Acer Nitro V 16S (2025)

Configs to buy / avoid: The spec sheet does not make it clear if the higher tier RTX 5070 or 5070 Ti configurations use higher wattage chargers to prevent the battery drain problem, but the 135W charger that comes with the RTX 5060 model should be avoided if you want sustained gaming performance. We haven't tested the 5050 model to verify if the same problem exists there. Testing notes: The Nitro V 16S delivered more than 9 hours of YouTube playback on battery, the screen provides 400 nits of brightness at around 4ms screen response time, decent RTX 5060 gaming performance, two RAM slots, two M.2 slots, and a lighter chassis than most 16 inch competitors. Performance mode was the better real-world setting because Turbo mode drained the battery while gaming. Trade-offs: The main compromises were the undersized 135W charger resulting in Turbo mode battery drain, warmer keyboard temps, flex in the plastic chassis, weak Wi-Fi performance, slow MicroSD reader, no Advanced Optimus, no G-Sync, no VR over USB-C, and average speakers. Alternatives: If you want better sustained performance and fewer power compromises, consider the Lenovo LOQ 15 with the 245W charger upgrade, as the LOQ with RTX 5060 can still drain with the 170W charger. ASUS's TUF F16 is another great option worth considering, depending on current sale prices.