The new Nitro 5 from Acer has a pretty simple design, which is fine with us. Not too long ago, most Nitro laptops (and a lot of gaming laptops in general, especially entry-level models) had bold colors and design details, but that style is slowly going out of style. Garish red and black were especially popular, and while some people still like that combination, it was hard to find an affordable gaming rig that just looked like a normal laptop.
In fact, the last Nitro 5 from earlier this year looked different and had a lot of red in it. It had a bit more of a geometric shape to its lid corners and back vents, while this new version looks squarer and cleaner. The lid has no decorations and is smooth, unlike the early 2022 version, which had lines that look like muscles.
Specifications
- Processor Intel Core i5-12500H
- RAM: 16 GB
- Boot Drive Type SSD
- Boot Drive Capacity: 512 GB
- Screen Size 15.6 inches
- Native Display Resolution 1920 by 1080
Where to get Acer Nitro 5 AN515 laptop?
It’s important to note that this Nitro 5 from Best Buy looks different from the Nitro 5 from Acer and Amazon, which has lines on the lid that look like circuits. This laptop won’t stand out in a cafe or classroom because its chassis is almost all black (a small amount of red remains on the back vents) and its keycap edges are white.
The Nitro 5 is fine in terms of how it’s made. The chassis is made of plastic, but it doesn’t bend or flex much when used normally. This isn’t too surprising when you think about how chunky the whole system is. It’s a pretty thick system, which makes it a little bit stronger.
For a cheap laptop, the keyboard is a little better than you might expect. The keys have a nice bounce, and the keyboard has RGB backlighting that can be changed in four different zones. The touchpad works well enough. Overall, the quality of the build is pretty good, but there’s nothing to write home about.