Acer Aspire Nitro 5 and Dell G15 are among the most popular gamer laptops in the market. Both with entry-level versions in the $683 range for the most affordable configurations, they are good options for those who need a powerful laptop or simply want a portable PC to play recent games in Full HD.
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 vs Dell G15
| Acer Aspire Nitro 5 | Dell G15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Specifications | ||
| Price | from | from |
| Screen | 15.6 inches | 15.6 inches |
| Screen resolution | Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) | Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) |
| Processor | Ryzen 5 4600H, Ryzen 7 4800H, Core i5 10500H and Core i7 10750H | Ryzen 5 5600H, Ryzen 7 5800H, Core i5 10500H, Core i5 11400H, Core i7 11800H |
| RAM | 8 or 16 GB | 8 or 16 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD or more | 256 GB SSD or more |
| Video card | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, RTX 3050, or RTX 3060 |
| Ports and interfaces | 3x USB 3.2, USB-C, HDMI 2.0, headphone out, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5 | 3x USB, USB-C with DisplayPort (RTX 3050), headphone out, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5 |
| Dimensions | 36.3 x 25.5 x 2.4 cm | 35.7 x 27.2 x 2.49 cm |
| Weight | 2.5 kg | 2.44 or 2.65 kg |
Design
Packed with high-performance components, the G15 and Nitro 5 get very hot and require a design that sacrifices portability to better dissipate heat. Besides the thicker profile, both laptops bet on the gamer aesthetic, with right angles and more eye-catching contrasts: you won’t go unnoticed pulling either one out of your bag.
The dimensions are 35.7 cm wide, 27.2 cm deep, and 2.49 cm thick. The weight is 2.44 kg or 2.65 kg for the G15, depending on the version. In the case of the Nitro 5, the measurements are 40.3 x 28.8 x 2.5 cm and 2.8 kg in weight.
As far as ports and interfaces are concerned, the Nitro 5 is easier to understand. Since the chassis doesn’t change, all current generation laptops are equipped with three USB 3.2, USB-C 3.1, and HDMI 2.0, plus a Gigabit Ethernet connector and headphone output. In wireless networking, there is Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) and Bluetooth 5.0.
The G15’s input options bring one Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 port, one headset jack, one HDMI 2.0 port, and three USB ports, two USB 2.0 and one USB 3.2. The G15 models that carry the GeForce RTX 3050 have, in addition, a USB-C input with DisplayPort support in alternate mode. The versions that ship the RTX 3060, meanwhile, have three USB 3.2 ports and a USB-C input with Thunderbolt, with the other connections remaining the same.
Screen
Both laptops offer a 15.6-inch screen and Full HD resolution regardless of the version chosen by the consumer. The differences are in the refresh rate: while all Nitro 5s of the current generation offers 144 Hz displays, the Dell G15 can be found with 120 or 165 Hz displays.
It is worth pointing out, once again, that the specifications referred to here for the Nitro 5 are those of the generation currently being marketed by Acer. The new edition of the laptop will have different screen specifications, including QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) options capable of reaching the same 165 Hz as the screens found in the more expensive G15.
Performance
Dell currently sells the G15 equipped with 10th and 11th generation Intel processors: the options are Core i5 10500H, i5 11400H, and i7 11800H. In addition to Intel components, there are versions with Ryzen 5 5600H and Ryzen 7 5800H.
Acer’s notebook also has editions for those who want Intel or AMD. In the case of the Taiwanese brand, the versions with Ryzen bet on older generation models than those shipped in the G15: the Ryzen 5 4600H and Ryzen 7 4800H. On the Intel side, there is the same menu for i5 and i7 available in the G15.
Broadly speaking, the best options for both cases are the Ryzen processors. It will get harder to choose when both products get upgraded to Intel’s 12th generation: the current generation Core gain in performance and efficiency so that they rival the Ryzen more directly, especially in multicore processing.
In addition to the processors, both G15 and Nitro 5 are offered with dedicated graphics cards. In the case of the Nitro 5, the choice is always the GeForce GTX 1650, Nvidia’s entry-level card. It has the right hardware profile to handle current games in Full HD – although the lack of support for DLSS and Ray Tracing graphics are significant omissions in the component’s capabilities.
The G15, on the other hand, varies more in graphics cards. The current edition of the laptop comes with the same GTX 1650 as the Nitro 5 in the cheaper versions, but moves up to the RTX 3050 and RTX 3060 in more expensive editions – the latter two run Ray Tracing and offer DLSS boost. However, contrary to Nvidia’s guidelines, Dell does not disclose the power range of the two GPUs, which can mislead the consumer at the time of purchase.
As for the RAM, there is no choice between the two computers. In both cases, there are options sold with 8 or 16 GB of DDR4, and the consumer has the option to install more memory if desired. For storage, the Nitro 5 can come with a combined SSD and HDD, although low-capacity SSD-only versions (128 or 256 GB) are far more common.
In the case of the Dell, the same reasoning applies: the laptop has a removable SSD, but it tends to appear more often on the market in units equipped with 256 GB disks. Dell does not inform us about the existence of additional slots for installing additional SSDs or HDDs.
Battery
Dell’s G15 comes with batteries that vary depending on the version: cheaper models, served by a 120 Hz screen and “simpler” processors are accompanied by a three-cell battery with a gross capacity of 56 Wh, while the options with more powerful components stand at 86 Wh.
Acer, on the other hand, settles for a 57 Wh battery as a universal choice among the current Nitro 5. The manufacturer issues optimistic estimates that the 57 Whr charge is enough to keep the Nitro 5 running for up to eight hours. Dell on the other hand is reticent about this.
Extra Features
With appeal to the gamer audience, both laptops promise more aggressive cooling systems to dissipate the heat generated by the components and keep the performance stable during long gaming sessions.
In addition, both Nitro 5 and G15 offer access to exclusive tools from Dell and Acer for monitoring and configuring the computer. In Dell, there is the Alienware Command Center to, among other things, create specific operation profiles for each title. In Acer’s case, the consumer has NitroSense to perform the same modifications.
Price and Availability
The cheapest ads for the G15 (taking into account the 11th generation i5) stand at $969 on Amazon. More complete editions of the Dell – considering the RTX 3060 – appear at the moment at $1,489. On Amazon.
- Buy Dell G15 with RTX 3050
- Buy Dell G15 with RTX 3060
On Acer’s side, prices also oscillate widely according to hardware. Versions with i5 start at $683, the same minimum value we found for editions with Ryzen 5.
- Buy Acer Nitro 5
Similar models and competitors
The entry-level gamer laptop market is very hot in the market, given the lack of premium options here to rival the MacBook Pro. Gamers and professionals who need a more robust laptop, but don’t want to pay the price of Apple’s laptop (or need Windows machines), end up finding an answer in gaming notebooks.
Both G15 and Nitro 5 find competition in Lenovo models, such as the Lenovo L340 or the Legion 3i and 5i. Another brand that stands out in the niche is MSI, with a more varied line of gaming notebooks – many of them are quite configurable at the time of purchase, even allowing the creation of more powerful options.
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