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Acer Aspire Nitro 5 Laptop Review: A gaming laptop with decent battery life

A practical gaming laptop! Acer has proven several times with its Nitro 5 series that gaming laptops do not always have to be extremely expensive. The company is back again with a new 17.3-inch model that it equips with an Intel Core i7-9750H and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, which should combine to create a solid foundation for this gaming laptop. Read on to find out how the latest Nitro 5 fares in our tests in this detailed review.

The Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 is a 17.3-inch gaming laptop and currently the flagship model of Acer’s Nitro 5 series. The device comes with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU, which should combine to deliver a system capable of playing modern triple-A games smoothly in 1080p. More on that later. Acer complements these components with 16 GB of dual-channel DDR4 RAM, and 1.5 TB of combined storage is split across a 512 GB PCIe SSD and a 1 TB HDD. This configuration, to which Acer gives the snappy name AN517-51-7887, currently retails at 1,499 Euros (~US$1,663.53) on Acer’s website.

The company does offer more affordable SKUs though, the cheapest of which costs 899 Euros (~US$998) and comes with a Core i5-9300H along with a GeForce GTX 1050. This model also has just 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB PCIe SSD. There is also a version with a GeForce GTX 1650 should the GeForce GTX 1050 be too slow for you and the flagship model too expensive. This model currently costs 1069 Euros (~US$1,186) and comes with a Core i5-9300H too.

There are numerous devices against which we could choose to compare the Nitro 5. We have outlined our comparison devices in the table below, with the only consistent theme being that they all have 17.3-inch 1080p IPS panels.

Lenovo Legion Y540 HP Pavilion Gaming 17 ASUS ROG Strix G MSI GL73 Asus TUF FX705GM
CPU Intel Core i5-9300H Intel Core i7-9750H Intel Core i7-9750H Intel Core i7-8750H Intel Core i7-8750H
GPU GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GeForce RTX 2060 GeForce GTX 1060
Display 17.3-inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 17.3-inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 17.3-inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 17.3-inch 1920x1080 (IPS) 17.3-inch 1920x1080 (IPS)
RAM 16 GB DDR4 16 GB DDR4 32 GB DDR4 16 GB DDR4 32 GB DDR4
Storage 512 GB SSD 256 GB SSD + 2 TB HDD 512 GB SSD 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD 256 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD
Score 86% 84% 87% 82% 83%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887 (Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1590 MHz, Memory: 1500 MHz, Nvidia 430.86, Nvidia Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666 dual-channel. 2 SODIMM slots, a maximum of 32 GB
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 127 PPI, LP173WF5-SPB3, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, 512 GB 
, 512 GB M.2 PCIe SSD + 1 TB HDD (Toshiba MQ04ABF100), 1400 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Cannon Point-LP PCH - cAVS (Audio, Video, Speech)
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined headphone and microphone jack
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 26.9 x 403 x 280 ( = 1.06 x 15.87 x 11.02 in)
Battery
57 Wh, 3580 mAh Lithium-Ion, 4-cell battery
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD (720p)
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: 6-row chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Power supply, Nitro Sense, Wave MaxxAudio, Acer Collection S, Norton Security Ultra, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.766 kg ( = 97.57 oz / 6.1 pounds), Power Supply: 711 g ( = 25.08 oz / 1.57 pounds)
Price
1499 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517

The Nitro 5 has a black chassis that Acer accents with several red elements including the keyboard, display hinge and trim around the trackpad. A two-tone red and black look has become almost cliché now with many OEMs also having chosen this style for their gaming laptops. The Nitro 5 also looks better than it feels, with Acer opting for a completely plastic design. The device has an understated look to it by gaming standards save for its red accents, with most surfaces having a smooth and matte finish. The only flashy element is the honeycomb texture on the sides of the display lid, which does not look overly garish to our eyes. Overall, while we prefer metal laptops, plastic helps keep costs down and is to be expected from a gaming laptop at this price that also includes powerful hardware.

Our review unit is well-built too, with there being no obvious processing blunders. No protrusions are visible, with all parts meshing together cleanly and without any unsightly gaps. The chassis is surprisingly sturdy too, with it taking some force to twist or depress the keyboard deck slightly. We could also get the display to temporarily deform if we pressed hard against it or the display lid, but this should not be a problem in daily use.

Sadly, the Nitro 5 cannot be opened with one hand, which is probably a combination of the hinges being tight and the base unit being rather light. However, the former does prevent the display from teetering when we are typing or gaming, which is good.

Our only gripe with the chassis, and it is a minor one, is the semi-glossy finish that Acer chose for the display lid and keyboard deck. While they may look pretty, they also pick up fingerprint grease quickly. In short, it was not long before our review unit was covered in fingerprints.

Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517

Size Comparison

The Nitro 5 measures 40.3 x 28 cm and is not overly chunky at 26.9 mm thick. These measurements put the device in the midfield of our comparison devices, the thinnest of which being the Pavilion Gaming 17 at 25 mm. The Nitro 5 is comparatively light though, with our review unit weighing between 100 g and 200 g less than our comparison devices. It is worth keeping in mind that the bundled power supply weighs 711 g, bringing the total carry weight up to almost 3.5 kg.

Size Comparison

419 mm / 16.5 inch 287 mm / 11.3 inch 33 mm / 1.299 inch 2.7 kg5.95 lbs405 mm / 15.9 inch 282 mm / 11.1 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.8 kg6.08 lbs403 mm / 15.9 inch 280 mm / 11 inch 26.9 mm / 1.059 inch 2.8 kg6.1 lbs400 mm / 15.7 inch 279 mm / 11 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 2.8 kg6.07 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 290 mm / 11.4 inch 26.3 mm / 1.035 inch 2.8 kg6.15 lbs399 mm / 15.7 inch 293 mm / 11.5 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.9 kg6.28 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The Nitro 5 offers the minimum of ports by gaming laptop standards, with there being some notable absentees. Acer includes four USB ports, three of which being Type-A ports and the other Type-C. It is a shame to see a USB 2.0 port, but at least the other Type-A ports operate on the faster USB 3.0 standard. Acer has included RJ45 Ethernet and HDMI ports too, which are welcome, but the omission of an SD card reader or Thunderbolt port seem like missed opportunities. The same applies to there being no DisplayPort, which is worsened by the Type-C port also not supporting the standard. No DisplayPort gaming with the Nitro 5, then.

