Acer Nitro 14 review: overpriced for the performance on offer

1 day ago 18

The Acer Nitro 14 is a decent, compact performer backed by a stellar CPU and good enough gaming performance in 1080p. However, its higher-than-average price tag, poor display, and lacking physical design make it difficult to recommend compared to other options in the same form factor.

Pros

  • +

    Games well in 1080p

  • +

    Ryzen 7 8845HS is surprisingly powerful

  • +

    Lovely RGB lighting

Cons

  • -

    Dull, dim display

  • -

    Overpriced for what's inside

  • -

    Chunky, plastic chassis

  • -

    Awful trackpad and middling keyboard

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Acer Nitro 14: Two-minute review

The Acer Nitro 14 is the latest compact gaming laptop from the Taiwanese hardware company looking to bring a (largely) affordable solution to an otherwise premium form factor, with a couple of considerations made towards its design and hardware.

While the Acer Nitro 14 doesn't stand among the best thin and light gaming laptops or the best gaming laptops in general, it does offer solid performance, decent enough value for money, and a respectable battery life that makes it worth considering if you can find the machine discounted in 2025.

The main trade-off with a smaller machine as opposed to a more traditional 15-inch and 16-inch model is the choice of graphics cards inside this 14.5-inch gaming laptop. Armed with either an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 (even during the arrival of the newer RTX 50 series laptops), it's something of a harder sell in 2025 considering it's also more expensive than many different alternatives.

Turning to the performance, the Acer Nitro 14 largely achieves 60fps in 1080p gaming when using its RTX 4060 configuration (the model we received for review). Demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are solid, but factoring in the age of these games, it's not the most telling sign for the things to come in the future. The 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are (just barely) enough for now, but what does that mean for PC gaming in the next few years?

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background.

(Image credit: Future)

Design-wise, the Acer Nitro 14 is solid but far from exciting. On the positive side of things, it has a sleek enough, primarily plastic frame and a bright RGB keyboard. However, getting your hands involved is where the cracks begin to show. The membrane keyboard is on the mushier side of things, and the trackpad is frankly poor. You'll be better off getting a wireless gaming keyboard and a proper mouse for navigation, and be sure to prop the rig up to aid airflow (it gets hot - more on that later).

The deck is somewhat stacked against the Acer Nitro 14. It's not a terrible gaming laptop by any means. However, it also doesn't excel in any particular way, meaning it's worth investing in another similarly priced (or cheaper) alternative instead.

Acer Nitro 14: Price & Availability

  • How much is it? Starting from $1,099 / £1,199
  • When is it available? It's available now
  • Where can you get it? You can get it in the US and the UK

One of the biggest deciding factors for considering the Acer Nitro 14 is its price point. The RTX 4050 variant (the weakest of the lot) is available for $1,099 / £1,199 in the US and the UK, respectively. Our review unit is the RTX 4060 model, which carries an MSRP of $1,249 and an RRP of £1,299. However, it's worth pointing out that this machine has enjoyed regular discounts in the two territories since its launch near the end of 2024, so you may get a better deal by shopping around.

Straight off the bat, we recommend going for the RTX 4060 version as opposed to the RTX 4050 variant, as the former will be much more capable of gaming in 1080p. With that said, $1,249 / £1,299 for an RTX 4060 laptop is on the pricier end of things, especially in 2025 when the RTX 50 series launch is imminent, with budget Blackwell devices on the horizon.

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background.

(Image credit: Future)

We then need to look at how the Acer Nitro 14 compares to other small-factor gaming laptops. It's worth noting that 14-inch models are (generally) pricier than their more standard 15-inch equivalents. The similarly priced competition includes the Asus TUF Gaming A14, Gigabyte 14 Aero OLED, and the HP Omen 14 Transcend, all of which can be picked up for around the same price with an RTX 4050 or 4060 configuration in 2025.

The Acer Nitro 14 is definitely on the budget end for a smaller laptop, and leagues cheaper than leading models like the Razer Blade 14. However, its otherwise-aggressive pricing is sure to weaken over time, because it's about to be replaced by more capable hardware, making purchasing it right now less than ideal unless you've found an aggressive discount.

  • Value: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Acer Nitro 14 SpecsHeader Cell - Column 0

Acer Nitro 14 Base Config

Acer Nitro 14 Review Config

Price

$1,099 / £1,199

$1,249 / £1,299

CPU

AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS

AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS

GPU

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 6GB

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 8GB

RAM

16GB LPDDR5

16GB LPDDR5

Storage

512GB Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD

1TB Gen 4.0 NVMe SSD

Display

14.5-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 120Hz @ 300 nits

14.5-inch IPS 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 120Hz @ 300 nits

Ports and Connectivity

USB Type-C x 1; USB 4 x 1; USB 3.2 x 2; HDMI 2.1 x 1; 3.5 mm jack x 1; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3

USB Type-C x 1; USB 4 x 1; USB 3.2 x 2; HDMI 2.1 x 1; 3.5 mm jack x 1; Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3

Battery

76Wh 4-cell (Claims up to 9 hours of playback)

76Wh 4-cell (Claims up to 9 hours of playback)

Dimensions

22.84 x 324.12 x 255.9 mm

22.84 x 324.12 x 255.9 mm

Weight

2kg / 4.4lbs

2kg / 4.4lbs

Two configurations of the Acer Nitro 14 are available in the US and UK; one features an RTX 4050 and the other has an RTX 4060 inside. The key difference between the two variants is the available VRAM of the mobile graphics processor, with the former having 6GB GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus and the latter having 8GB GDDR6 memory on a larger 128-bit bus. Depending on region, you'll have the choice of either the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS or the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor.

