Acer Aspire Nitro 7 Laptop Review

This revised 2020 Acer Aspire Nitro 7 series is an improvement over the previous model in terms of strength and durability, inputs, functionality, and even performance, much like the 2020 Nitro 5. In the few places where this Nitro 7 is now available, though, Acer charges a premium for the superior metallic build here, and that makes it about on par with an identically kitted Predator Helios 300, which is a much better-rounded product. That’s why the less expensive, lower-specified Acer Aspire Nitro 7 would draw the majority of my attention.

Acer Aspire Nitro 7

Technical Specifications

Pros and Cons

Acer Aspire Nitro 7 Review

The entry-level performance laptops from Acer are called Nitros, and they are designed to provide the highest specs, performance, and features for the least amount of money.

The all-plastic Nitro 5, and expensive Nitro 7, which has an all-black aluminum build but is otherwise similar to the Nitro 5, are the two Nitro models that Acer currently provides. The Nitro 7 is, in other words, a decorated entrance-level laptop with a posh black appearance.

We’ve included our views and observations, along with the advantages and drawbacks you should be aware of before purchasing one, below.

Display

With the Acer Aspire Nitro 7, Acer didn’t cut any costs and provides a high-quality IPS FHD display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and respectable reaction times.

With 100% sRGB color coverage, excellent contrast, and broad viewing angles, this panel is a good option for gaming and everyday usage. However, the implementation only offers a little bit over 300 nits of brightness. Again, that’s somewhat unexpected considering that we measured the brightness of the identical panel used in our Nitro 5 test model to be close to 400 nits. Blacks in this version are darker, though.

Although the panel requires calibration because the White Point is slightly skewed toward blue when it is first installed, we haven’t noticed any serious light bleed or luminosity/color uniformity problems.

Design & Built

The Nitro 7 is fully constructed of metal, as already said, with a darker design aesthetic and only a few black marking pieces on the lid and beneath the screen. In fact, the only things that hint at the potent specifications underneath, which we’ll discuss in a moment, are the RGB keypad and the red border surrounding the touchpad. Returning to the design and construction quality, the Acer Aspire Nitro 7 stands out among its peers in its class. The metal surfaces are smooth to the touch, and Acer even softened the corners and front lip of the laptop to make it more user-friendly. Everything else is made of metal, with the exception of the screen’s plastic bezel.

Although it feels sturdy in terms of construction, our review model only weighs a bit under 2.2 pounds. The main casing and keyboard deck have nearly no give or flex, however, the lid is not as well-made and still flexes quite a bit when you carry it in your bag.

While we’re being picky, I should also point out that the black textures are extremely susceptible to smudges & finger oil, so you’ll need to constantly wipe them clean, as well as the fact that Acer even now places the status LEDs just below the display, right in the way when entertaining a movie at night. The thermal design, which includes two fans that pull in fresh air through the well-ventilated rear and exhaust systems on the back and laterals, is comparable to that of the Nitro 5 and a few of the higher-end Acer laptops. In the part that follows, we’ll speak about how it behaves when faced with demanding workloads and games.

Keyboard & Touchpad

Similar to the Nitro 5 range, Acer offers the Nitro 7 series either a red or perhaps an RGB keyboard; in this instance, we have the RGB version, which is often only available for the more expensive configurations.

This keyboard has 4-zone RGB illumination, consistent LEDs, and a similar look and feels to the Helios 300 series keyboard. However, it is not as bright. Additionally, this lacks a tactile Caps Lock indication, another typical problem with Acer keyboards.

This is a really decent typer that should be appealing to the majority of you when it comes to typing comfort is concerned. It’s better that the feedback is a little firmer than I’m used to and not as gentle as I recall it from the prior Nitros. I believe it will eventually become more flexible.

With a full set of major keys, full-size arrows, a thinner NumPad area at the right, and the Power button/key in the corner, the layout is rather normal.

The trackpad is a medium-sized plastic surface with a smooth surface, red framing, and glittering finishing. It is adequate for daily use even if the glass touchpad in Predator variants is nicer. Although the actual clicks are quiet and smooth, this approach rattles with taps, unlike the Nitro 5, and I’m not sure if you should anticipate that in the final retail units or not.