The distribution of ports is good but not perfect either. In short, there is plenty of space between some ports and too little between others. Take the Ethernet port, for instance, which is the only connection in the huge gap between the Kensington lock slot and HDMI port. By contrast, the HDMI and USB ports are all too close to each other, making it likely to encounter cable clashes if you try to connect peripherals to all four ports simultaneously. Likewise, the power connector on the opposite side is rather close to the ventilation grille, with the right-angled plug covering the grille in daily use. Overall, Acer could have done a better job of positioning the ports and had enough space to include omissions like an SD card reader too.

Left-hand side: Kensington lock slot, RJ45 Ethernet, HDMI, USB Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A
Left-hand side: Kensington lock slot, RJ45 Ethernet, HDMI, USB Type-C, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A
Right-hand side: 3.5 mm jack, 1x USB Type-A, power connector, ventilation slots
Right-hand side: 3.5 mm jack, 1x USB Type-A, power connector, ventilation slots
Front: no connections
Front: no connections
Rear: ventilation slots
Rear: ventilation slots

Communication

A look at the Intel Wireless AC 9560 included in our review unit
A look at the Intel Wireless AC 9560 included in our review unit

Acer equips the Nitro 5 with an Intel Wireless AC 9560, a modern modem that supports all modern network standards up to IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.

Our review unit performed well during our iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests, with it averaging around 650 Mb/s in both tests that we conducted. The TUF FX705GM and Legion Y540 averaged slightly higher transfer speeds in the same tests, but the difference will be negligible in daily use.

The Nitro 5 also supports Gigabit LAN thanks to its integrated Killer E2500 chip. The connection worked perfectly during our tests and is a viable alternative to Wi-Fi if you need a wired internet connection.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s +67%
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
692 MBit/s +7%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
684 MBit/s +6%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
650 MBit/s 0%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
647 (503min - 692max) MBit/s
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
633 MBit/s -2%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
623 MBit/s -4%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +97%
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
681 MBit/s +3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
680 MBit/s +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
664 (612min - 682max) MBit/s
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
655 MBit/s -1%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
650 MBit/s -2%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
589 MBit/s -11%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø664 (612-682)
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø647 (503-692)

Security

Acer has not equipped the Nitro 5 with any biometric security features. Instead, the device only comes with a Kensington security lock, a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) and all the features that come with Windows 10.

Accessories

The Nitro 5 comes with a 180 W power supply, some warranty instructions and a quick-start guide. Acer preinstalls Windows 10 Home and Norton Security Ultra too but does not offer any Nitro 5-specific accessories on its website.

Maintenance

Accessing the internal components requires removing the bottom cover, for Acer has not included a maintenance cover. Doing so requires unscrewing numerous screws and carefully prying up several plastic retaining clips. We would recommend using a flat plastic tool for the latter, as they are easily breakable. Once inside, you have access to all major components, including the drives, battery, RAM and Wi-Fi card.

Most components are replaceable, except for the CPU and GPU. There is even a second M.2-2280 drive bay should you wish to add another SSD. The Nitro 5 supports up to 32 GB of RAM too.

A look at the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 with its bottom plate removed
A look at the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 with its bottom plate removed

Warranty

The Nitro 5 comes with a 24-month limited manufacturer’s warranty, which includes a pickup and returns service. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

A look at the keyboard on the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517...
A look at the keyboard on the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517...
...and with its backlight enabled in a dark room
...and with its backlight enabled in a dark room

Acer equips the Nitro 5 with a six-row chiclet keyboard. Acer slightly recesses the rubber dome keyboard into the keyboard deck, leaving it flush with the palm rest. As we mentioned earlier, the keycaps have red lettering, although several, including WASD, have red outlines too. Acer includes a four-stage backlight too, which you may find using more often than you would have imagined as the red lettering is tricky to read in bright ambient light. Sadly, the backlight is just red, rather than RGB.

The keyboard may be eye-catching, but the keys have spongy pressure points and dampened stop, which is a shame. However, the soft keys remained quiet during our tests even when we typed quickly. The space bar is noisier than the other keys, but this is often the case with laptop keyboards. We like that Acer has included full-sized arrow keys and a number pad, with OEMs often omitting the latter or using half-sized arrow keys instead.

Trackpad

A close-up of the trackpad on the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
A close-up of the trackpad on the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517

The Nitro 5 has a trackpad too, which measures 10.6 x 7.8 cm. Acer accents the black surface with a red trim, which fits well with the overall design of the machine. However, there is plenty of space for Acer to have included a larger trackpad, but this is only a minor gripe as most people will probably game with an external mouse. The trackpad is large enough for general tasks too.

Moreover, the trackpad is accurate even into its corners, and its finish is smooth enough on which to perform multi-finger gestures. The trackpad incorporates two mouse buttons too, which deliver an audible click and good feedback when pressed.

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Our review unit doesn't suffer from backlight bleeding
Our review unit doesn't suffer from backlight bleeding

The Nitro 5 has a 17.3-inch display that operates natively at 1920x1080, resulting in a pixel density of 127 PPI. Acer does not sell any alternative displays for the Nitro 5, for reference.

The IPS panel achieved an average maximum luminosity of 364 cd/m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, which is considerably brighter than all our comparison devices. Its black value is on the high side at 0.3 cd/m² though, resulting in a 1,357:1 contrast ratio. The latter is still impressive, but it falls short of the display in the Legion Y540, which has a better black value but dimmer display.

We also like that the panel does not use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate brightness, and it suffers from no obvious backlight bleeding. However, it also has terrible response times for a gaming laptop display and is well behind the competition.

