Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel: Two-minute review
The Acer Nitro V 15 Intel is yet another gaming laptop from the esteemed brand that promises high-end performance for a relatively modest outlay.
It has a fairly muted design for the most part, although the variegated lines and Nitro symbol on the lid hint at its potential. It’s quite bulky and reasonably heavy, but still manages to be more portable than some of its rivals. This is also helped by the omission of a rear ventilation bulge common on many gaming laptops.
It’s not as well built as the best gaming laptops, though. It employs less-than premium materials in places, and the flex of the chassis doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. In the main, though, it’s perfectly acceptable, and the important aspects, such as the keys and the lid hinge, are of a higher standard.
Most of the usual ports are present and correct on the Nitro V 15 Intel, although they’re loaded on the left-hand side; all you get on the right is the headset jack and one USB-A port. I would’ve liked to have seen a few more here for versatility’s sake, but this is a minor gripe.
The performance of the Nitro V 15 Intel isn’t exactly off the charts, but it’s more than sufficient for solid 1080p gaming. You’ll get around 60fps or above with high – if not the highest – settings in many AAA titles.
The display impressed me with its vibrant color rendering colors and deep black tones. Reflections can get in the way somewhat, but its maximum brightness level is just about enough to mitigate the worst of them. It’s a small shame, however, that the lid doesn’t open all that wide.
There’s also a fair amount of fan noise, even when gaming with modest settings, although it’s still within tolerable bounds for the most part. Plenty of heat is also generated, which can be a little disruptive as it makes its way to the space bar and radiates from the right vent. It can also climb up to the display, which is less than ideal.
With its relatively low starting price, the Nitro V 15 Intel makes for a tempting proposition. However, there are some other great budget picks at this end of the market, including its bigger sibling, the Nitro 16. And if you don’t need the latest tech, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another admirable 1080p performer. But the Nitro V 15 Intel can stand proud alongside these as another reasonably priced gaming laptop worth the money.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Price & Availability
- Starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)
- Available now
- Budget end of the market
The Nitro V 15 Intel starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370) and is available now. It can be configured with an RTX 5050 or 5060, an Intel Core i5 or i7 of the 13th generation, and 512GB or 1TB of storage.
This is a good value for a gaming laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. It does face some stern competition at this price point, however – chiefly from its larger counterpart, the Nitro 16, which we think is the best budget gaming laptop around right now, and has the advantage of having a larger display (albeit only slightly).
If you don’t need the absolute latest components, then the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another strong alternative with a reasonable price. It does have a few flaws, such as a poor trackpad and middling battery life, but there are worse areas to have made sacrifices.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Base Config |
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Review Config |
|
Price |
$899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370) |
$1,199.99 / £999.99 (about AU$1830) |
|
CPU |
Intel Core i5-13420H (8 cores) 2.10GHz |
Intel Core i7-13620H (10 cores) 2.40GHz |
|
GPU |
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB |
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8GB |
|
RAM |
16GB DDR4 SDRAM |
16GB DDR4 SDRAM |
|
Storage |
512GB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD |
1TB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD |
|
Display |
15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz |
15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz |
|
Ports and Connectivity |
3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI |
3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI |
|
Battery |
76Wh |
76Wh |
|
Dimensions |
14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm |
14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm |
|
Weight |
4.65lbs / 2.11kg |
4.65lbs / 2.11kg |
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Design
- Minimal design
- Reasonably thick and heavy
- Well-made keyboard
The Nitro V 15 Intel adopts a fairly minimal aesthetic for a gaming laptop. About the only indication of its leanings is the multicolored linear pattern on the lid, which adds a small amount of interest to its appearance.
It’s a somewhat bulky, blocky unit and it weighs a considerable amount, although there are certainly thicker and heavier examples in this class. It also lacks the rear bulge for cooling purposes common on many gaming laptops, which improves its portability.
The materials employed throughout the unit don’t strike me as being among the most premium, feeling a little cheap compared to those of the competition. There’s also some flex to the enclosure for the keyboard and trackpad, but thankfully not to a disconcerting extent.
Thankfully, the lid hinge seems built to a higher standard, opening with ease and offering sufficient stability. It doesn’t open very wide, though, since the bottom of the lid hits the underlying surface if you take it even slightly past 90 degrees.
