Rating — 3.5/5
Gaming laptops have become a staple for those seeking a blend of performance and portability. These powerful machines cater to gamers and content creators who demand high-end specifications and immersive experiences. With powerful graphics cards, high refresh rate displays, and efficient cooling systems, gaming laptops push the boundaries of mobile computing. Acer’s Nitro series has consistently delivered impressive gaming laptops and the Nitro V16 AI PC is no exception.
This laptop targets gamers and content creators who demand top-tier performance, speed, and versatility. Powered by AMD Ryzen 8040 processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series graphics, the Nitro V16 promises a smooth and responsive experience, even during demanding tasks.
As high-end gaming laptops are usually very expensive, Acer wants to offer premium performance at a comparatively lower price. The company said that it’s targeting multimedia enthusiasts, budget-conscious gamers and students with this laptop with this laptop that is priced at Rs 1,09,990.
But does the 1.10 lakh rupee laptop live up to the hype and is capable enough to compete with its rivals? Let’s dive into our review and explore the features, performance, and overall value proposition of the Acer Nitro V16 AI laptop. We have been testing this laptop for a few weeks and here’s what we think about it.
Design and display
At first glance, the Nitro V16 looks like a sleek and simple design that comes without any flashy elements like decorations or additional lighting which is typically associated with gaming laptops.
The gaming signatures of this laptop are limited to a distinctive ‘N’ logo (for the Nitro series) which is prominently placed at the centre of the lid, a red backlighting of the keyboard and a subtle geometric pattern on the side of the trackpad. This offers the laptop a clean look.
The all-plastic body makes it lightweight but lacks the premium touch and feel of metal.
However, weighing 2.5 kg, it’s quite heavy to be carried around in the bag all the time.
The bottom of the Nitro V16 has a slightly rough-textured plastic build that offers a decent feel. Meanwhile, the top cover and palm rest areas have smooth, matte plastic that, while pleasant to the touch, is highly susceptible to fingerprints and smudges. However, the backlit keys of this gaming laptop don’t change colour.
The body and the keyboard of Nitro V16 are dust magnets. The laptop’s lid also tends to attract a lot of dust and needs to be cleaned regularly to maintain its look.
We tested the lid by opening and closing it several times and the hinges feel durable enough. We didn’t notice any screen wobble or any creaking noise even after hundreds of opens and closes.
Opening the lid reveals the laptop’s 16-inch WUXGA TFT LCD screen. The display’s frame also has a textured finish and the bezel below the screen features the same N logo at its centre.
The display offers vibrant colours and very nice viewing angles. The 165Hz refresh rate ensures smooth visuals for fast-paced gaming, while the ComfyView technology minimises glare, enhancing the visual experience in various lighting conditions.
The upward-firing speakers are placed just above the full-sized keyboard that has highlighted gaming keys. There’s a large trackpad which is good for working. The keys are soft and responsive with a size big enough to play extended sessions of EA FC 2025 without finger cramps or fatigue.
Some of the connectivity ports are placed on the back while a few of them are placed on both sides of the keyboard. The HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt port and the charging port. Meanwhile, two USB 3.2 Gen ports are placed on both sides of the keyboard. The Rj-45 Ethernet port and the 3.5mm audio jack are placed on the left a charging LED indicator is placed on the right.
Meanwhile, the heat sinks are placed on the back as well as on both sides of the laptop.
Performance
The Nitro V16 model we tested comes powered by an AMD Ryzen 8040 processor that offers enhanced power efficiency and faster processing speeds. This ensured smooth multitasking and responsiveness, even during demanding tasks. We didn’t notice any lag while opening or switching between apps and games.
The laptop also features an AMD Radeon 780M graphics card that delivers seamless performance for gaming. We played multiple games on the laptop ranging from Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered, Far Cry 6 and the newly launched Call of Duty Black Ops 6.
While playing Spiderman, the fight scenes with supervillains like Electro and Kingpin looked smooth and immersive. On the other hand, when we played Black Ops 6 in Campaign mode, blasts, action and destruction were captivating on this laptop.
With 32GB RAM and the Radeon graphics, these games ran smoothly on default settings as well as higher ones. The dual fan, quad intake and quad exhaust heat dissipation system of the laptop also works fine as we didn’t notice any throttles even after longer sessions of EA FC 2024 or any of these graphics-intensive AAA titles.
Apart from these titles, we also tried out other games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Cricket 24 and Forza Horizon 4. We were able to try out all these games at the same time thanks to the 2TB SSD storage.
The Nitro V16’s combination of a powerful AMD processor and Radeon graphics card makes it a performance powerhouse. Whether you’re gaming or tackling intensive content creation tasks, this laptop delivers a smooth and responsive experience.
The laptop also features a full-size numeric keypad with Amber backlighting for comfortable gaming in low-light environments and a multi-gesture touchpad to boost productivity. The keyboard also includes a Copilot button, a NitroSense key and a Mode Switch key.
Activating Microsoft’s AI assistant Copilot can be used easily by tapping the dedicated key on the keyboard. The AI assistant is designed to be an all-in-one productivity and creativity booster. It provides answers and inspiration from the web, fosters collaboration, and can help stay focused on tasks.
The Nitro V16 comes with Acer Purified Voice Technology, which utilises AI noise reduction through a 3-microphone array. This system includes an Advanced Privacy Mode, far-field voice capture, dynamic noise reduction, and adaptive beamforming for clear communication. It also features personal and conference call modes for flexible use.
Additionally, the laptop is Copilot-compatible and incorporates Acer TrueHarmony technology, offering improved audio quality with reduced distortion, a broader frequency range, and rich, headphone-like sound. With DTS:X tuned audio, watching content on the laptop is also a satisfying experience.
Additionally, the device supports Wi-Fi 6, ensuring fast and stable internet connectivity for online gaming and streaming.
Battery
Just like any other Windows gaming laptop, the battery performance of the Nitro V16 AI laptop is also not that impressive. However, for a gaming laptop this size, the 59Whr battery that this laptop packs is pretty small compared to other gaming laptops.
Gaming performance takes a significant hit on battery power. During our testing, the Nitro V16 lasted less than two hours unplugged. However, for non-gaming tasks, the battery life extended to over three hours without the charger.
Verdict
The Acer Nitro V16 is a high-performance gaming laptop that delivers on its promise of speed, versatility, and an immersive gaming experience at a very competitive price. Its sleek design, powerful processor and graphics, as well as massive 2TB storage, make it an excellent choice for gamers and content creators alike.
While the laptop’s plastic build helps keep the price competitive, some users may find it less premium than expected for a device in this price range.
With its advanced audio features, multiple connectivity options, and comfortable keyboard, the Nitro V16 is a strong contender in the gaming laptop market. Its competitive pricing and impressive performance make it a solid choice for gamers.
If you’re looking for a gaming laptop that offers top-tier performance without spending more than a lakh and if you’re not very fussy about the plastic build, the Acer Nitro V16 is worth considering.
