Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) Full Review | Best Gaming Laptop under Rs 75,000
Updated: Jan 23
Let me just start off by saying that this is the new Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023). This is not the Acer Nitro 5 (2023) or the Acer Nitro 16 (2023). The first listing of the Acer Nitro V popped up around a week ago and I couldn't stop wondering if this was too good to be true. The specifications were clearly better than the rest of the alternatives in the competition. It offers the best GPU - an RTX 4050 6GB at its current price of Rs 74,999! (Rs 3,000 off using coupon). I immediately wanted to review this laptop and here's the full review.
Tags: Acer Nitro V, Best Gaming laptop under Rs 80,000, Under Rs 80k, Under Rs 75k
Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 | A solid gaming laptop that doesn't cut many corners.
A good choice for AAA gaming at High-Ultra settings. GPU refers to the Graphics card and CPU refers to the processor.
Pros
+ Good CPU and GPU pairing
+ Best in Class 6GB GPU
+ Solid build quality and Hinges
+ Excellent cooling performance
+ Good single-core performance
Cons
- No Card Reader
- Fans get loud at max RPM
- Average multi-core performance
Contents
Introduction
The Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) UN.QN8SI.001 is the newest addition to the Nitro Gaming Series from Acer. Joining the Nitro 5 and Nitro 16 2023 lineups is the Nitro V (2023). The Nitro V looks nothing like the regular Nitro laptops. In fact, it has been entirely redesigned with a completely new chassis and keyboard layout. This is now one of the lowest-weighing Gaming laptop available right now at 2.1 Kg. For reference, the Nitro 5 and Nitro 16 weigh 2.5Kg and 2.7Kg respectively.
Acer Nitro V is powered by the 13th gen Intel Core i5-13420H 8 cores and RTX 4050 6GB. It is available in 8GB / 512GB and 16GB / 512GB variants. My unit is the 16GB Variant. The price starts at Rs 72,999 for the 8GB RAM variant and Rs 74,999 for the 16GB RAM variant. It is good to see manufacturers offering reasonable price differences for these configurations.
With a surprisingly good build quality, excellent cooling, and impressive graphics performance, the Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 is clearly a step above other gaming laptops at its price where you are either stuck with 4GB graphics cards or older generation laptops.
Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) UN.QN8SI.001 - Acer Store | Rs 77,990 - Rs 3,000 off with coupon AD233KGL
Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) UN.QN8SI.001 - Amazon Store | Rs 77,990 + Bank discounts
Update: 23-01-2024 [1TB Variant] Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) - Amazon Store | Rs 77,990 + Bank discounts
[i7 12650H variant with 100% sRGB 165Hz display] Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) NH.QN8SI.001 - Acer Store | Rs 89,999 - Rs 3,000 off with coupon AD233KGL
Full Specifications
Official and self-confirmed specifications.
If the laptop is not in stock at the above stores, click here to set up a stock notification alert.
Processor | CPU | 13th Gen Intel Core i5-13420H 8 Cores 12 Threads Up to 4.6GHz |
Graphics | GPU | RTX 4050 6GB GDDR6 75W TGP |
Ram | Memory | 16GB x1 DDR5 4800MHz 2x SoDIMM DDR5 slots Up to 32GB DDR5 |
Storage | SSD | 512GB Gen 4 NVMe SSD SK Hynix Gen 4 HFS512GEJ9X110N |
Display | Panel - LP156WFJ-SPB4 (LG Philips) 15.6in FHD 144Hz IPS Display Less than 100% sRGB Color Gamut Assuming to be 65% sRGB (unconfirmed) |
Weight | 2.11 Kg |
Keyboard & Touchpad | Numberpad, White Backlit ~13.6cm Long Touchpad - Multi touch |
Connectivity | Wifi 6 - Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX203, Bluetooth 5.3 |
External Ports | 1x HDMI 2.1 1x Thunderbolt 4 3x 3.2 Gen 1 USB Type-A 1x 3.5mm combo jack 1x Kensington Lock |
Battery | 57 WHr |
Dimensions | 2.69cm (Height) x 36.32cm (Width) x 23.44cm (Depth) |
OS | Windows 11 Home |
MS Office | Not Included |
Build and Design
The Chassis/body appears to be built with Hard Plastic. There is minimal flex on the keyboard deck and the lid looks like it could be either a semi-glossy sturdy plastic or a metallic alloy. It is smooth to the touch and is easy to clean. Apologies for my poor material judgment skills but I can however confirm that it is rigid either way.