The keys are also a highlight in terms of build quality. They’re smooth to the touch and comfortably proportioned, as well as being generously spaced apart. And despite the inclusion of a number pad, the overall layout doesn’t feel cramped.
One strange omission, though, is the lack of an FN lock shortcut. Instead, you have to toggle this setting in the BIOS, which is very inconvenient – especially given there are no dedicated media control keys (they’re bound to the F row).
There are four rubber feet underneath the Nitro V 15 Intel that provide adequate grip and support, and raise the chassis from the surface by a small amount – but perhaps not enough for optimal airflow.
You’ll find most ports on the left-hand side of the Nitro V 15 Intel. The power port is furthest, followed by the ethernet and HDMI ports, and then two USB-A ports and one USB-C.
On the right there’s only a USB-A port and the headset jack. I would’ve preferred a better balance between the two sides – perhaps more USB-A ports on the right for connecting various peripherals, but this is a small gripe.
The power brick that comes with the Nitro V 15 Intel is pleasingly small, while the cable that runs from it to the laptop is relatively long, which makes it better suited to a wider variety of setups.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Performance
- Runs AAA titles at very high settings
- Maximum settings not attainable
- Vivid and bright display
With the RTX 5060 equipped in my review unit, the Nitro V 15 Intel performed quite well, if not blisteringly so. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset (which the game chose by default), I was getting somewhere in the region of 60-70fps. I’m sure many gamers are happy to play at these rates (myself included), but those looking for figures in the hundreds will be disappointed.
The display does a commendable job of rendering colors vibrantly and providing plenty of contrast, with blacks being particularly impressive. It’s also devoid of the washed-out tones that can plague other LCD displays. It can be overly reflective at times, but thankfully there’s enough brightness to combat the worst offenders.
A fair amount of fan noise accompanied most of my playing time with the Nitro V 15 Intel, but this was nothing a good pair of headphones or the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t mask. As expected, heat was also generated, which can make its way to the keyboard, even after a short time playing. I found it particularly concentrated around the space bar, which can exceed temperatures I find totally comfortable handling.
Also, since there’s no protrusion behind the lid, vents are placed in front of the display. And since the display housing reaches all the way down, level with the bottom of the chassis, the expelled hot air radiates onto the display, which isn’t exactly the best place for it.
As for the keys, their lack of dampening and surprising resistance can make them somewhat uncomfortable to game with, as I would sometimes experience fatigue when using the WASD keys for long periods. However, their clicky feel and short actuation point makes them snappy and responsive, which in turn makes them ideal for typing as well as gaming (their aforementioned size and spacing also help in this regard).
The trackpad, however, frequently got in my way while typing, registering swipes accidentally even when I made marginal contact with the palm of my thumb.
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Battery Life
- Middling longevity
- Quick to charge
The Nitro V 15 Intel has a reasonable, if not spectacular, battery life. It managed to last six and a half hours during our movie playback test, and one hour and 37 minutes in the PCMark battery test for gaming scenarios, neither of which are class-leading scores.
Having said that, there are certainly gaming laptops with worse batteries, and thankfully the Nitro V 15 Intel is very quick to charge, taking about an hour and twenty minutes to totally replenish.
Should I buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
It’s well-priced for an RTX 5000 series laptop, and it hasn’t skimped on the important aspects of a gaming laptop. |
4 / 5 |
|
Design |
It might not have the most premium construction, but it suffices, and quality is high in the areas that matter most. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Performance |
You’ll get decent 1080p gaming at high settings, but maximum ones are beyond it. There’s a fair amount of heat generated, too. |
4 / 5 |
|
Battery Life |
Nothing special, but not the worst either. At least it’s quick to charge. |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Total |
The Nitro V 15 Intel does well in the most important areas considering its low price tag, and it can hold its own against other budget offerings in the gaming laptop space. |
4 / 5 |
Buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel if…
Don’t buy it if…
Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Also Consider
How I tested the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel
- Tested for a few days
- Used for gaming, work, and browsing
- Plentiful gaming experience
I tested the Nitro V 15 Intel for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.
I played AAA titles and ran our series of benchmarks that test gaming and productivity performance, storage speeds, and battery life.
I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced various machines and components during that time. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops previously, including other Acer and gaming-oriented models.
