Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) review – A Gamer on the Go’s Dream

With the Nitro 14 (AN14-41), the manufacturer tries to prove that a small gaming laptop can perform as a bigger machine. That’s why we decided to buy a notebook with the top CPU and GPU for this Acer series (Ryzen 7 8845HS + 110W GeForce RTX 4060) to see how good the cooling is when it has to deal with such thirsty internals. For starters, the thermal system looks good thanks to the pair of fans and the heat pipes that are long and thick. Also, the hot air is being pushed as fast as possible via four vents.

All the high-end goodies that can be found in more expensive machines are also on board. This includes G-SYNC support, a MUX switch, an RGB backlit keyboard, and a great port selection with four USB connectors. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 are the connectivity options. The memory is soldered but at least you can order the laptop with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x which seems plenty.

You can choose between two 120Hz IPS panels – one 1200p and one optional 1600p unit. Both are NVIDIA Advanced Optimus capable. Our machine is configured with the base display and we can hint that it’s pretty color accurate.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-nitro-14-an14-41/

Contents


Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box

Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) - Specs

  • TCL CSOT CSW1437
  • Color accuracy  2.9  1.2
  • HDD/SSD
  • up to 1000GB SSD
  • RAM
  • up to 32GB
  • OS
  • Windows 11 Home, Linux, Windows 11 Pro
  • Battery
  • 76Wh
  • Body material
  • Plastic / Polycarbonate, Aluminum
  • Dimensions
  • 324.12 x 225.9 x 20.43 - 22.84 mm (12.76" x 8.89" x 0.80")
  • Weight
  • 2.02 kg (4.5 lbs)
  • Ports and connectivity
  • 1x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
  • 1x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Sleep and Charge
  • 1x USB Type-C
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
  • 1x USB Type-C
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
  • HDMI
  • 2.1
  • Card reader
  • microSD (microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC)
  • Ethernet LAN
  • Wi-Fi
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth
  • 5.3
  • Audio jack
  • 3.5mm Combo Jack
  • Features
  • Fingerprint reader
  • Web camera
  • HD
  • Backlit keyboard
  • optional
  • Microphone
  • 3x Microphone Array with Acer Purified Voice
  • Speakers
  • Stereo Speakers, DTS X: Ultra
  • Optical drive
  • Security Lock slot
  • Kensington Lock

Drivers

All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/product-support/Nitro_AN14-41/downloads?suggest=Acer_Nitro%2014%20(AN14-41);1

What’s in the box?

We found a couple of manuals and a 230W barrel plug adapter inside the package.


Design and construction

The Nitro 14 (AN14-41) seems like a smaller version of its bigger sibling – the AN16-72 model. Of course, the device in front of us is notably more compact. The design isn’t too gamer-centric if we don’t count the glossy logo on the lid and the orange back exhaust vents. The machine stops the scales at 4.45 lbs (2.02 kilos). It’s not the lightest 14-incher but considering the hefty cooling and the powerful hardware, the weight is fine. The profile thickness is 0.8″ – 0.9″ (20.43 – 22.84 mm).

The metal lid is averagely flexible and it opens with one hand. You’ll feel a moderate amount of resistance during this process. Wait, that’s a Nitro laptop, and the lid isn’t plastic? Well, that’s a rare find. The base isn’t made of aluminum but contrary to that, it’s very solid which is great.

Just like many other machines from this lineup, the bottom bezel is thick. Still, the other three around the 16:10 display are thin. The one on the top houses a dual-mic 720p@30 FPS Web camera with Temporal Noise Reduction.

A look at the base and we can see a sizable ventilation grill below the display. The so-called Mode key (for switching between the power modes or bumping the fan speed) is on the left. The illumination of the RGB backlit keyboard can be controlled via the Nitro Sense app.

The board itself is nothing but superb. It has large keys with long travel and pleasantly clicky feedback. The WASD section and the full-sized Arrow keys are highlighted. You also get Nitro Sense and Copilot shortcuts.