Outside of the GPUs on offer, the hardware inside of the Acer Nitro 14 is solid. Both Ryzen 8000 series processors are fast and responsive for gaming, productivity, and AI workloads, however, you are paying a premium on the smaller 14-inch form factor considering the lower-end graphics solution here.

It's very common to find much more capable RTX 4070 gaming laptops for around the same price (or cheaper), such as the Asus TUF Gaming A16, Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, Lenovo LOQ 15, and MSI Katana A15 AI in 2025. You'll note that these machines are all a touch larger, at either 15-inch or 16-inch, so be wary of the premium attached to going more compact.

  • Specs: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Design

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Average build quality
  • Primarily plastic construction
  • Lacking trackpad and keyboard

The most immediate thing about the Acer Nitro 14's design is the size of the display itself. As its name denotes, it's a 14.5-inch gaming laptop, which is fairly lean in terms of weight; it's less than one inch thick and is 2kg / 4.4lbs in heft. It's far more the sleekest or slimmest gaming laptop in the form factor, for that kind of thing, you're better off looking at the Razer Blade 14 (0.7-inch thick at 1.84kg / 4.05lbs), but then you're going to pay double for a device of a similar spec.

Then we get to the style of the Acer Nitro 14, which is so-so. The manufacturer has prioritized function over form here with its primarily plastic construction and (fairly) dull IPS LCD display. While the 1200p resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio are nice additions, filling up the bezel, it's let down by a peak brightness of only 300 nits with no HDR to speak of. It's not entirely unexpected in a laptop of this range, but it is disappointing considering that games and media won't pop much on this panel. The 120Hz refresh rate is nice, and about what you'll top out of in certain lesser-demanding games; any higher would have been wasted on this lower-end rig.

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background.

(Image credit: Future)

While the keyboard looks particularly fetching with its multi-zone RGB lighting, actually using it is another story. It's spongey with a lacking tactile feel and one of the cheapest-feeling and acting trackpads that I've used in some time. While fit for purpose, they detract from the user experience. Instead, I would recommend pairing the PC with one of the best gaming keyboards and the best gaming mouse at the very least, but you'll likely also have a Bluetooth (or USB) gamepad, too.

  • Design: 2.5 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Performance

  • Achieves 60fps in 1080p
  • CPU is held back by the GPU
  • Gets loud and hot under load

The Acer Nitro 14 is a decent performer in 1080p for gaming and general computing applications. However, it's unlikely to blow you away with its just-respectable performance prowess. Starting with gaming, the laptop did fine in demanding games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Total War: Warhammer 3, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with average framerates in ultra/high settings above the 60fps mark. This is due to the RTX 4060 and its 8GB GDDR6 VRAM; if you are thinking of going for the cheaper RTX 4050 variant (with 6GB GDDR6 memory), then you're unlikely to achieve 1080p and 60fps with the sliders maxed out.

The 120Hz display is more likely to be useful when dropping down the settings or playing less demanding PC games, though. That's because I observed 132fps in Total War: Warhammer 3 on Low (showing the process of CPU-bound games backed by the Ryzen 7 chip), and it was a similar story in Cyberpunk 2077 on Low (83fps). Despite still being visual showcases for hardware, the titles are older now, with the games being released a handful of years ago. You may struggle to achieve 60fps in 1080p in today's games in 2025.

The Acer Nitro 14 compact gaming laptop photographed on a coral background.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Nitro 14 Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Nitro 14 held up in our industry-standard tests conducted over the last few weeks.

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,392
Multi - 11,736
Cinebench R24:
Single - 1,719Multi - 16,106
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 22,862
Time Spy - 9,557
Port Royal - 5,357
Speed Way - 2,347
PCMark10:
7,490
CrossMark:
Overall - 1,613
Productivity - 1,583
Creativity - 1,669
Responsiveness - 1,542
Red Dead Redemption 2:
1080p Low - 83fps
1080p Ultra - 64fps
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 108fps
1080p Ultra - 64fps
1080p Psycho RT - 44fps
Total War: Warhammer 3:
1080p Low - 132fps
1080p Ultra - 71fps
Battery test: 1 hour 59 minutes

Synthetic benchmarks tell the story of the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS's prowess inside of the Acer Nitro 14. The processor has eight cores (16 threads) and a maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz, which is how we can see the strong performance in the likes of Cinebench R24 and Geekbench 6. It's a Ryzen AI chip with its own NPU rated at 16 TOPS, so Microsoft Copilot comes pre-installed (even with a dedicated key on the board). Gamers are unlikely to get much use out of this, but the NPU should be respectable enough for AI workloads.

