The Acer Nitro 7 is not flashy and has a fantastic design. We like its sleek look with a matte black finish that doesn’t draw a lot of attention to itself. The Acer Nitro 7 has a full-HD screen, it can run at 144 Hz refresh rate, and the brightness is suitable for indoor use.
The chiclet-style keyboard is quick and responsive. The keys are of a medium size with excellent travel. The Nitro 7 features red lighting at four brightness levels, providing optimum viewing in any light environment. It also offers easy access to the RAM and storage, making the entire base easily replaced.
The Acer Nitro laptop features an Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD storage (2x 512GB NVMe SSDs in RAID 0), and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. The laptop also boasts of Acer’s CoolBoost technology, which is said to increase fan speed by 10 percent compared to Auto mode. There’s even a dedicated button in the Number pad area that launches Acer’s Nitro Sense program.
The new operating system, Windows 10, enabled apps to load quickly, and the system ran smooth despite having a 144Hz refresh rate. Windows 10 had good colours and the brightness was more than adequate for indoor use. The device also ran quietly without getting too hot when it wasn’t being used. The top-end spec that we reviewed delivered a very enjoyable gaming experience.
Acer’s battery life is not great. It depends on different factors like how often the device is being used and the environments it is being used in.
Performance
Acer prioritized the elements of a good build and clear display for the Nitro 7. This led to its top marks.
However, the performance for the price of this laptop is questionable. The Nitro 7 review model came equipped with an Intel Core i7-9750H and a Nvidia GTX 1650. This is an improvement on the days with only a Nvidia GTX 1050 TI.
Core i7-9750H laptops are popular and have a bad habit of causing throttling. We’ve looked at a few Core i7-8750H laptops at this point and have found out what we need to know. Our review is that they perform almost exactly the same in short burst use, with Cinebench R15 scores way below average, but nothing too serious.
HandBrake is a testing tool used with other software like MKV formats. It is longer and more intensive than the other software, testig the machine to encode a 30GB MKV file down to HandBrake’s Android Tablet preset, which usually takes the 8750H and 9750H around 30 minutes but took 37 minutes for Nitro 7.
It’s a hot CPU but it still works. I live in San Francisco which is lucky enough to have mild temperatures even in the height of summer. Even idling at 7-percent usage, it’s Core i7-9750H sits between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius. Putting it under load, it almost immediately hits its 80-degree-Celsius throttling point and starts impacting performance as a result.
The Acer Nitro 7 is not difficult to maintain, likely due to it being low on processor demands and general Internet browsing demands. It’s still expected of Acer to provide better cooling capabilities but the company might not have foreseen that the PC would need such a high-end cooling in order to function properly.
But honestly, the Nitro 7’s biggest letdown is the GTX 1650. The GTX 1650 has a place in Nvidia’s lineup, and it’s not a bad card. It’s not as good as its predecessor, the GTX 1050 Ti, but it’s a solid entry-level option.
A $1,200 laptop may seem like a lot of money, but it’s not when you consider benchmarks. To see how it’s overall performance compares with other machines, I’ve included benchmarks for the Acer Predator Helios 300.
The Nitro 7 is a good option for someone who wants a better display and more attractive design, or doesn’t want to upgrade their own storage. But for most people who are on a budget? The Predator Helios 300 is probably the better option. It puts the money where it matters and cuts corners where you won’t notice improvements.
Acer Nitro 7 Full Specifications
General
| Brand | Acer |
| Model | Nitro 7 |
| Release date | August 2019 |
| Model Number | AN715-51-76LS |
| Model Name | Nitro 7 |
| Dimensions (mm) | 259.00 x 230.00 x 190.00 |
| Weight (kg) | 2.5 |
| Colours | Black |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| Battery Capacity (WHR) | 55 |
Display
| Size | 15.60-inch |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 pixels |
| Touch Screen | No |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
Processor
| Processor | Intel Core i7 9th Gen 9750H |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.6 GHz |
| Burst Clock Speed | 4.5 GHz |
Memory
| RAM | 8GB |
| RAM Slots | 2 |
Graphics
| Dedicated Graphics | Yes |
| Graphics Processor | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti |
| Dedicated Graphic Memory | 6GB |
| Dedicated Graphic Memory Type | GDDR6 |
Storage
| SSD | 1TB |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi standards supported | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth version | 5 |
| Ethernet | Gigabit |
Inputs
| Web Camera | Yes |
| Pointer Device | Touchpad |
| Backlit Keyboard | Yes |
| Touchpad | Yes |
| Speakers | 2 Speakers |
Ports and slots
| Number of USB Ports | 4 |
| USB Ports | 1 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type C) |
| HDMI Port | Standard |
| Headphone and Mic Combo Jack | Yes |
| RJ45 (LAN) | Yes |
Final Thoughts
Acer does have a lot of options for people who need a laptop that aren’t high-performance. The Nitro 7 is probably the right choice for someone. It’s not an efficient setup, but it might work for you. Personally I’d rather spend my money on laptops with better performance. But everyone has their reason to spend their money one way or another.
Acer’s Predator Helios 300 is not a breakout hit, but it’s hard to stand out when every dollar counts. The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a touchpad with backlight and a precision touchpad like the one found on more expensive laptops.