The moisture-resistant touchpad is decently smooth and accurate.

Turning over the machine reveals two small ventilation grills right above the fans, four rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts. The hot air is being exhausted through two vents on the rear and two on the sides.

Ports

On the left, you get a Kensington lock slot, a power plug, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) port, a USB4 port, and an Audio combo jack. On the right side, we can see an HDMI 2.1, one USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) port that supports the power-off charging function, another USB4 port, and a MicroSD card slot. Both Type-Cs support DisplayPort and charging (65W DC-in).


Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles

Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) is equipped with a WUXGA (Widescreen Ultra Extended Graphics Array) IPS panel, model number TCL CSOT CSW1437. It comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. Its diagonal is 14.5″ (36.8 cm), and the resolution – 1920 x 1200p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:10, the pixel density – 156 ppi, and their pitch – 0.16 x 0.16 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 56 cm (this is based on the pixel density and the typical viewing distance at which individual pixels cannot be distinguished by the human eye).

Viewing angles are good. We offer images at different angles to evaluate the quality.

Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.

The maximum measured brightness is 330 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 317 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 8%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6520K.

In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective. The illustration below shows how matters are for operational brightness levels (approximately 180 nits) – in this particular case at 49% Brightness (White level = 182 cd/m2, Black level = 0.14 cd/m2).

Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The contrast ratio is good – 1260:1.

To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.

Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.

Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.

The yellow dotted line shows Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41)’s color gamut coverage.

Its display covers 97% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976, and 79% of DCI-P3.

Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature at 180 cd/m2 luminance (Illuminant white point – D65), sRGB encoding curve.

We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc.

Below you can compare the scores of the Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right).

The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light.

The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is enhanced with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.

Response time (Gaming capabilities)

We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa (these terms refer to the time it takes for pixels to change from one color to another (black to white and back to black in this case), a shorter time reduces picture blur with fast moving images).

We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 15.4 ms.

After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.

Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)

Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the display is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.

Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41)’s display doesn’t use PWM for brightness adjustment. This makes the screen pretty comfortable for long periods of use.

Health Impact: Blue light emissions

Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.

Health Impact: Screen Reflectance

Glossy-coated displays can be inconvenient in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the screen reflection level for each laptop when the display is turned off and the measurement angle is set at 60°.

The reflectance of the Acer Nitro 14’s screen is 52.4 GU.

High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU

Sound

Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41)’s speakers produce a sound of relatively good quality. However, the low, mid, and high tones all have some slight deviations from clarity.

Buy our profiles

Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) configuration with 14.5″ TCL CSOT CSW1437 (1920×1200) IPS.

*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].

Read more about the profiles HERE.

In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.

Office Work

Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.

Design and Gaming

This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.

Health-Guard

Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.

Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount


Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage

All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Turbo” preset activated in the NitroSense app. Also, the “Best Performance” mode is applied in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and the “NVIDIA GPU-only” mode is selected in the BIOS.

CPU options

This laptop can be found with AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS or AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS.

Our laptop has the Ryzen 7 processor.

Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.

Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.

Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)

Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.

Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

GPU options

The GPU options are the following – 6GB GeForce RTX 3050, GeForce RTX 4050, or 110W GeForce RTX 4060.

The machine that we bought relies on an RTX 4060.

Gaming tests

Metro ExodusFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Extreme (Check settings)
Average FPS166 fps89 fps44 fps

Borderlands 3Full HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Badass (Check settings)
Average FPS144 fps127 fps106 fps87 fps

Far Cry 6Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS126 fps102 fps97 fps

Gears 5Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS213 fps165 fps151 fps128 fps

The 110W RTX 4060 inside this small laptop packs a punch. Gaming on Ultra details with greatly bumped visuals isn’t a problem.

Storage performance

Our device is equipped with a 1TB Micron 3500 MTFDKBA1T0TGD-1BK15ABYY. As you can see, this Gen 4 NVMe is very fast but it also gets pretty hot during benchmarking – 81°C.

