Acer Nitro 5 2021: A Powerful Budget Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 5600H and GTX 1650

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Home Hardware Acer Nitro 5 2021: A Powerful Budget Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 5600H and GTX 1650

Acer Nitro 5 2021: A Powerful Budget Gaming Laptop with Ryzen 5 5600H and GTX 1650

💻 Acer Nitro 5 2021 Review: A Budget Gaming Laptop That Packs a Punch!

With the ever-increasing demand for budget gaming laptops, Acer Nitro 5 2021 has made its way into the market as a significant contender. Packed with powerful features and an attractive design, this laptop offers an excellent gaming experience without burning a hole in your pocket. In this in-depth review, we will explore the various aspects of the Acer Nitro 5 2021 and see if it lives up to the expectations of gamers and tech enthusiasts. So, let's dive in and see what this laptop has to offer.

1. Introduction

Gaming laptops have become increasingly popular among gamers and general users alike, thanks to their portability and powerful hardware. The Acer Nitro 5 2021 aims to please both gaming enthusiasts and budget-conscious individuals by offering an impressive combination of performance, design, and affordability. In this review, we will take a closer look at the different aspects of the Nitro 5 2021 and evaluate its suitability for various use cases.

2. Laptop Store, Dehradun

Before delving into the specifics of the Acer Nitro 5 2021, let's mention the Laptop Store in Dehradun, from where this laptop was sourced. Whether you're a resident of Uttarakhand or just visiting Dehradun, the Laptop Store in Capri Trade Center is known for its wide range of laptops and computers. Here, you can find all kinds of laptops, including the Acer Nitro 5 2021. The store provides options for EMI and ensures a great shopping experience with their knowledgeable staff.

3. Unboxing and Design

When unboxing the Acer Nitro 5 2021, you are greeted with a stylish black box featuring the Nitro 5 branding. The packaging is well-designed, ensuring that the laptop remains safe during shipping. Within the box, you'll find essential accessories such as a power cord, a 135W power adapter, documentation, and a set of stickers.

The laptop itself boasts an attractive design, with a plastic top lid displaying the Acer branding at the center. Despite being made of plastic, the top lid has an acceptable level of flex and looks visually pleasing. At the backside, you'll find two exhausts with red outlining plastic, along with a power input port. The weight distribution of the laptop allows for easy one-handed opening, and the keyboard flex is minimal. Overall, the build quality of the Acer Nitro 5 2021 is commendable, although it falls slightly short when compared to laptops like Lenovo Legion in terms of overall design and sturdiness.

4. Specifications

Under the hood, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 is equipped with impressive specifications that make it a capable gaming machine. Powered by the Ryzen 5 5600H processor, which features 6 cores and 12 Threads based on the ZEN 3 architecture, this laptop offers excellent multitasking capabilities. The GTX 1650 GDDR6 graphics card ensures smooth gameplay, while the 8GB 3200MHz RAM provides ample memory for running demanding applications. In terms of storage, the Nitro 5 2021 offers a combination of a 1TB HDD (7200 RPM) and a 256GB SSD, allowing for fast boot times and ample space for storing games and files. It is worth noting that compared to the Lenovo Legion, the Nitro 5 offers a better 7200 RPM HDD, which translates to faster data transfer speeds.

5. Build Quality

When it comes to build quality, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 provides a satisfactory experience. The plastic top lid with Acer branding gives the laptop a sleek look, while the minimal flex adds to its durability. The presence of vents at the backside helps with heat dissipation and prevents overheating during extended gaming Sessions. The keyboard flex is minimal as well. However, if we compare the overall build quality with the Lenovo Legion, it becomes evident that the Legion offers a sturdier and more robust build. The Legion outshines the Nitro 5 in terms of the overall construction and design quality.

6. Keyboard and Nitro Sense Software

One of the highlights of the Acer Nitro 5 2021 is its full-sized keyboard. The keyboard features W, A, S, D, and arrow keys that are highlighted for ease of use during gaming sessions. Additionally, the keyboard comes with a 4-zone RGB lighting system, which can be customized using the Nitro Sense software. The software provides an intuitive interface that allows users to control fan speeds and power plans. It also offers the option to customize the keyboard lighting, with various effects such as static and dynamic lighting. The Nitro Sense software provides ample features to enhance the gaming experience, although it falls slightly short when compared to the Lenovo Legion's keyboard quality and lighting options.