To get the most out of the RTX 4060 mobile graphics processor, I recommend using Nvidia DLSS's upscaling and Frame Generation technology where supported. It'll downscale the picture to 720p and then blow the image back up to 1080p, but it's likely going to be a difference between a playable framerate and a less-than-ideal one. This is evidenced by Cyberpunk 2077 struggling to hit 60fps with "Psycho" RT functionality enabled.

While the Acer Nitro 14 is far from the noisest or hottest gaming laptop I've tested, it certainly lets its presence be known. Acer has confidently backed its "Liquid Metal Thermal Grease" for the heatsink on the CPU to the motherboard, and while the core temperatures are about average, you'll still see upwards of 70° and 80° when moderately gaming (or doing other hardware-intensive tasks).

It's not a problem that's unique to the laptop, but it's more common in 14-inch models, given their more compact design. I recommend using a laptop riser or a dedicated cooling pad to ensure top performance, and never to use it in bed (or on any plush surface) that covers the rear fans.

  • Performance: 3 / 5

Acer Nitro 14: Battery Life

  • Acer claims up to nine hours
  • Windows estimated up to three hours
  • Around two hours of media playback and less for gaming

The battery life of the Acer Nitro 14 is nothing special, but it's far from the worst I've seen from a budget gaming laptop. The company claims around nine hours of general use, but you certainly won't see a lifeline like that either gaming or consuming media.

Windows estimated just under three hours when on battery power with the machine idle or lightly in use, with activities such as web browsing. Dimming the screen and enabling battery saving mode might get you to the claimed rates, but it seems situational. When on battery power, the laptop lasted just under two hours in our battery test with media playback and just under this when gaming.

It's disappointing, considering the compact size of the Acer Nitro 14 means you would probably want it in your bag to kill time when not working or at school. However, carrying around the bulky charger kind of kills that idea. Again, this isn't an issue unique to the laptop, as many gaming laptops struggle with their battery, but it also doesn't buck the trend either.

  • Battery Life: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Acer Nitro 14?

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Acer Nitro 14 Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Acer Nitro 14 is on the pricier side, considering its hardware, but that's the premium for a more compact laptop.

3 / 5

Design

It's a laptop that puts function over form, with a chunky, plastic chassis. However, it's small enough for your bag.

2.5 / 5

Performance

Gaming in 1080p at 60fps is no problem in demanding games, but it will likely struggle to maintain this in the near future.

3 / 5

Battery Life

Middling battery life with around two hours of media playback and slightly less when gaming. You're going to need to keep its charger nearby (or rely on mains power) for extended use sessions.

3 / 5

Total

The Acer Nitro 14 is a solid gaming laptop that largely achieves what it sets out to do, but there are cheaper and better options out there that you should consider instead.

3 / 5

Buy it if...

A small gaming laptop is a must

If you're opposed to a 15-inch or 16-inch gaming laptop then the Acer Nitro 14 will get the job done. It just don't won't be very exciting.

You can find it discounted

At MSRP, the Acer Nitro 14 is a hard sell. However, with the right discount, it could be a great investment, especially with the arrival of the new RTX 50 series laptops.

Don't buy it if...

You can find an RTX 4070 laptop for less

The RTX 4060 inside of the Acer Nitro 14 is just about enough for today's games, but already shows signs of struggling. You could try and find a higher-end GPU in a laptop if you want more peace of mind, as many can be found for the same price during sale periods.

You need a laptop for work or school

The Acer Nitro 14's lacking battery life, mushy keyboard, poor trackpad, and dull screen make it a poor fit for productivity use, which is a shame given its otherwise excellent CPU.

Acer Nitro 14: Also Consider

Razer Blade 14 (2024)

The Razer Blade 14 (2024) doesn't come cheap. However, it's our number one pick for the best gaming laptop that money can buy. If you want leading performance in a sleek aluminum chassis, then it may be worth considering instead.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 review.

HP Omen Transcend 14

It's a touch pricier at MSRP but is frequently discounted in the US and the UK to near that of the Acer Nitro 14. HP's small gaming laptop features a vastly superior OLED display in a smaller and lighter package.

Read our full HP Omen Transcend 14 review.

How I tested the Acer Nitro 14

  • Tested for over a week
  • Industry-standard benchmarking
  • Used in real-world applications

I tested the Acer Nitro 14 over a week, benchmarking the machine with our suite of industry-standard synthetic benchmarks and gaming performance to see what it was capable of before deciding on my verdict.

I've been a hardware editor for over five years and a PC gamer for much longer. In my career, I've reviewed dozens of laptops over the years and have experience with all kinds of machines, of which I've weighed the Acer Nitro 14.

  • First reviewed April 2025
Aleksha McLoughlin

Formerly TechRadar Gaming's Hardware Editor, Aleksha McLoughlin is now a freelance writer and editor specializing in computing tech, video games, and E-commerce. As well as her many contributions to this site, you'll also find her work available on sister sites such as PC Gamer, GamesRadar, and Android Central. Additionally, more of her bylines can be found on Trusted Reviews, Dexerto, Expert Reviews, Techopedia, PC Guide, VideoGamer, and more.

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