At least the temperature during max load is lower than the “Warning Temperature Threshold” limit.


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Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life, Performance presets comparison

Max CPU load

In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.

Average core frequency (base frequency + X); CPU temp.

AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (45W TDP)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41)4.84 GHz @ 88°C @ 98W4.74 GHz @ 91°C @ 90W4.67 GHz @ 98°C @ 89W
Acer Nitro V 16 (ANV16-41)4.78 GHz @ 70°C @ 64W4.64 GHz @ 67°C @ 54W4.51 GHz @ 74°C @ 54W
Lenovo Legion Slim 5 (16″, Gen 9)4.78 GHz @ 92°C @ 123W4.73 GHz @ 100°C @ 119W4.59 GHz @ 100°C @ 88W

Here, the Ryzen 7 8845HS can sustain higher clocks than the other two bigger 16-inchers that we have tested with the same chip. This shows that the cooling of this small laptop is potent. On the other hand, the higher frequencies come at the price of toasty processor thermals.

Real-life gaming

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min)GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min)
Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41)2632 MHz @ 80°C @ 110W2603 MHz @ 84°C @ 110W
HP OMEN Transcend 14 (14-fb0000)2148 MHz @ 66°C @ 65W2160 MHz @ 65°C @ 65W
Dell XPS 16 96401726 MHz @ 70°C @ 50W1739 MHz @ 68°C @ 50W
ASUS TUF Gaming F16 FX607 (2024)2533 MHz @ 76°C @ 105W2545 MHz @ 75°C @ 105W
MSI Cyborg 15 A13V1520 MHz @ 62°C @ 45W1507 MHz @ 65°C @ 45W
ASUS TUF Gaming A16 FA607 (2024)2610 MHz @ 76°C @ 111W2610 MHz @ 80°C @ 113W
HP OMEN Transcend 16 (u1000)2625 MHz @ 75°C @ 113W2625 MHz @ 76°C @ 114W
ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED (N6506) “Full-speed fan mode”2540 MHz @ 84°C @ 109W2564 MHz @ 82°C @ 108W
ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED (N6506) “Performance fan mode”2247 MHz @ 76°C @ 85W2306 MHz @ 76°C @ 89W
Lenovo Legion 5i (16, Gen 9)2715 MHz @ 73°C @ 111W2715 MHz @ 71°C @ 110W
Acer Nitro 16 (AN16-41)2580 MHz @ 68°C @ 102W2595 MHz @ 66°C @ 102W
Acer Nitro 17 (AN17-51) “Turbo” preset2520 MHz @ 78°C @ 112W2520 MHz @ 81°C @ 111W
Acer Nitro 17 (AN17-51) “Performance” preset2490 MHz @ 73°C @ 108W2490 MHz @ 73°C @ 108W
ASUS TUF Gaming A15 (FA507, 2023)2520 MHz @ 78°C @ 112W2520 MHz @ 81°C @ 111W
Lenovo ThinkBook 16p Gen 42475 MHz @ 76°C @ 107W2475 MHz @ 77°C @ 108W
HP Victus 16 (16-r0000)2520 MHz @ 77°C @ 107W2520 MHz @ 76°C @ 107W

The GeForce RTX 4060 can offer stable 110W TGP and ~ 2600 MHz after half an hour of gaming – all looks good!

Gaming comfort

The Acer Nitro Sense app comes with many power presets and fan control. You can ramp the fans manually to 6500 – 6000 RPM. When the CPU temperature is above 40°C, you can expect ~1900-1500 RPM. Below this threshold, the fans don’t spin at all which is nice.

During gaming, we measured 56°C in the center of the keyboard and the top ventilation grill. Now, this doesn’t feel scorching hot to the touch but it’s not pleasantly warm either. Still, the WASD section and the palm rest zones are cooler.

