Acer Nitro V 16 Review: Budget Gaming Powerhouse

Looking for a gaming laptop that won’t break the bank but still packs a punch? The Acer Nitro V 16 steps into the arena aiming to deliver just that. This gaming laptop positions itself as a smart choice for gamers seeking a balance between cost and capability, promising a satisfying experience without emptying your wallet.

Design and Build Quality
The Acer Nitro V 16 keeps things simple when it comes to how it looks and how it’s made. It’s mostly built out of plastic, which helps keep it at a decent weight – around 2.5 kg – so it’s not too heavy to carry around. It’s not flashy to look at, just a plain lid with a small silver Acer Nitro badge. But the hinges that hold the screen are pretty strong, so the screen doesn’t shake much when you’re using it.

For its asking price, it feels put together well enough. Acer has clearly focused on making it easy to take with you and use every day, rather than using fancy materials like you’d find on more expensive laptops. This sensible approach means the Nitro V 16 is still a good choice if you’re a gamer who needs to move around.

Display
The Nitro V 16 comes with a 16-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. It uses IPS technology, and it’s a bit taller than usual, which is nice for both playing games and getting work done. The 165Hz refresh rate makes everything look smooth when you’re gaming, and the screen responds well in general. Colors look pretty good, often covering the standard range, so it’s okay for some light creative work.

The screen can get to a decent brightness level for using it inside, but it might not be bright enough if you’re trying to use it outside in bright sunlight. The matte finish on the screen does a good job of reducing reflections.

Specs
Inside, the Acer Nitro V 16 comes in different versions to suit different needs and budgets. You can get it with either AMD Ryzen 8040 Series processors (like the Ryzen 7 8845HS) or Intel Core i7 processors (like the 14th Generation i7-14650HX). Both of these provide plenty of power for playing demanding games and doing everyday tasks. Interestingly, some models even have special AI features to make certain things work better.

The variant we are reviewing here came with Intel Core i7 i7-14650HX processor offering a clock speed of 2.20 GHz. For graphics, it comes with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics cards, like the RTX 4050 (with either 6GB or 8GB of GDDR6 memory) and the RTX 4060 (with 8GB of GDDR6 memory). Our review unit came with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card with 8GB of dedicated memory.

These graphics cards support advanced technologies such as DLSS 3.5 and ray tracing, which make games look much better and run smoother. You also get 16GB of DDR5 SDRAM and 1TB of NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD storage, so your apps and games can load quickly. With this kind of a setup, the Nitro V 16 can run most modern games smoothly at a 1080p resolution and even at 1440p in less demanding games.

Camera
For video calls, the Acer Nitro V 16 has a 720p HD webcam. It’s good enough for basic calls and meetings, but the picture quality can sometimes be a bit grainy, especially if the lighting isn’t great. The built-in microphones work well enough for capturing your voice during calls.

Connectivity
For connecting your peripherals and displays, the Acer Nitro V 16 offers a practical selection of ports. You’ll find a single HDMI output for connecting to external monitors or TVs. For your USB devices, it includes one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port and another, faster USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port. Additionally, there’s a versatile USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port available.

In total, you get three USB ports for your various accessories. For a stable wired internet connection, the laptop conveniently features a dedicated RJ-45 network port. Finally, there’s a dedicated port for the power adapter and a Kensington lock slot for security. The placement of these ports is quite convenient, with some on the back and others on the sides.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The Acer Nitro V 16 has a full-size keyboard with an amber backlight. The layout is quite easy to use, with separate arrow keys and a number pad. The WASD keys and arrow keys have a different look to help you find them easily when gaming. The keys have a decent amount of travel, making typing comfortable. Overall, it’s generally comfortable for both typing and gaming. The touchpad is a multi-touch trackpad that works well and supports Windows gestures accurately. The size is okay for everyday use.

Cooling
To handle the heat when you’re doing demanding tasks or playing games for a long time, the Acer Nitro V 16 has an improved cooling system. It has two fans and a design that pulls cool air in from the top and pushes hot air out the sides and back. The main goal of this system is to prevent the laptop from getting too hot and slowing down, so you get consistent performance. Acer’s NitroSense software lets you see the system temperatures and other settings, and manually adjust the fan speeds and other options if you want to.

Battery Life
Despite matching the weight of similar gaming laptops, the Nitro V 16 packs just a 56Wh battery—closer to a mid-range productivity notebook than a gaming powerhouse. The laptop includes a 135W charger (via barrel plug) for full performance, but USB-C charging is slower and restricts the system from entering high-power modes. While convenient for topping up, USB-C isn’t ideal for heavy gaming sessions.

To see how long the battery lasts, we played The Witcher 3 at 1080p medium settings, with the screen brightness set at a certain level (250 nits) until the laptop died. The Nitro V 16 lasted just under four hours. This isn’t too surprising considering it has a large screen and a relatively small battery inside.

Gaming Performance
When it comes to gaming, the Acer Nitro V 16 offers a respectable and enjoyable experience for its price. With NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 can handle most modern games at a 1080p resolution with medium to high settings and still give you smooth frame rates. For more demanding games or if you try to play at higher resolutions like 1440p, you might need to lower the graphics settings to get smoother gameplay.

The high refresh rate screen (165Hz) makes the gaming experience feel much smoother and more responsive. Also, support for technologies like NVIDIA DLSS can give you a noticeable boost in frame rates in games that support it, making the overall gaming experience even better. While it might not give you the absolute highest frame rates or let you play all the most demanding games on the highest settings, the Acer Nitro V 16 provides a comfortable and enjoyable gaming experience for most gamers looking for a good balance of performance and affordability.

Verdict
The Acer Nitro V 16 is a pretty appealing option for gamers who are on a budget. It does a good job of balancing performance, thanks to its capable processors and NVIDIA RTX 40 series graphics cards, along with a smooth, high refresh rate screen. While the design and build quality focus on being practical and portable rather than feeling super premium, they’re generally acceptable for the price. The keyboard and touchpad are decent for both gaming and everyday tasks. The cooling system works well to prevent overheating during intense use.

The selection of ports is useful and covers most needs. The Acer Nitro V 16 is a good choice for gamers, students, or anyone who needs a versatile laptop for both gaming and everyday tasks and who prioritises performance and a smooth gaming experience over top-tier looks and long battery life on the go.

Price: AED 5999 (Available for a discounted price of AED 4699 until July 6, 2025)