The display barely shows any flex upon pressure and the hinges feel nice and sturdy. Single handed opening can be done with ease despite the lack of any protrusion along the front-facing edge of the display. The hinge has a lift-up mechanism to lift the bottom of the laptop up to improve airflow and the display tilts all the way back to about 150 degrees. This is useful when you are using an angled laptop stand.
While its dimensions are similar to a regular gaming laptop, it weighs just 2.11 Kg as compared to the 2.7Kg Nitro 16. However, Nitro 16 has higher end components with larger power limits which requires larger cooling solutions as well.
Input: Keyboard | Trackpad
Keyboard | The Keyboard has a numberpad which is nice to have if you need it. Considering that the device is already compact, the numberpad had to be cramped into a thinner layout to fit into the space. This also means you don't get full-size Arrow keys. However, the typing experience and the letter keys are full-size and have comfortable key travel. On Monkeytype typing test, I was scoring around ~98 WPM and didn't feel like I needed some time to adjust to the layout. It is a comfortable typing experience.
It has a white backlight with a low and high brightness option through keyboard shortcuts. The keyboard has also optimized the keys for anti-ghosting properties so that all your keys get registered while gaming. This is useful in games where you are focusing on directions, and a couple of other controls at the same time. In keyboards without anti-ghosting properties, only a few keys get registered at the same time making games like FIFA difficult to play.
Touchpad | It is a fairly long trackpad measuring around 13.7cm in length. It feels quite adequate, there is no rattling and it feels very smooth. Multi-touch works as expected and there's nothing really to complain about. My large hands did create some accidental cursor movements but this is unlikely to be an issue for all.
Internal Slots and External Ports
Internal Slots |
Ram | Memory - There are 2x SoDIMM DDR5 slots, one of which is empty in my unit with a single 16GB DDR5 4800MHz in the other slot. This should help for convenient ram upgrades.
SSD | Storage - There are 2x m.2 NVMe Gen4 Slots, one of which is empty and the other slot is filled with 512GB NVMe Gen 4 SSD.
Note that, upgrading requires the removal of a label on the bottom panel which could void the warranty if done by unauthorized center. You will need to get your upgrades done from an Acer Authorized service center to retain the warranty. However, you can carry your own RAM/SSD of your choice to the center to get it upgraded. Personally, I find this anti-consumer and consumers should be allowed to upgrade their own hardware, especially basic and easily replaceable/upgradable components such as RAM and SSD.
I haven't opened the back cover as the warranty could be void. Will update a photo here once I get a chance to open the bottom panel.
External Ports |
All ports are on either side of the laptop. There is an HDMI 2.1 port, 3x 3.2 Gen 1 USB Type-A ports, a collapsible RJ-45 Port for ethernet connectivity, a 3.5mm audio port, and a Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C for all your docking, Power delivery, and Video out needs. Note that only the HDMI port connects to the discrete graphics.
Display
The Acer Nitro V has a 15.6in IPS Display at Full HD 1080p resolution with a 144Hz Refresh Rate. It is a good panel for budget gaming laptops and the higher refresh rate makes the overall user experience smooth. The panel is produced by LG Philips (LP156WFJ-SPB4). The color gamut isn't 100% sRGB and appears to be 45% NTSC. However, I haven't been able to confirm this.
Colors | The colors by default had a warm tint. If you are particular about your display panels and want to get a better viewing experience, calibrate the display using Windows in-built display calibration tool. It only takes a few minutes and makes a notable difference. After this, I would also advise using Intel Color Management tool which is also pre-installed. This helps in offering far better colors than the default settings.
Brightness | The display gets fairly bright to use indoors and likely offers 250 nits of brightness similar to other alternatives at this price range. During my period of usage, I kept the brightness between 75% and 100% at all times. It did not feel unsatisfactory at any point.
Contrast | The contrast isn't great by default but the calibration and Intel color management helps significantly. After that process, the display felt a lot more pleasing. Note that I am a little too critical about display panels and colors. For most users, they are unlikely to notice significant changes.
Viewing angles | The viewing angles are good and maintain good color consistency across angles. I've been using this laptop alongside my desktop by placing it to my right. As expected of IPS panels, the viewing angles were good and did not disappoint.