345
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
341
cd/m²
362
cd/m²
407
cd/m²
346
cd/m²
361
cd/m²
387
cd/m²
370
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LP173WF5-SPB3 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 407 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 364.4 cd/m² Minimum: 27 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 407 cd/m²
Contrast: 1357:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.55 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.61 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.51
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
LP173WF5-SPB3, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
AU Optronics B173HAN04.4 (AUO449D), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
BOE0825, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
CMN1747, TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus TUF FX705GM
AU Optronics B173HAN04.0 (AUO409D), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
9%
0%
-1%
29%
-1%
Display P3 Coverage
62.7
69
10%
63.3
1%
61.9
-1%
91.1
45%
62.4
0%
sRGB Coverage
92.5
98.3
6%
90.2
-2%
89.4
-3%
100
8%
88.8
-4%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
63.5
70.7
11%
64.3
1%
63.3
0%
85.4
34%
63.8
0%
Response Times
51%
20%
70%
67%
71%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
37 ?(19, 18)
18 ?(8.4, 9.6)
51%
31.6 ?(14, 17.6)
15%
6.4 ?(3.4, 3)
83%
12.8 ?(6.8, 6)
65%
7.4 ?(3.8, 3.6)
80%
Response Time Black / White *
26 ?(16, 10)
12.8 ?(7.6, 5.2)
51%
19.6 ?(10.8, 8.8)
25%
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
57%
8.2 ?(6, 2.2)
68%
10 ?(4.8, 5.2)
62%
PWM Frequency
25770 ?(15)
Screen
12%
1%
4%
-12%
14%
Brightness middle
407
286
-30%
299.6
-26%
294.3
-28%
326.4
-20%
234
-43%
Brightness
364
282
-23%
285
-22%
289
-21%
317
-13%
228
-37%
Brightness Distribution
84
87
4%
86
2%
89
6%
90
7%
85
1%
Black Level *
0.3
0.19
37%
0.33
-10%
0.3
-0%
0.28
7%
0.2
33%
Contrast
1357
1505
11%
908
-33%
981
-28%
1166
-14%
1170
-14%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.55
3.57
22%
3.68
19%
3.95
13%
7.83
-72%
2.16
53%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
12.44
7.5
40%
8.05
35%
6.49
48%
13.36
-7%
3.39
73%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.61
4.51
41%
3.8
50%
3.7
51%
10.9
-43%
2
74%
Gamma
2.51 88%
2.36 93%
2.12 104%
2.07 106%
1.97 112%
2.46 89%
CCT
7212 90%
7411 88%
7240 90%
7155 91%
11056 59%
6394 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59
64
8%
58.1
-2%
57.7
-2%
75.8
28%
58
-2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
98
7%
89.8
-2%
89
-3%
100
9%
89
-3%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.31
3.15
3.08
2.83
2.02
Total Average (Program / Settings)
24% / 16%
7% / 3%
24% / 11%
28% / 7%
28% / 18%

* ... smaller is better

92% sRGB colour-space coverage
92% sRGB colour-space coverage
59% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage
59% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage

Moreover, while the display looks colour accurate, our photo spectrometer and CalMAN analysis software determine that it has disappointingly high DeltaE 2000 deviations from the sRGB colour space at factory settings. We reduced this with additional calibration though, the ICC profile for which you can find in the box above our comparison table.

The display also covers an acceptable portion of the AdobeRGB and sRGB colour spaces, making the Nitro 5 suitable for hobbyist level photo and video-editing. Only the MSI GL73 8SE extends a lead over the Nitro 5 of our comparison though.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Colour Saturation
CalMAN: Colour Saturation

We thought that the Nitro 5 would have been easy to use outdoors thanks to its bright, matte display. Surprisingly, the opposite proved the case, as the photo below demonstrates. Hence, we would recommend finding a shady spot if you plan to use the device outdoors, although the display still looks slightly more washed-out than we would have liked.

Using the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 outdoors in the sunshine
Using the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 outdoors in the sunshine
Using the Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 outdoors in the shade
Using the Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 outdoors in the shade

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16 ms rise
↘ 10 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
37 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 47 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The IPS display does have stable viewing angles though. There are minor colour distortions at acute viewing angles, but this should not stop the display from being readable from practically any angle in daily use.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

The Nitro 5 is powerful enough to play all modern games in 1080p, as we shall discuss in the Gaming Performance section of this review. In short, the Core i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 16 GB of dual-channel RAM and fast PCIe SSD combine to deliver solid performance. We also experienced no driver issues or other problems during our tests, for reference.

As we mentioned at the start of this review, Acer sells cheaper versions of the Nitro 5 should your budget not extend to the AN517. The base model, with its Core i5-9300H processor and GeForce GTX 1050 GPU, will not offer the same performance as our review unit though.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWiNFO
DPC latencies
Intel Extreme Tuning Utility
Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (Benchmark)

Processor

A look at the heatsink and heatpipes covering the Core i7-9750H
A look at the heatsink and heatpipes covering the Core i7-9750H

The Core i7-9750H succeeds the Core i7-8750H, a popular hexa-core processor found in many of last year’s gaming and multimedia laptops. The new hexa-core CPU has a 45 W TDP that it can temporarily boot to 56 W, with Intel basing it on its Coffee Lake Refresh architecture. The Core i7-9750H also has a 2.6 GHz base clock that it can boost up to 4 GHz on all cores thanks to Intel Turbo Boost. It can boost by an additional 100 MHz too for every fewer core in-use, with it reaching 4.5 GHz on a single core.

The Nitro 5 disappoints in synthetic CPU benchmarks like CB R15 Multi 64Bit, where it falls well short of our Core i7-9750H-powered comparison devices. The Nitro 5 scored 1,010 points in CB R15, which puts it 13% shy of the Core i7-8750H-powered TUF FX705GM and 26% behind the Core i7-9750H-equipped ROG Strix G GL731GU. The difference in the corresponding single-core benchmark is only 5%. Nonetheless, the Nitro 5 has disappointing CPU performance.