7. DTSX Ultra Software and Speakers

The Acer Nitro 5 2021 comes pre-loaded with the DTSX Ultra software, which offers various audio modes that can be adjusted according to your preferences and needs. The software provides an easy way to enable or disable audio enhancements, depending on your activities and games. The laptop features average-quality speakers that deliver satisfactory sound output. However, when compared to the speakers of the Lenovo Legion, the Nitro 5 falls slightly behind in terms of sound quality and Clarity. It is recommended to use external speakers or headphones for a better audio experience.

8. Port Options

In terms of port options, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 offers a decent variety to connect your peripherals and devices. On the left side, you'll find a Kensington lock, an air exhaust vent, an RJ45 LAN port, two USB Type-A 3.2 ports, a headphone and jack combo. On the right side, there's a Type-C 3.2 port, a Type-A 3.2 port, an HDMI port, and another air exhaust vent. The port options on the Nitro 5 are comparable to those of the Lenovo Legion, providing a well-rounded selection for connectivity. It is important to note that the Type-C port on the Nitro 5 does not support display output, whereas the HDMI port is connected to the external GPU. Playing games on an external monitor connected to the HDMI port will result in better FPS performance, as the laptop's display is connected to the IGPU.

9. Display and Webcam

The Acer Nitro 5 2021 features a 15.6-inch 1080P IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 250 nits brightness, and 45% NTSC coverage, equivalent to around 66-68% sRGB. The display offers vibrant colors, fast refresh rates, and decent brightness levels, making it suitable for gaming and multimedia consumption. The laptop comes with a basic 720P webcam, providing acceptable video quality for video calls and casual use. However, keep in mind that the webcam's capabilities are limited, and for professional use, an external webcam would be ideal.

10. Future Upgrades

The Acer Nitro 5 2021 allows for future upgrades to enhance its performance and capabilities. It comes with one occupied HDD slot, one occupied SSD slot (with a 256GB SSD), and one empty SSD slot for further storage expansion. The laptop also features two RAM slots, with one slot pre-occupied. The maximum RAM capacity supported by the Nitro 5 is 32GB. It is worth noting that the images available for this review are of the Nitro 2020 model, as disassembling the 2021 model was not possible. However, the upgrade options for the 2021 model are expected to be similar, with upgrades focused on the processor.

11. Battery Backup

For a gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 offers a satisfactory battery backup. With the keyboard lights turned off and display brightness set at around 50%, the laptop provides approximately 3-3.5 hours of backup during regular usage, which includes activities such as browsing, watching videos, and light multitasking. However, when it comes to gaming, it is recommended to connect the charger to achieve optimal performance, as gaming on battery power significantly reduces the battery life. The actual battery backup can vary depending on individual usage Patterns.

12. Performance and Gaming Test

In terms of performance, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 delivers impressive results, thanks to its powerful hardware configuration. Running the Cinebench R23 benchmark, the laptop achieved a multi-core score of 8763 points and a single-core score of 1334 points, showcasing its capabilities as an efficient multitasking device. For productivity tasks, the Nitro 5 under the 70-72K budget range is a reliable option. However, if you prioritize gaming performance, the Lenovo Legion offers a better overall experience. It is important to note that gaming laptops like the Acer Nitro 5 perform exceptionally well in video editing tasks, with a minimum Cinebench score of 4000-5000 considered good for video editing. This means that the Nitro 5 can handle editing 4K videos with ease.

To assess its gaming prowess, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 underwent extensive gaming tests. All the games were played at 1080P high settings, the same as the Lenovo Legion. In games like Valorant, the laptop delivered above 130 FPS, with some variations due to server issues. The MSI Afterburner stats showcased temperature readings for the GPU and CPU, along with usage statistics. Overall, the Nitro 5 2021 proved to be a capable gaming machine, offering smooth gameplay and immersive experiences in a variety of popular titles.

13. Conclusion

In conclusion, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 is a commendable budget gaming laptop that performs exceptionally well in its price range. Equipped with powerful hardware, an attractive design, and an impressive range of features, this laptop has the potential to satisfy the gaming needs of many users. However, when compared to the Lenovo Legion, the Nitro 5 falls slightly short in terms of overall build quality, keyboard quality, and speaker performance. For those seeking a versatile and affordable gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 2021 is a compelling option worth considering.

14. Cosmic Byte EP-03 Earphones and Evo Fox Fireblade Keyboard

Lastly, let us know in the comments section which product you would like us to review next. Options include the Cosmic Byte EP-03 earphones and the Evo Fox Fireblade keyboard. Your feedback will help us prioritize future reviews and ensure that we bring you the content you're interested in.

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