There are no biometric features on this laptop.

Performance

Our test unit is an Acer Nitro 7 2020 AN715-52 model with the highest level of specification, including an Intel Core i7-10750H CPU, 32 GB of DDR4 3200 MHz Memory, 1 TB storage, and dual graphics, including an Optimus-capable Nvidia RTX 2060 GPU and an Intel UHD within Intel platforms.

Remember that our review device is an early-production model with software that is ready as of early September 2020 before we continue (BIOS v0.14, Nitro Sense 3.01.3016, GeForce Ready to Play 456.38 drivers). Our results should largely correspond to what you’ll receive with the sale models even if some features might alter with further software updates.

The 2020 Acer Aspire Nitro 7 has a 6Core Intel Comet Lake i7-10750H CPU as its top feature, with i5s available in its less expensive models.

Up to 3200 MHz DDR4 ram is supported by the upgraded Intel platform. Our design has two DIMM slots and 32 GB of dual-channel RAM running at 2933 MHz. Our equipment receives two WDC PC SN530 drives in Raid0 for storage. This laptop has two M.2 slots and what appears to be a 2.5′′ bay, however, it is missing the iron cradle and the connectors needed to connect an HDD in this particular model.

The GPU in question is the 2019 Nvidia RTX 2060 non-Super standard graphics processor in the 80W version. The motherboard has a soldered-on CPU and GPU, but it is possible to update the memory, storage devices, and WLAN chip from within. You’ll need to remove the bottom panel, which is secured in place by two Philips screws, to do that.

Audio

You can infer from their diminutive physical size that the speakers don’t have much power and that they fire through cuts in the underbelly. We experienced ordinary to bad sound quality on the Musical setting in Nitro Sense, with little at the bottom end, and measured volumes of about 73-75 dB at head level. Most likely, you’ll want to connect some headphones to this.

Battery

The Acer Aspire Nitro 7 series has a 58Wh battery inside, which is currently the norm for a laptop in its class.

This is what our review unit’s screen looked like when the brightness was set to about 120 nits (about 60 brightness).

(15 W; 3–4 hours of use) – 12.5 W (about 4+ hours of use), text editing in Google Drive, Power Saver Mode, screen at 70%, Wi-Fi ON – 1080p fullscreen YouTube video in Edge, Power Management Mode, 70% screen brightness, Wi-Fi on; 12 W (about 4+ hours of use). – Netflix in Edge fullscreen, Power Saver Mode, screen at 70%, Wi-Fi ON; 19 W (about 2-3 hours of use) – Edge surfing, Balance Mode, 70% screen, Wi-Fi turned on.

A small 180W power brick is included with this Acer Aspire Nitro 7 configuration, just like with the RTX 2060 variants. It takes roughly 2 hours for the battery to fully charge, and USB-C charging is not available.

Conclusion

This revised 2020 Acer Aspire Nitro 7 series is an improvement over the previous Gen in terms of strength and durability, inputs, functionality, and to a lesser extent, performance, much like the 2020 Nitro 5.

But unlike the Nitro 5, this is hard to find and pricey even when it is, as Acer naturally charges more for the superior metallic structure. In reality, it performs on par with an identical Predator Helios 300 from Acer, which in our tests outperforms it and runs cooler as a result of a mix of hardware and software modifications. In actuality, the primary offender in this Nitro 7 and a potential long-term reliability issue that you should be aware of are the high internal and exterior default thermals.

Since the Acer Aspire Nitro 7 runs so hot by standard that it essentially requires an external cooling pad, it is difficult to justify purchasing it at the present price, especially if you’re looking for an RTX 2060 gaming laptop. Yes, turning up the fans makes a significant impact, but doing so comes with an increase in noise that can only be muffled by a good pair of headphones, which may not be the trade-off some of you are ready to accept. Because of this, if you’re looking for an RTX 2060 model, I’d suggest opting for the Predator Helios 300, which is generally superior.

However, a Acer Aspire Nitro 7 GTX 1650Ti model might not be a bad investment. That ought to prevent thermals and be a better-made metallic substitute to the Nitro 5. The Nitro 5 is the only choice in Acer’s 2020 lineup at that level since I was unable to locate a GTX 1650Ti Nitro 7 version as of yet.