We can only guess at why the Nitro 5 has worse CPU performance than our Core i7-9750H-powered comparison devices. We also subjected the device to a looped CB R15 Multi 64Bit test to see how it performed under sustained load. Its initial score of 1,010 dropped to 946 points in the second benchmark run-through, which is a shallower reduction in performance than our Core i7-8750H and Core i7-9750H-powered comparison devices. However, the Nitro 5 averaged just 946 points, putting it slightly ahead of the MSI GL73 8SE and well behind the TUF FX705GM on 1,022 points.

You can find more CPU comparisons in our CPU benchmarks page.

0651301952603253904555205856507157808459109751040110511701235Tooltip
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887 Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø946 (926.12-1010.42)
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH Intel Core i5-9300H, Intel Core i5-9300H: Ø844 (814.1-850.74)
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1077 (1065.56-1205.55)
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74 Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1162 (1108.49-1274.58)
MSI GL73 8SE-010US Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø920 (906.29-1034.2)
Asus TUF FX705GM Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1022 (992.14-1137)
Performance Rating - Percent
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
37.9 pt
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74 -9!
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
34.2 pt
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl -9!
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
33.8 pt
Asus TUF FX705GM -7!
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
32.3 pt
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH -5!
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
29.6 pt
MSI GL73 8SE-010US -9!
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
27.7 pt
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
193 Points +5%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
189 Points +3%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
183 Points
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
175 Points -4%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
171 Points -7%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
169 Points -8%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
1276 Points +26%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
1172 Points +16%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
1137 Points +13%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
1034 Points +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
1010 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
850 Points -16%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
2.09 Points
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
2 Points -4%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
12.79 Points +13%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
11.33 Points
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
486.6 Seconds *
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5075 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5072 Points 0%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
20173 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
17288 Points -14%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance Physics
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
13898 Points +37%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
13273 Points +31%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
13112 Points +29%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
10557 Points +4%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
10159 Points
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
9463 Points -7%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
443 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
427 Points -4%
CPU (Multi Core)
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
2200 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
1877 Points -15%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
30374 MIPS
7z b 4 -mmt1
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4842 MIPS

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R10
Cinebench R10
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R20
Cinebench R20
Octane V2
Octane V2
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
 
 
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
4020
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
9069 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
37188 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
4239 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
7041
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
29665
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 32Bit
10.27 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 32Bit
79.3 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
2.09 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
11.33 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
78.3 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 32Bit
1.85 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
183 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
124.3 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1010 Points
Help

System Performance

The Nitro 5 rallied in PCMark, delivering respectable midtable results. The device trails our frontrunner, the ROG Strix G GL731GU, by only a few percent in most system performance benchmarks too. These differences should not be noticeable in daily use though. We also noticed no system crashes, stutters or instabilities during our tests either.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=206, last 2 years)
7542 Points +37%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5811 Points +5%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5613 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4807 - 5829, n=15)
5531 Points 0%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5519 Points
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5429 Points -2%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
5169 Points -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5118 Points -7%
Essentials
Average of class Gaming
  (7334 - 12334, n=205, last 2 years)
10674 Points +15%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
9486 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (8621 - 10098, n=15)
9360 Points 0%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
9321 Points
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9320 Points 0%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
8907 Points -4%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
8791 Points -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
8397 Points -10%
Productivity
Average of class Gaming
  (6282 - 11833, n=205, last 2 years)
9693 Points +27%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7891 Points +4%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7608 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (7241 - 8136, n=15)
7519 Points -1%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7349 Points -3%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7165 Points -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
7096 Points -7%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
7025 Points -8%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Gaming
  (5288 - 18475, n=205, last 2 years)
11339 Points +76%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
7638 Points +19%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
6829 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4426 - 7638, n=15)
6558 Points +2%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
6502 Points +1%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
6433 Points
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
6108 Points -5%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
6071 Points -6%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points +9%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5217 Points +9%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4818 Points +1%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4782 Points
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4660 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4074 - 5217, n=11)
4518 Points -6%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4148 Points -13%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
3876 Points -19%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +13%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5744 Points +7%
Asus TUF FX705GM
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
5719 Points +7%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5041 - 5913, n=12)
5540 Points +3%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5361 Points
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
5359 Points 0%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5222 Points -3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
5138 Points -4%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4782 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
7475 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5361 points
PCMark 10 Score
5519 points
Help

Storage Devices

The WDC SN520 512 GB PCIe SSD from our review unit
The WDC SN520 512 GB PCIe SSD from our review unit
The Toshiba MQ04ABF100 1 TB HDD from our review unit
The Toshiba MQ04ABF100 1 TB HDD from our review unit

Modern games have increasingly large storage requirements, but with PCIe storage still being comparatively expensive per GB, OEMs like Acer often include a fast PCIe SSD for the OS and a larger HDD on which to store games. The Nitro 5 comes with a 512 GB WDC SN520 PCIe SSD and a 1 TB Toshiba HDD, the former of which achieved decent transfer speeds in AS SSD, beating all but the equally equipped Legion Y540. Conversely, the 1 TB HDD averaged around 106 MB/s transfer speeds in our tests; fast enough from which to load games but not the OS.

Acer includes a spare M.2 2280 drive bay should you need more storage or would prefer to run the OS in RAID 0 for even faster transfer speeds. You can, of course, swap out or remove any of the pre-configured drives. The Toshiba HDD is only 7 mm thick, which is worth considering if you plan to upgrade to an even larger drive.

In short, the Nitro 5 has plenty of storage and enough expandability to keep even the most ardent gamer happy. Please see our HDD/SSD benchmarks page for more information.

