Acer Nitro 5 review: Gaming on a budget—is it worth it?

What if you could get a gaming laptop that doesn’t compromise on performance? The Acer Nitro 5 might just be the surprise you’ve been looking for.

Acer Nitro 5

Getting a solid gaming laptop under $700 isn’t easy. Plenty of budget options exist, but most aren’t great. The Acer Nitro 5 ($649), however, stands out with its simple design, solid battery life, and decent gaming performance. Acer made smart choices to keep costs low while still delivering good value. Of course, at this price, you have to accept some trade-offs. In this Acer Nitro 5 review, we’ll go over the pros and cons to help you decide if it’s the right pick.

Buying a gaming laptop isn’t as simple as clicking “add to cart,” especially when working with a budget. You need to consider several factors before making a decision. Gaming laptops are an investment, and finding an affordable one can feel like a challenge. That’s where I come in to help.

1. Design and build quality

Finding a cheap gaming laptop that doesn’t scream “gamer” can be tricky. I’m not a fan of flashy designs that draw too much attention. That’s why I appreciate Acer keeping things simple with the Nitro 5’s minimalist design.

It’s not just about looks, though. The sturdy hinges allow the screen to open up to 145° without wobbling. The plastic build doesn’t hurt its durability either. While the screen’s frame has a bit of flex, the base stays rock solid—and silent.

But the drawbacks are hard to ignore. The screen is just average, the trackpad feels cramped, and the bulky design makes it less practical for everyday use.

2. Performance

The Acer Nitro 5 runs on an Intel Core i5-9300H processor and 8 GB of RAM. According to Notebookcheck’s tests, the quad-core chip peaks in singlecore performance, averaging 4.1 GHz. However, it struggles in multicore performance. It briefly hits 4.0 GHz before dropping to around 3.3 GHz, which it can maintain consistently. When it comes to gaming, what you’ve heard is mostly true. Most games rely on singlecore performance, not multicore. So, unless you plan to stream or use Adobe Premiere for content creation, you don’t need to worry much about multicore performance.

If you’re into casual gaming, expect smooth gameplay on medium to high settings. From what I’ve read in Acer Nitro 5 reviews, owners often report no issues, unless they’re playing heavier games like “Call of Duty”. But newer AAA titles? That’s where it gets tricky. The frame rates can drop to 40 fps or lower, especially in later stages.

3. Battery life

The biggest selling point of the Nitro 5 is its battery life. While many budget laptops either run out of juice quickly or drain too much power, the Nitro 5 offers impressive endurance.

According to PCMag’s Matthew Buzzi, you can expect about 7 hours of use on a single charge. This is plenty of time to get through your day without hunting for an outlet. Of course, battery life can vary depending on what you’re doing, especially if you’re gaming. Buzzi tested it by playing a locally stored 720p video, “Tears of Steel”, with 50% screen brightness and 100% audio until the laptop shut down.

4. Software

The Nitro 5 may be an entry-level gaming laptop, but Acer didn’t go overboard with preinstalled software. That’s great news for users who like to tweak their systems.

It comes with NitroSense, a handy app for managing cooling, checking system stats, and forcing the RTX 3050 to stay active. You’ll also use it to customize the keyboard’s four-zone RGB lighting.

Acer also includes its Care Center program, which offers support info and lets you install updates or recover the device. However, Windows Update still handles other updates separately.

Verdict

The Acer Nitro 5 ($649) is a solid budget gaming laptop, but it’s not for everyone. If you need a machine for casual gaming, school, or work, it’s a great pick.

That said, it’s not a high-end machine. Some newer games may struggle, and the design is a bit bulky. But if you’re looking for a gaming laptop under $700 that won’t disappoint, this one is worth considering.