Acer Nitro 5 15 (2023)

Acer Nitro 5 15 (2023)

Manufacturer	Acer
Product family	Nitro
Release date	January 2023 (2023-01)
Introductory price	USD 950 to 1000
Discontinued	No
Operating system	Windows 11 Home
CPU	Intel Core i5-12500H Intel Core i7-12650H Intel Core i7-13620H
Memory	16 GB DDR5-4800 SDRAM (supports up to 32 GB)
Memory slots	2 user accessible
Storage	512 GB or 1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Storage slots	2 user accessible M.2 slots, 1 HDD slot
Removable storage	No
Display	Screen size: 15.6 inch Panel type: IPS Coating: Matte (anti-glare) Resolution: 1920 x 1080 PPI: 141 Aspect ratio: 16:9 Refresh rate: 144 Hz Brightness: 257 Nits sRGB: 62 % VRR: No Screen-to-body ratio: 80 %
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop 6 GB GDDR6 140 W Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop 8 GB GDDR6 140 W
Sound	2 x stereo speakers w/ HD audio
Camera	Front: HD (1280 x 720) with Blue Glass Lens
Touchpad	OceanGlass™ Touchpad
Connectivity	Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i Bluetooth 5.1 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A) 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C, DP 1.4, Thunderbolt 4, 65W PD) 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x Ethernet (1 Gbps) 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack
Dimensions	W: 14.2 inches (36 cm) D: 10.7 inches (27 cm) H: 1.06 inches (2.7 cm)
Mass	5.51 pounds (2.50 kg)
Power brick	230W slim 3-pin proprietary AC adapter (US)
Battery	4 cell Li-Ion 57.5 Wh
Keyboard	4-zone RGB backlit
Chassis	Color: Obsidian Black Materials: Plastic Cooling: Dual fan system with five heat pipes
Number pad	Full size
Fingerprint reader	No
Facial recognition	No
Predecessor	Acer Nitro 5 15 (2022)
Website	Acer

All statements attributed to reviews are the reviewer's own opinion. Note that these claims were accurate at the time of publication and may be dated when you are reading this article. Read more.

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The Acer Nitro 5 15 (2023) is a budget-friendly gaming laptop equipped with Intel 12th gen and Intel 13th gen H series mobile processors and Nvidia Geforce RTX 4000 series mobile GPUs. Available configurations vary by store and location. The Nitro 5 is positioned as an entry-level gaming laptop, offering competitive performance at a lower price point.

Primary Hardware

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Processor

The Acer Nitro 5 15 (2023) can come with the following processors:

• Intel Core i5-12500H with 12 cores (4 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 16 threads, 18 MB cache and a max frequency of 4.5 Ghz.
• Intel Core i7-12650H with 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 16 threads, 24 MB cache and max frequency of 4.7 Ghz.
• Intel Core i7-13620H with 12 cores (4 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 16 threads, 24 MB cache and max frequency of 4.9 Ghz.

Acer supplies the processors with sufficient power and cooling for CPU-intensive tasks resulting in average to above-average performance compared to other laptops with the same processors. In CPU-only tasks, SKUs with the i7-12650H and i7-13620H perform as expected. SKUs with i5-12500H perform well in multitasking and demanding applications, maintaining stable performance under load.

Performance sustainability is good but not perfect, with all processors losing about 5% performance in long stress tests.

Benchmarks:

• Cinebench R23:
  • i5-12500H: ~1642 pts (single-core), ~14053 pts (multi-core)
  • i7-12650H: ~1700 pts (single-core), ~15000 pts (multi-core)
  • i7-13620H: ~1800 pts (single-core), ~16000 pts (multi-core)

Graphics

In addition to the integrated Intel UHD Graphics, the Nitro 5 15 (2023) ships with the following discrete GPUs:

• Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU with 6 GB GDDR6 memory, 2455 Mhz boost clock, and 140 W Total Graphics Power (TGP).
• Nvidia Geforce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU with 8 GB GDDR6 memory, 140 W TGP.

All configurations support DLSS 3.5, Dynamic Boost 2.0, VR ready, and DirectX® 12 Ultimate technologies.

Acer supplies all GPU configurations with 140 W of max power even though RTX 4050 and 4060 get diminishing returns beyond 100W. Nevertheless, in GPU-only benchmarks, SKUs with RTX 4050 perform slightly above average while SKUs with RTX 4060 perform impressively with results that are up to 15% faster than the average laptop RTX 4060.

In gaming, the RTX 4050 SKUs perform significantly better than the competition with the same GPU and are just 10% behind the RTX 4060 Nitro 5 with the better i7-13620H CPU. The RTX 4060 and i7-13620H SKU also perform above average and outperform laptops with the same 140W RTX 4060 configured with a lower power processor.

All SKUs lose a significant amount of graphics performance when running on the battery.