AS SSD
AS SSD
HD Tune
HD Tune
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Asus TUF FX705GM
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Average WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
 
AS SSD
1%
-2%
-50%
-83%
-17%
-4%
4K Read
44.79
38.9
-13%
49.73
11%
49.43
10%
21.91
-51%
38.49
-14%
40.8 ?(25 - 48.3, n=28)
-9%
4K Write
108.7
111.9
3%
108.2
0%
104.3
-4%
56.6
-48%
101.9
-6%
127.3 ?(82.1 - 179.7, n=27)
17%
4K-64 Read
1045
1028
-2%
731
-30%
321.9
-69%
354.3
-66%
720
-31%
957 ?(631 - 1296, n=28)
-8%
4K-64 Write
1121
1276
14%
1233
10%
774
-31%
285.7
-75%
856
-24%
1081 ?(709 - 1459, n=28)
-4%
Access Time Read *
0.083
0.073
12%
0.073
12%
0.055
34%
0.237
-186%
0.106
-28%
0.07744 ?(0.045 - 0.131, n=25)
7%
Access Time Write *
0.034
0.034
-0%
0.034
-0%
0.138
-306%
0.09
-165%
0.036
-6%
0.03671 ?(0.021 - 0.099, n=28)
-8%
Score Read
1248
1216
-3%
951
-24%
503
-60%
456
-63%
913
-27%
1134 ?(721 - 1638, n=28)
-9%
Score Write
1368
1520
11%
1476
8%
971
-29%
385
-72%
1082
-21%
1331 ?(926 - 1879, n=28)
-3%
Score Total
3252
3355
3%
2909
-11%
1731
-47%
1061
-67%
2458
-24%
3046 ?(2126 - 4334, n=28)
-6%
Seq Write
1381
1324
-4%
1345
-3%
930
-33%
427.6
-69%
1236
-10%
1227 ?(412 - 2407, n=28)
-11%
Seq Read
1578
1495
-5%
1709
8%
1319
-16%
794
-50%
1571
0%
1363 ?(399 - 2934, n=28)
-14%

* ... smaller is better

WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Transfer Rate Minimum: 0.3 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 137.5 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 106.3 MB/s
Access Time: 18.9 ms
Burst Rate: 246.8 MB/s
CPU Usage: 2.1 %

Graphics Card

A look at the heatpipes and heatsink covering the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU
A look at the heatpipes and heatsink covering the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU

Acer equips the Nitro 5 AN517 with a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, which handles 1080p gaming with ease. NVIDIA bases the GPU on its Turing architecture but omits the DLSS and ray-tracing support that it affords its RTX cards. The DirectX 12 card has 6 GB of VRAM and a 192-bit connection, along with 1,536 shader units. While the mobile GPU has the same shader units as its desktop equivalent, NVIDIA only allows it to draw up to 80 W, 40 W less than the desktop version of the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. Our review unit performed well in 3DMark benchmarks, and as we expect from a Core i7-9750H and GeForce GTX 1660 Ti-powered device. The Nitro 5 even has the edge over the GeForce RTX 2060-powered MSI GL73 8SE in 3DMark 11.

The Nitro 5 supports NVIDIA Optimus too, which allows it to switch between its NVIDIA and Intel GPUs to reduce power consumption. The latter, the UHD Graphics 630, takes over during undemanding tasks like video-streaming. It also supports modern codecs like H.265 at 4K with 10-bit colour depth and HDCP. Launching a game, for example, causes NVIDIA Optimus to switch to the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, a process that you should not notice happening.

You can find more information about the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti on our GPU benchmarks page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +94%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
20407 Points
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
20224 Points -1%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
20157 Points -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (18610 - 22670, n=24)
20096 Points -2%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-9300H
19733 Points -3%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
17457 Points -14%
Asus TUF FX705GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
13722 Points -33%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=155, last 2 years)
134902 Points +38%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
97845 Points
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
94696 Points -3%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (59839 - 104780, n=18)
94171 Points -4%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
89505 Points -9%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-9300H
85805 Points -12%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
77569 Points -21%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +100%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
15731 Points +8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (14186 - 16488, n=24)
14867 Points +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
14509 Points
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
14444 Points 0%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-9300H
14186 Points -2%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
13188 Points -9%
Fire Strike Extreme Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (10110 - 27183, n=24, last 2 years)
15706 Points +139%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
6752 Points +3%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (6576 - 6752, n=5)
6683 Points +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
6576 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
16279 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
103231 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
31347 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
12738 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
6346 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The fact that the Nitro 5 is a gaming laptop should become clear when looking at the FPS table below. Our review unit had no issues with playing triple-A titles in 1080p and even had some success in 1440p, although you will need a suitable external monitor to game at the latter resolution. In short, the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is powerful enough to game in 1080p at maximum graphics, but you will need to reduce the graphics settings if you want to game at higher resolutions.

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (17.5 - 449, n=175, last 2 years)
214 fps +112%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
109.6 fps +9%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (93 - 120.4, n=17)
104.7 fps +4%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
104.3 fps +3%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
101 (76min - 116max) fps
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
99.5 fps -1%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
92.1 fps -9%
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
66.2 fps -34%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=243, last 2 years)
114.3 fps +107%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (51.6 - 65.1, n=21)
56.2 fps +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
55.3 (45min - 67max) fps
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
55.1 fps 0%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
55.1 fps 0%
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
53.7 fps -3%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
48.5 fps -12%
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
36.5 fps -34%
X-Plane 11.11 - 1920x1080 high (fps_test=3)
Average of class Gaming
  (12.4 - 166.2, n=257, last 2 years)
100 fps +37%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (64 - 85, n=11)
74.8 fps +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
73 fps
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
71 fps -3%
Far Cry 5
1920x1080 High Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (16 - 232, n=123, last 2 years)
132.7 fps +47%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
90 (69min - 108max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (84 - 90, n=4)
88 fps -2%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
84 fps -7%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (14 - 218, n=133, last 2 years)
124.4 fps +43%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
87 (77min - 101max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (82 - 87, n=5)
84 fps -3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
83 fps -5%
Far Cry New Dawn
1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Average of class Gaming
  (67 - 131, n=6, last 2 years)
97 fps +31%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (73 - 81, n=7)
76.4 fps +3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
75 fps +1%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
74 (55min - 100max) fps
1920x1080 High Preset
Average of class Gaming
  (73 - 145, n=7, last 2 years)
102.4 fps +23%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (79 - 89, n=7)
84.4 fps +2%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
83 fps 0%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
83 (65min - 106max) fps
Dota 2 Reborn
1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking
Average of class Gaming
  (26.9 - 220, n=252, last 2 years)
140.4 fps +27%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (94.6 - 125, n=11)
113.6 fps +3%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
110.6 (97.1min) fps
1920x1080 high (2/3)
Average of class Gaming
  (29.9 - 244, n=251, last 2 years)
149.7 fps +27%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (103.3 - 130, n=11)
119.8 fps +2%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
117.6 (101.9min) fps
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
140.8 fps +2%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Intel Core i5-9300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
138 fps 0%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
138 (26min - 384max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (121.6 - 144.2, n=14)
135.9 fps -2%
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
130 fps -6%
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
127.9 fps -7%
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x
Average of class Gaming
  (95.9 - 95.9, n=2, last 2 years)
95.9 fps +18%
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
81 (72min - 91max) fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (74 - 87.4, n=3)
80.8 fps 0%

