core i7-12700H CPU and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU enable QHD gaming at high to maximum settings, accompanied by fast PCIe-4-SSD (1 TB) and 16 GB of RAM. Acer delivers a solid QHD gaming notebook with the Nitro 5 AN515-58. However, the laptop is not completely free of shortcomings. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The laptop heats up noticeably under load, but not excessively. Noise development is on the usual class level. Once again, however, Acer needs to improve the fan control."
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 5 15 or the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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