Benchmarks:

• 3D Mark TimeSpy 2560 x 1440:
  • RTX 4050: ~8960 pts
  • RTX 4060: ~9149 pts
• 3D Mark Fire Strike 1920 x 1080:
  • RTX 4050: ~19904 pts
  • RTX 4060: ~27855 pts
• The Witcher 3 1920 x 1080 Ultra HBAO+:
  • i7-13620H and RTX 4050: ~110 fps
  • i7-13620H and RTX 4060: ~130 fps

Memory

The Intel HM670 chipset used in the Nitro 5 supports a maximum of 2 SO-DIMM sticks and the 12th and 13th Generation Intel H processors support up to 64 GB DDR5-4800Mhz memory.

Pre-configured SKUs come with either 16 GB (2 x 8) DDR5-4800 Memory. These sticks perform identically even when paired with different CPUs.

Benchmarks:

• AIDA64 Memory Copy: ~62599 MB/s

Storage

The Nitro 5 can ship with 512 GB or 1 TB M.2 NVMe SSD depending on the seller. The OEM SSD only uses 1 slot in all configurations leaving the other slot open for upgrades.

Reviews of the i7 13620H + RTX 4060 and i5 12500H + RTX 4050 SKUs note that both came with the Micron 512 GB SSD which provides decent performance in loading times.

Benchmarks:

• CrystalDiskMark 8:
  • SEQ1M Q8T1 (Sequential 1MB blocks): ~3232 MB/s (read), ~3949 MB/s (write)
  • RND4K Q1T1 (Random 4 KB blocks): ~90 MB/s (read), ~250 MB/s (write)

Co-processors

The Nitro 5 is equipped with the Intel Alder Lake-P PCH which supports various functionalities, including audio and voice processing, contributing to the overall performance of the laptop.

Input Devices

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Keyboard

The Nitro 5 comes with a membrane-style keyboard with a number pad and customizable RGB lighting. The keyboard offers 1.5 mm travel and good feedback for typing and gaming. The RGB backlight has four zones.

The typing experience is considered suitable for gaming and typing, with the backlighting being a nice touch for low-light environments.

Touchpad

The Nitro 5 comes with an OceanGlass™ touchpad made entirely from ocean-bound plastic, offering a glass-like tactile texture.

The touchpad is functional but could be improved in terms of size and material, as it feels basic compared to competitors.

Webcam

The Nitro 5 comes with an HD webcam (1280 x 720) with a Blue Glass Lens.

The webcam provides decent detail but lacks vibrant colors. It is noted to have a green light indicator when active, which is a good security feature. The webcam looks soft but is much sharper than 720p webcams that used to be common a few years back. The clarity is adequate for casual calls.

Microphone

The Nitro 5 comes with a dual-array microphone.

The microphone performs well, capturing voice clearly without distortion, making it suitable for video calls and gaming chats.

Output Devices

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Display

Acer ships the Nitro 5 with a 15.6 inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display with a 144 Hz refresh rate.

The display has poor brightness (average of 257 cd/m²) and color reproduction, making it less suitable for creative work. The contrast ratio is also below average, resulting in significant screen bleeding in dark environments. The response time was slow at 17ms, but still faster than the MSI GF63.

For gaming, the display is acceptable at this price point, but for those with a higher budget, a better screen could be worth considering.

Benchmarks:

• Maximum Brightness: 285 cd/m²
• Contrast: 491:1
• Color Accuracy (ΔE): 4.59
• Brightness Distribution: 81%

Audio

The Nitro 5 comes with two bottom-facing stereo speakers.

The speakers are described as surprisingly loud but not exceptional in quality. They are noted to be adequate for gaming but may not satisfy audiophiles.

Connectivity

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WiFi

Acer equips the Nitro 5 with a Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i WLAN module.

The Nitro 5 performs well, achieving speeds over 1.5 Gbit/s under optimal conditions, although it does not support Wi-Fi 6E.

Benchmarks:

• iperf3 transmit: ~1511 Mb/s
• iperf3 receive: ~1703 Mb/s

Bluetooth

The Nitro 5 comes with a Bluetooth 5.1 module.

SD Card Reader

Acer does not include an SD card reader with the Nitro 5.

USB

Acer equips the Nitro 5 with the following USB ports:

• 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps)
• 2 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps)
• 1 x USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps) with DisplayPort 1.4, Thunderbolt 4, and 65W Power Delivery

Display Outputs

The Nitro 5 comes with 2 display outputs:

• 1 x USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4
• 1 x HDMI 2.1

Case

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The Nitro 5 (2023) is available in one color: Obsidian Black. The chassis is made of plastic and has a functional design focusing on performance rather than aesthetics. The laptop is noted to be well-packaged for shipping. The display lid opens to a maximum angle of 145 degrees. The laptop is heavier than some competitors, with a weight of 5.51 pounds (2.50 kg).

The chassis has a more professional look compared to previous models with fewer accents and angles.

Chassis rigidity is good with no audible creaking or weak points. The base and lid exhibit some twisting but not enough to be concerning.

Maintenance

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The bottom panel is held on by 12 Philips-head screws. The laptop is easy to open for upgrades, with a straightforward design that allows access to internal components.