We also monitored and documented the performance of our review unit during an hour-long The Witcher 3 play-through on the ultra preset in 1080p. The graph below shows how frame rates changed during this test, with our review unit fluctuating between 48 and 62 FPS. The system averaged 52.7 FPS and should not throttle during prolonged gaming sessions.

051015202530354045505560Tooltip
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887 GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G: Ø52.7 (48-62)
low med. high ultraQHD4K
BioShock Infinite (2013) 309 270 247 138
The Witcher 3 (2015) 254 171 101 55.3 32.9
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 143 123.7 117.6 110.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 156 164 100 81 38
Rocket League (2017) 248 247 221
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 92 85 73
Far Cry 5 (2018) 107 92 90 87 60 31
Far Cry New Dawn (2019) 105 87 83 74 60 32

Emissions

Fan Noise

A look at the cooling system in the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
A look at the cooling system in the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517

One cannot expect a gaming laptop to perform quietly when gaming, with the Nitro 5 being no different. Our review unit operates quietly at idle, with its fans occasionally reaching 31 dB(A), although they do reach 48.5 dB(A) when gaming. Worse still, the fans sound relatively high-pitched, which will have most people reaching for their headphones when gaming. The Nitro 5 runs quieter than most of our comparison devices do under sustained load though, with only the Pavilion Gaming 17 being quieter than our review unit.

Noise Level

Idle
30.2 / 30.2 / 31 dB(A)
HDD
31.6 dB(A)
Load
43.4 / 45.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887, Intel Core i7-9750H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH, Intel Core i5-9300H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl, Intel Core i7-9750H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74, Intel Core i7-9750H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
MSI GL73 8SE-010US, Intel Core i7-8750H
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Asus TUF FX705GM, Intel Core i7-8750H
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Noise
-5%
9%
-8%
-4%
-10%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
28.2
6%
28.2
6%
28.6
5%
29
3%
Idle Minimum *
30.2
30
1%
30.1
-0%
31.8
-5%
33.8
-12%
32
-6%
Idle Average *
30.2
32
-6%
30.1
-0%
32
-6%
34
-13%
33
-9%
Idle Maximum *
31
34
-10%
30.1
3%
40.6
-31%
34.1
-10%
44
-42%
Load Average *
43.4
44
-1%
34.2
21%
48
-11%
36.5
16%
46
-6%
Witcher 3 ultra *
48.5
50
-3%
34.2
29%
48
1%
47.8
1%
48
1%
Load Maximum *
45.5
52
-14%
43.8
4%
51.5
-13%
52.2
-15%
50
-10%

* ... smaller is better

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2035.233.235.432.636.233.935.2253633.834.93634.731.3363140.639.436.44344.732.840.64032.735.931.63236.229.932.7503036.829.529.530.928.4306331.133.128.630.430.72931.18028.728.82925.827.525.628.710028.726.728.825.52625.428.712527.428.525.826.126.424.427.416025.627.623.624.22423.825.620027.327.923.122.822.922.727.325028.529.423.422.322.421.828.531530.733.422.622.821.120.430.740029.73122.822.920.119.429.75002829.220.119.819.219.12863029.130.920.219.519.118.529.180031.232.620.219.518.518.231.2100032.635.121.119.917.717.632.6125035.937.821.120.217.517.635.9160033.135.220.518.217.417.233.1200035.437.119.718.317.317.235.4250032.734.718.618.417.317.332.7315030.833.517.917.717.717.430.8400027.930.518.117.617.517.627.9500025.728.318.117.717.917.725.7630024.827.51817.617.917.824.8800021.223.51817.817.917.821.21000019.420.61817.817.917.819.41250018.41918.217.918.117.718.41600018.118.217.917.717.817.818.1SPL43.445.531.73130.33043.4N4.24.91.61.51.41.44.2median 28.5median 29.4median 20.2median 19.5median 17.9median 17.8median 28.5Delta3.24.422.31.51.53.2hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887

Temperature

3DMark 11 scores after a stress test
3DMark 11 scores after a stress test

The Nitro 5 manages its surface temperatures about as well as the Legion Y540 or TUF FX705GM do, with all three getting hot under sustained load. One area of our review unit peaked at 55.4 °C during our stress tests, so we would not recommend having the device on your lap when gaming. Doing so will feel probably uncomfortable, although you should have no such issues when browsing the internet or replying to emails, as surface temperatures remain below 30 °C.

We also subjected our review unit to several stress tests to see how well it performed under extreme load conditions. We initially ran Prime95 to test the CPU, with its TDP peaking at 56 W before eventually dropping to 45 W. Meanwhile, its core temperatures quickly rise to 80 °C, with the CPU able to stay at around 2.6 GHz. However, running FurMark and Prime95 simultaneously results in CPU core temperatures reaching 93 °C, which causes it to drop to 32 W and downclock to 2.2 GHz.

GPU clock speeds also fluctuated as its core temperatures changed, but it did not throttle as the CPU did. Correspondingly, the Nitro 5 scored 1,000 points less in 3DMark 11 after our stress tests than when we ran it from cold, which is roughly the same score.