Response Time | MPRT Tested/Measured using testufo appears to be less than 6.5s
Connectivity
An Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX203 sits inside the network slot offering good reliability and consistent Wi-Fi Speeds. AX203 supports Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. During my period of testing, I did not experience any network connectivity issues or disconnects. The network speeds were also consistently better than my OnePlus 10 Pro and Mercusys Wi-Fi USB adapter on my desktop.
Storage Performance
Here are the CrystalDiskMark benchmark results. SSD - SK Hynix Gen 4 HFS512GEJ9X110N
The results are good for a mid-range laptop with a gen 4 SSD. The temperature also remains cool at a peak of 75°C and an average of 62°C throughout the duration of the CrystalDiskMark Benchmark. The idle temperatures are usually around 36°C. If you are not familiar with this, you just need to know that these readings are good, above average and you are unlikely to experience performance issues due to heat.
The laptop boots up in just 10 seconds from a fully shutdown state into the Windows logon screen. And it does this consistently.
CPU Performance | Benchmarks, Temperature, Frequency
The processor is well equipped for all kinds of general usage. With fast single core performance, it offers a snappy experience, does not bottleneck the graphics card and should be able to handle any workload you throw at it. But if you want to get technical about it, read the below test results.
Here are the CPU Benchmark Results. There are 2 Performance modes - Quiet and Gaming and 3 sub options - Quiet, Balanced, and Performance. From our testing, we have found that the performance modes work similarly depending on the sub-options selected. For example, Quiet Mode with Performance settings and Gaming Mode with Performance settings perform very similarly. On battery, the performance mode is disabled.
Cinebench 2024 | Frequencies, Power, Temperature Graphs inside
The Cinebench 2024 Results indicate that Single-core performance remains unaffected by the different modes in use. However, moving on to Cinebench R23, we will see that, this is not the case with all applications, and switching to Performance settings in either Gaming or Quiet Modes gives you the best performance.
Frequencies | At burst durations, all cores run at their peak frequencies and the CPU reaches a power draw of ~80W. This then drops to an avg. of 4.1Ghz on the P cores and 3.17Ghz on the E cores at about ~55W average power consumption. This is still way higher than the 2.1 Base clock speeds.
Temperature | With an Average temperature of 83c during 100% loads and sub 80c temperature during gaming, the thermals are looking pretty good. This ensures that the CPU temperature doesn't cause a bottleneck or stutter during gaming.
Cinebench R23 Benchmark
EDIT 27-09-23: After resetting PL1 and PL2 to defaults, repeating the benchmarks showed the same improved results. The single core score is now higher than Apple M2 Max!
EDIT 27-09-23: I had felt that the scores were fairly lower than normal and decided to look it up. Turns out, Acer had stuck to default PL1 and PL2 limits for this processor which meant it could go up to 115W technically. But instead it thermally throttles beyond 80W peak and 70W sustained. So changing the PL1 and PL2 limits helped in removing the thermal throttling and now gives better performance as shown in the graphs.
The Single core scores sit in between Ryzen 7000 series Ryzen 7 7735HS and Ryzen 6000 series Ryzen 7 6800H. Pretty good single-core speed for the price. The multi-core performance is only average. However, this shouldn't be a deal breaker unless your usage involves applications with high 100% loads. For most users with general purpose use, the usage almost always stays under 40% loads. And no, the reason why you can't have your 50 Chrome tabs open is because you don't have enough ram.
CPU-Z Benchmark
For your reference for those who find it useful.
GPU Performance | Benchmarks, Temperature, Frequency
Synthetic Benchmarks - 3DMark - Timespy | 3DMark - Firestrike | Cinebench 2024 GPU
3DMark Fire Strike Scores | The scores lie just above RTX 3060 6GB and it is 56% faster than an RTX 3050 6GB. It is also a whopping 76% faster than an RTX 3050 4GB which is commonly found at this price on other laptops.
3DMark Time Spy Scores | The scores are about 3.3% slower than an RTX 3060 6GB and it is 60% faster than an RTX 3050 6GB.
Cinebench 2024 GPU Scores | As mentioned earlier, the gaming mode at performance settings performed the best and the temperature remains below 65c. Quiet mode as the name implies runs very quietly and also limits the GPU to avg. of ~30W. I couldn't find laptop GPU scores to compare the scores against. For reference the desktop RTX 3060 12GB scores 7755 points which ~7% slower than the RTX 4050 on this Acer Nitro V.