Upgradeable components:

• 57.5 WHr battery.
• Two M.2 2280 PCIe4 x4 SSDs (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).
• Two DDR5-4800 SODIMMs (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).
• HDD slot with included upgrade cable.

Cooling System

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The Nitro 5 is equipped with a dual fan system with five heat pipes, providing effective cooling. The system intakes air from the side and bottom grilles and exhausts air through the back grilles.

=== Heat ===Surface temperatures vary depending on the configuration.

The i7-13620H + RTX 4060 SKU gets quite warm while idling, up to 39 °C on the bottom of the device. The left side with the WASD keys heats up more than the right side. Under heavy load, there is a hot spot of 57 °C on the bottom.

The i5-12500H + RTX 4050 SKU is slightly cooler while idling across all areas reaching up to 36 °C on the bottom. The palm rest and the WASD keys remain comfortable during intensive tasks.

Benchmarks:

• i7-13620H + RTX 4060:
  • Maximum upper side: ~43 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~50 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~30 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~34 °C
• i5-12500H + RTX 4050:
  • Maximum upper side: ~44 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~55 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~33 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~36 °C

Noise

There is no electronic noise or coil whine. The laptop is effectively silent during undemanding loads like light browsing or video playback, hovering below 30 dB(A). During intensive tasks, the fans quickly ramp up even when set to balanced mode. Fan noise while gaming in balanced mode is identical to performance mode despite temperatures being noticeably lower in balanced mode. During intensive tasks, the laptop emits noise above 50 db(A) and is louder than most other gaming laptops. Most variants emit the same amount of noise with more powerful configurations being slightly louder.

Benchmarks:

• i7-13620H + RTX 4060:
  • Load: > 50 db(A)
• i5-12500H + RTX 4050:
  • Idle: ~23 db(A) (min), ~23 db(A) (avg), ~25 db(A) (max)
  • Load: ~45 db(A) (avg), ~53 db(A) (max)

Energy Management

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Power Consumption

The Nitro 5 ships with a large 230 W AC adapter.

Acer remains very liberal with the power supplied to the CPU during combined CPU and GPU loads. Both the i7-13620H + RTX 4060 and i5-12500H + RTX 4050 SKUs consume around 220 W during load with temporary spikes to around 290 W.

The i7-13620H + RTX 4060 Nitro draws around 50 W when idling for the most part, reducing to 15-20 W after waiting a very long time and any minor input brings the consumption back up to 50 W.

Battery Life

All Nitro 5 SKUs come with a 57.5 WHr Li-Ion battery that Acer claims can charge from 0-40 % in 10 mins, 0 - 80 % in 30 mins and 0 - 100 % in 60 mins using the provided power adapter.

The battery life during light tasks is slightly below average for this class of laptop. Many competitors now include 90+ Whr batteries. Reviews verify the charging claims to be accurate.

Benchmarks:

• i7-13620H + RTX 4060:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 308 minutes
  • Load: 105 minutes
• i5-12500H + RTX 4050:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 290 minutes
  • Load (max brightness): 65 minutes

Biometrics

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The Nitro 5 does not support Windows Hello face recognition and does not have a fingerprint reader.

Software

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All SKUs ship with Windows 11 Home but the laptop can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro, either manually or when buying directly from Acer.

Preinstalled Software

NitroSense

The NitroSense program acts as the primary control center in the Nitro 5. In addition to the performance profiles, the program also handles keyboard lighting, hardware troubleshooting, always on USB settings, toggling flip to start (opening the lid starts the laptop), battery conservation mode (limit charge to 80 %), MUX switch, system updates and other things.

There are three preset performance profiles - quiet, balanced and performance. Acer supports adding an AI engine in balanced mode that automatically adjusts system parameters based on the context. There is also a customized mode where the user can manually set various parameters.

Most reviewers use performance mode for performance benchmarks and quiet mode for the battery tests unless otherwise stated.

Other Preinstalled Software

The Nitro 5 also comes with other less useful software like McAfee® LiveSafe™ (discount available with bundle).

Linux Support

Limited support.

Accessories & Warranty

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The Nitro 5 comes with a 230 W AC adapter and paperwork.

There is one-year limited manufacturer warranty if purchased in the US.

Reviews Summary

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Overall Sentiment

The Nitro 5 is considered one of the best budget gaming laptops at its price with high CPU and GPU performance relative to competitors. Often found under $1000, the Nitro 5 is suitable for people looking for a high performance gaming laptop without breaking the bank. The laptop also comes with a decent screen for gaming and is highly upgradeable. The primary downsides are the poor battery life, large size and weight which make it unsuitable for portable use away from an outlet for a long time.

Problems Summary

• No SD card reader.
• Below average speakers given the form factor.
• Plastic touchpad does not provide the best tracking experience.
• High idle power consumption
• Higher than average surface temperatures while idling and during intensive tasks.
• Below average battery life.
• Heavy
• Large size

Links

i5-12500H, RTX 4050, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: NoteBookCheck

i7-13620H, RTX 4060, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD: GizmoSlipTech

i7-12650H, RTX 4050, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: JarrodsTech