In longer processor stress, the “Turbo” mode shows the highest clocks and 5000 – 4400 RPM which isn’t that noisy. However, the “Performance” and “Balanced” presets offer slightly decreased frequencies and notably lower fan speed which leads to a much better comfort during work.

The 110W GPU TGP is only available with the “Turbo” preset. Switching down to “Performance” and “Balanced” leads to less aggressive fans and 90W or 75W video card power limit respectively.

Battery

We conduct the battery tests with the Windows Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. This notebook’s 76Wh battery pack lasts for around 12 hours of video playback. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Best Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and select the “Eco” and “Optimus” modes in the Acer Nitro Sense app.


Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance

To open this small gaming laptop, you have to undo 9 Phillips-head screws. Pop up the bottom plate by carefully lifting it while holding firmly the two plastic exhausts on the back. Then fully pry the sides and the front.

On the inside of the bottom panel, there is a metal plate with a thermal pad for the SSD.

This device has a 76Wh battery. To take it out, unplug the connector from the mainboard and undo the two Phillips-head screws that keep the unit in place. The capacity is enough for around 12 hours of video playback.

The RAM is soldered. You get 16 or 32GB of LPDDR5x-6400MHz memory that works in dual-channel mode. In terms of storage, there is just one M.2 slot compatible with 2280 Gen 4 SSDs.

The Wi-Fi card is placed under the left fan.

The cooling system looks great for such a compact laptop. It comprises two long thick heat pipes shared between the CPU and GPU, and one smaller pipe that is solely dedicated to the graphics card. We can also spot four heat sinks and two large heat spreaders.


Verdict

Well folks, if you are often on the go and you want to play heavy games after work, the Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) ticks a lot of checkmarks in this category. The Zen 4 CPUs are powerful enough for 3D rendering and the optional GeForce RTX with its 110W TGP is ready for heavy-duty gaming. The surprisingly big cooling allows high CPU and GPU clocks longer loads (4.67 GHz / 2600 MHz) and that’s why the overall performance is great. The SSD of our laptop is snappy. It reaches 7100 / 6800 MB/s read and write speed in Crystal Disk Mark – not too shabby! The high performance has its downside – toasty internals during long stress. However, under gaming in “Turbo” mode, the WASD section doesn’t feel hot and the fans aren’t unbearably noisy.

The memory is soldered and you get just one M.2 slot for Gen 4 SSDs. Perhaps these are the needed sacrifices to keep the weight of the laptop as low as possible. Still, the max amount of RAM is 32GB which seems future-proof. The port selection looks modern – two Gen 2 Type-As and two USB4 connectors.

The base 1200p IPS display (TCL CSOT CSW1437) is suitable even for professional color-sensitive work thanks to the 97% sRGB and the nice color accuracy (average dE 1.2) that is possible when our “Design and Gaming” profile is applied. The 120Hz unit reaches a 330 nit max brightness.

The Nitro 14 is a small but capable gaming machine with a PWM-free IPS display, long battery life, comfortable input devices, and adequate build quality.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-nitro-14-an14-41/

Pros

  • Great performance for a 14-incher
  • Covers 97% of the sRGB color gamut and has accurate color representation with our “Design and Gaming” profile (CSW1437)
  • 120Hz refresh rate + wide viewing angles (CSW1437)
  • No PWM (CSW1437)
  • High max brightness of 330 nits (CSW1437)
  • MUX switch + Nvidia Advanced Optimus + G-SYNC
  • Modern port selection – 2x USB4 plus 2x Gen 2 Type-A connectors
  • Great keyboard
  • Long battery life (~12 hours of video playback)
  • Solid base
  • The CPU and the GPU can maintain high frequencies during full loads (4.67 GHz / 2600 MHz)
  • The fans aren’t too noisy even in “Turbo” mode
  • Very snappy SSD (1TB Micron 3500 MTFDKBA1T0TGD-1BK15ABYY)


Cons

  • High CPU and SSD temperatures during long stress
  • Soldered RAM and just one M.2 Gen 4 slot

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