However, this could be limited to just Cinbench 2024 scores as this is not the case with both Time Spy and Fire Strike where the RTX 3060 12GB is 8.2% and 2.1% faster than the RTX 4050 6GB. To be fair, that is very impressive considering how little power the RTX 4050 consumes.
Gaming Benchmarks | But can it run Cyberpunk 2077?
Cyberpunk 2077 Benchmarks
Yes, it does perform better than a couple of RTX 3060 6GB laptops. The Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 easily pushes 60+ FPS at Ultra Preset on Cyberpunk 2077 without any DLSS or Frame Generation settings enabled. At default RT: Ultra Preset, making use of Frame gen and upscaling technologies, the RTX 4050 outputs ~64 FPS with Ray Tracing on. For FHD AAA Gaming at high-ultra settings, the RTX 4050 looks like a solid choice.
If you want to play at QHD, checkout the FPS in the last graph!
Forza Horizon 5 Benchmarks
Forza Horizon 5 at Ultra Preset settings runs amazingly well at an average of 88 FPS! Turning on DLSS Quality and Frame Gen gives an additional 8 FPS. Not a big improvement and it would be better to turn off DLSS and Frame Gen in this case.
Control Benchmarks
At an average of 65 FPS, the RTX 4050 is able to handle the game well at High settings Preset. Check the next slide for different FPS at various settings. At High settings, the GPU performance comes close to an RTX 3060 6GB 95W, and with DLSS turned on, it performs similarly to an RTX 3060 6GB 140W. And you can also see why other RTX 3050 laptops are not worth considering for gaming at this price.
Webcam
Webcam | I didn't have much expectations here since even the highest end of laptops that cost a couple of lakhs often have poor webcams. It is good enough for video calls or to get on a quick meeting, given that you have ample light. The resolution is 720p at 30fps.
Audio
The audio quality is not very impressive. It has a stereo speaker set up at the bottom of the device and produces fairly loud volume. But it lacks in details and bass. But then so do most laptops at this price, so I didn't have much expectations to begin with.
Battery Life
Powered by a 4-cell 57WHr Battery, The battery life isn't anything to be impressed about. It lasts for a maximum of 5 hours on Wi-Fi at battery savings mode while watching online content. With mixed use, I am expecting an average of about 4-6 hours at most.
Final Verdict: Who is this for?
The Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 makes for an excellent budget gaming laptop, with its portability, good build quality, good single-core performance, excellent cooling, and best-in-class graphics performance. For the price, it is excellent value for all that it offers. While I can nitpick on things like color gamut and RGB keyboards, at this price, no other laptop offers what the Acer Nitro V does and neither do they offer better displays. But if that is a deal breaker for you, you can look into older laptops with RTX 3050 4GB or GTX 1650 4GB which may have 100% sRGB displays. So, who is this for?
Gamers |
This is a great choice for gamers wanting the best graphics card and good single-core speeds at or under Rs 75,000. Currently, there is no other laptop that offers an RTX 4050 6GB at this price. Having two M.2 Gen 4 slots also makes it convenient to add an extra SSD for all your gaming needs. With just 3 Games installed - Forza Horizon 5 (140GB), Control (40GB), Cyberpunk 2077 (70GB), I've already used up about 250GB just for games, So you might run into low storage soon. Alternatives like the Dell G15 5520 do not offer a secondary SSD slot, which could be a deal breaker.
Architects and Designers |
Architects and designers who are on a budget and need good single core performance for their Architectural applications like Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp etc, and the best in class graphics card for their rendering applications like Lumion/D5/V-Ray. It also supports up to 32GB Ram which will be helpful as they often have to switch between multiple applications at the same time. However, as with any laptop in this price range, an external monitor with a good color gamut will have to be used for work that requires color accuracy.
Content Creators |
Strong single-core performance and a good GPU for video editing and rendering make this a good choice for Creators on a budget. However, as mentioned above, an external monitor with a good color gamut is recommended for color accuracy.
Buy Now
Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) UN.QN8SI.001 - Acer Store | Rs 77,990 + Rs 3,000 off with coupon (AD233KGL)
Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) UN.QN8SI.001 - Amazon Store | Rs 77,990 + Bank discounts (as of 23/01/24)
Update: 23-01-2024 [1TB Variant] Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) - Amazon Store | Rs 77,990 + Bank discounts
[i7 12650H variant with 100% sRGB 165Hz display] Acer Nitro V ANV15-51 (2023) NH.QN8SI.001 - Acer Store | Rs 89,999 - Rs 3,000 off with coupon AD233KGL
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