Name: Acer Nitro V 16S AI
Brand: Acer

The most revealing specification on Acer’s Nitro is a pair of numbers. The screen can refresh 180 times a second. The RTX 5060 inside the reviewed US configuration has an 85W power ceiling. A game determines how closely those numbers line up, and two games played at the same resolution can feel like different classes of hardware.

Gaming Performance

Ryzen 7 260
GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU
85W maximum in the tested system

Tom’s Hardware measured 91 frames per second in Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1200p on its Highest preset. In its Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark at the same resolution on Medium, the result was 27. Those figures belong to the tested games, presets and hardware. They explain why a high-refresh screen is a sensible fit for lighter games while a demanding single-player title may send you straight to the settings menu. ¹

Display

16-inch IPS
1920 × 1200
Up to 180Hz

The extra vertical space over a 1080p panel buys a few more lines in a script, an inventory screen or a worksheet. The native resolution is also a more realistic target for this GPU than a substantially denser display. If you plan to use an external monitor, compare performance at that monitor’s resolution before buying.

Memory & Storage

32GB DDR5
1TB SSD
ANV16S-41-R2AJ

The R2AJ has 32GB of DDR5 memory, whereas Acer also sells the R27B with 16GB and the same 1TB storage capacity. Tom’s Hardware opened the R2AJ and found both memory slots occupied by 16GB modules and a second M.2 2280 slot empty. ¹ Someone expanding a game library can add an SSD without replacing the original drive.

Connectivity

3 USB-A and 1 USB-C
HDMI 2.1
Gigabit Ethernet

Tom’s Hardware found three USB-A ports and one USB-C port on the R2AJ, with HDMI 2.1, Gigabit Ethernet and a microSD reader. ¹ A wired mouse, keyboard and headset receiver can all stay connected without a hub. For a fast external drive, check the USB-C link speed on this exact model before buying a dock advertised for a different Nitro.

Battery & Charging

76Wh battery
135W adapter
10h 17m mixed-use test

The R2AJ lasted 10 hours and 17 minutes in Tom’s Hardware’s mix of web browsing, video streaming and OpenGL work at 150 nits. ¹ That puts an afternoon of classes in a different category from playing the games benchmarked above. The laptop has a 76Wh battery and comes with a 135W adapter worth budgeting space for on a gaming trip.

Keyboard & Camera

Four-zone RGB keyboard
720p webcam
No infrared face sign-in on tested unit

The four-zone RGB keyboard lets you illuminate groups of keys for play in a dark room. The 720p webcam is the bigger compromise for someone who also uses this Nitro for calls. Tom’s Hardware found the image grainy on its R2AJ, and its camera lacked infrared face sign-in. ¹ A frequent presenter may want space for an external webcam.

Alternatives

If you carry a laptop daily but play only at one desk, consider keeping a light notebook and directing the gaming budget toward a desktop. To compare two gaming laptops, look for the same game and preset at the same resolution. A higher model number or a faster panel is only part of that comparison.

Verdict

This Nitro makes sense for mixed use and for players comfortable adjusting settings. Buy it for the frame rates your games can reach, and treat the 180Hz figure as headroom.

Acer Nitro V 16S AI review

Pros

Cons