System information during a Prime95 stress test
System information during a Prime95 stress test
System information during a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information during a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
Max. Load
 49.2 °C
121 F
51.7 °C
125 F
47 °C
117 F
 
 43.1 °C
110 F
49.5 °C
121 F
38 °C
100 F
 
 28.6 °C
83 F
24.4 °C
76 F
25.5 °C
78 F
 
Maximum: 51.7 °C = 125 F
Average: 39.7 °C = 103 F
47.1 °C
117 F
55.4 °C
132 F
39.2 °C
103 F
38.5 °C
101 F
38 °C
100 F
36 °C
97 F
23.3 °C
74 F
23 °C
73 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 55.4 °C = 132 F
Average: 36.2 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  53.1 °C = 128 F | Room Temperature 22.2 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 51.7 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 55.4 °C / 132 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.5 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.4 °C / 88.5 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-2.5 °C / -4.5 F).
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887, Intel Core i7-9750H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH, Intel Core i5-9300H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i5-9300H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl, Intel Core i7-9750H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74, Intel Core i7-9750H
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
MSI GL73 8SE-010US, Intel Core i7-8750H
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ
Asus TUF FX705GM, Intel Core i7-8750H
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Heat
-12%
-6%
1%
12%
-2%
Maximum Upper Side *
51.7
48
7%
42.6
18%
44.6
14%
47
9%
54
-4%
Maximum Bottom *
55.4
56
-1%
49
12%
51.6
7%
44.4
20%
53
4%
Idle Upper Side *
29.1
36
-24%
34
-17%
31.6
-9%
24.6
15%
30
-3%
Idle Bottom *
29
38
-31%
39.4
-36%
31.4
-8%
28
3%
30
-3%

* ... smaller is better

Heat map of the top of the device at idle
Heat map of the top of the device at idle
Heat map of the bottom of the device at idle
Heat map of the bottom of the device at idle
Heat map of the top of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the top of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the bottom of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the bottom of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the top of the device while playing games
Heat map of the top of the device while playing games
Heat map of the bottom of the device while playing games
Heat map of the bottom of the device while playing games
 
 

Speakers

Waves MaxxAudio software
Waves MaxxAudio software

Acer equips the Nitro 5 with stereo downward-firing speakers that sit underneath the palm rest. While most downward-firing speakers sound muffled when placed on a soft surface, the ones in the Nitro 5 do not, as the case has them projecting audio outwards rather than directly downwards. The speakers sound good, although the inclusion of a small subwoofer would have been good to improve bass response.

Overall, the Nitro 5 offers balanced music playback and reproduces more bass than most speakers. Acer preinstalls Waves MaxxAudio software too, allowing you to tweak the speakers to your needs.

We would still recommend using external audio equipment where possible though, as headphones and speakers will provide a better listening experience than the internal speakers would. Incidentally, the 3.5 mm jack, USB and Bluetooth worked perfectly during our tests.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.133.936.12540.931.340.9314232.8424036.329.936.35032.328.432.36330.72930.7803125.63110033.825.433.812541.124.441.116044.823.844.820038.822.738.825046.421.846.431552.820.452.840058.819.458.850060.719.160.763067.618.567.680067.218.267.2100068.617.668.6125065.817.665.8160065.717.265.7200062.117.262.1250061.817.361.8315063.917.463.9400060.117.660.1500059.617.759.6630063.217.863.2800064.717.864.71000060.217.860.21250056.117.756.11600050.617.850.6SPL76.23076.2N38.21.438.2median 60.2median 17.8median 60.2Delta7.71.57.732.337.438.242.330.933.834.434.529.730.926.432.526.129.425.529.329.238.626.350.423.157.820.968.220.16819.270.719.272.218.473.317.875.817.672.618.274.417.973.617.572.717.773.517.773.117.66817.668.517.666.517.767.717.65717.463.117.45830.2841.462.1median 17.8median 68.21.47.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 64% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 29% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 43% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 50% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 33% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 60% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 19% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 76% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

180 W power supply
180 W power supply
180 W power supply

The Nitro 5 surprised us with its low power consumption. Our review unit consumes between 3.9 and 12.2 W at idle, values to which only the Pavilion Gaming 17 can get close of our comparison devices. The device also peaks at just 168 W and consumed 130 W while playing The Witcher 3, although the latter is about 17% higher than what the Pavilion Gaming 17 achieved in the same test. Overall, the Nitro 5 averages lower power consumption than all our comparison devices, and often by huge margins.

Moreover, the 180 W power supply included in the box is powerful enough to keep the Nitro 5 charging even when the latter is being pushed to its limits. In short, you should never encounter charging problems with the Nitro 5 and its power supply.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.22 / 0.46 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.9 / 8.9 / 12.2 Watt
Load midlight 83 / 168 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ, TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.30
Asus TUF FX705GM
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
 
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
-116%
-7%
-115%
-48%
-79%
-91%
-114%
Idle Minimum *
3.9
19
-387%
5.4
-38%
13.6
-249%
8.8
-126%
13
-233%
12.4 ?(3.9 - 20, n=19)
-218%
13.8 ?(2 - 64, n=189, last 2 years)
-254%
Idle Average *
8.9
22
-147%
9.2
-3%
26.2
-194%
16.2
-82%
17
-91%
18 ?(8.9 - 30.7, n=19)
-102%
19 ?(6.5 - 67, n=189, last 2 years)
-113%
Idle Maximum *
12.2
30
-146%
13
-7%
35
-187%
18.3
-50%
24
-97%
25.3 ?(12.2 - 56.3, n=19)
-107%
26.6 ?(9 - 101.1, n=189, last 2 years)
-118%
Load Average *
83
79
5%
85.9
-3%
113.6
-37%
86.1
-4%
106
-28%
93.5 ?(79 - 122.7, n=19)
-13%
112 ?(32.1 - 202, n=189, last 2 years)
-35%
Witcher 3 ultra *
130
134
-3%
107.9
17%
134.1
-3%
146.7
-13%
151
-16%
Load Maximum *
168
201
-20%
182.2
-8%
200.2
-19%
186.4
-11%
179
-7%
191.9 ?(168 - 225, n=19)
-14%
250 ?(64.5 - 418, n=188, last 2 years)
-49%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

3DMark 11 scores on battery power
3DMark 11 scores on battery power
Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit scores on battery power
Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit scores on battery power
A look at the 57 Wh battery inside the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517
A look at the 57 Wh battery inside the Aspire Nitro 5 AN517

Acer equips the Nitro 5 with a 57 Wh battery, which is on par with the capacities of our comparison devices. However, the former’s comparably low power consumption gives it excellent battery life, with it averaging between 21% and 58% longer runtimes than our comparison devices.

Our review unit lasted for 13:26 hours when idling, a runtime that dropped to 6:20 hours in our looped H.264 video test and 6:09 hours in our practical Wi-Fi test. We left the display at approximately 150 cd/m² for both tests and ran the film Big Buck Bunny on a loop during the former and a script that simulates the load required to render websites in the latter.

Overall, the Nitro 5 should last at least an extended movie night and perhaps even a full workday between charges depending on how you use it. Another bonus is charging time, with our review unit taking just 1:29 hours to reach full charge with the included power supply.

Unfortunately, the Nitro 5 throttles its performance heavily on battery, as many modern gaming laptops do. We have included screenshots of 3DMark 11 and CB R15 Multi 64Bit results that demonstrate this, for reference.

Battery life: Idle
Battery life: Idle
Battery life: Sustained load
Battery life: Sustained load
Battery life: Wi-Fi
Battery life: Wi-Fi
Battery life: H.264 loop
Battery life: H.264 loop
Charging time
Charging time
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
13h 26min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44.18362.1.0)
6h 9min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 20min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 41min
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 57 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH
i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 57 Wh
HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd0085cl
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, 52.5 Wh
Asus ROG Strix G GL731GU-RB74
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 66 Wh
MSI GL73 8SE-010US
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 41 Wh
Asus TUF FX705GM
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 64 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
-45%
-21%
-21%
-58%
-29%
-11%
Reader / Idle
806
311
-61%
695
-14%
517
-36%
388
-52%
380
-53%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
-32%
H.264
380
202
-47%
260
-32%
392 ?(56 - 747, n=97, last 2 years)
3%
WiFi v1.3
369
220
-40%
339
-8%
294
-20%
168
-54%
272
-26%
364 ?(57 - 745, n=191, last 2 years)
-1%
Load
101
68
-33%
59
-42%
94
-7%
33
-67%
95
-6%
85.5 ?(36 - 173, n=153, last 2 years)
-15%

Pros

+ sturdy
+ modern design
+ contrast-rich IPS panel
+ no PWM
+ no display backlight bleeding
+ PCIe SSD and HDD
+ spare M.2 drive bay
+ GeForce GTX 1660 Ti with 6 GB VRAM
+ energy-efficient
+ comparatively good battery life
+ decent Wi-Fi performance
+ Bluetooth 5.0
+ usable speakers
+ backlit keyboard

Cons

- relatively loud under load
- high-pitched fans
- slow display reaction times
- high DeltaE 2000 deviations
- thermal throttling during our stress tests
- throttled performance on battery
- comparably slow CPU

Verdict

The Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 laptop review. Test device courtesy of Acer Germany.
The Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 laptop review. Test device courtesy of Acer Germany.

The Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 is a sturdy 17.3-inch inch gaming laptop. Theoretically, the Core i7-9750H and GeForce GTX 1660 Ti should make for a powerful system, with the 16 GB of dual-channel DDR4 RAM and 1.5 TB of combined storage being on hand to ensure that the system runs smoothly. Unfortunately, the 1080p display does not befit a gaming laptop, with its slow response times and high DeltaE deviations disappointing us during our tests.

As expected, the Nitro 5 proved powerful enough for running all modern triple-A games. However, this only applies to when the device is plugged in, with the system throttling its CPU and GPU heavily when running on battery power. Effectively, the Nitro 5 becomes an office device on battery, although this is also true of many modern gaming laptops.

The mainly plastic design, despite being sturdy and well-built, will divide opinion, with the Nitro 5 looking and feeling cheaper than its all-metal competitors. Still, a plastic design may be something worth compromising over for decent gaming performance.

However, the Nitro 5 stood out from the crowd with its impressively low power consumption, with it sipping power more like an ultrabook at idle than a gaming laptop. Correspondingly, our review unit gets excellent battery life from its 57 Wh battery, with few comparable devices coming close to the runtimes that it achieved in our tests.

Unfortunately, thermal throttling proved an issue during our tests too, with the Nitro 5 restricting its CPU when we pushed it and the GPU to their limits in our stress tests. Tangentially, Acer has equipped the Nitro 5 with the bare minimum of ports, which is disappointing. A DisplayPort and an SD card reader would have been welcome additions, especially considering the amount of free space between the ports that are present. Worse still, the Type-C port does not support DisplayPort either, extinguishing the possibilities of connecting the Nitro 5 to an external monitor via that video output.

The Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517 is a solid budget gaming laptop that gets a lot right, particularly its above-average battery life and comparatively low power consumption. Its excessive and high-pitched fans, slow display reaction times and plastic design may have people looking elsewhere though.

Overall, Acer has created a competent and affordable 17.3-inch gaming laptop with current hardware. While it is impossible to upgrade the CPU or GPU, the Core i7-9750H and GTX 1660 Ti will be powerful enough for at least a few years of triple-A gaming.

Acer Aspire Nitro 5 AN517-51-7887 - 08/21/2019 v6(old)
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
81 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
46 / 81 → 56%
Weight
58 / 10-66 → 86%
Battery
88%
Display
86%
Games Performance
94%
Application Performance
97%
Temperature
84 / 95 → 88%
Noise
83 / 90 → 92%
Audio
81%
Camera
41 / 85 → 48%
Average
78%
84%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Aspire Nitro 5 Laptop Review: A gaming laptop with decent battery life
Sebastian Bade, 2019-08-22 (Update: 2019-08-23)