The Aspire V 15 Nitro (VN7-591G-76JG) ($1,499.99) is Acer's latest entry-level gaming laptop, and is a more affordable follow-up to the Aspire V 15 Nitro (VN7-591G-70JY) we tested late last year. It's both more affordable and significantly improved in overall performance, but so is the competition, like the latest Alienware 15, our Editors' Choice entry-level gaming laptop.

Design
At this point, the design of the Acer Aspire V15 Nitro is looking pretty familiar—the dimensions and exterior is unchanged from the recent Acer VN7-591G-70JY. With the same 5.3-pound weight and identical dimensions of 0.94 by 15.3 by 10.1 inches (HWD), the only outward indicator that tells you this model is different from its stablemates is the model number. The bare-metal hinge is stamped with the "Aspire V Nitro" name, and provides a glimpse of the internal frame that gives the plastic-covered frame its strength. The laptop has a ridged texture across the lid, but is otherwise fairly plain for a gaming machine.

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The 15.6-inch display has the same 3,840-by-2,160 resolution as the Acer VN7-591G-70JY, with an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel and very good color quality. While 4K resolution is an impressive feature, it's not the best choice for a gaming laptop, where the limitations of mobile graphics hardware prevent actual gaming at the high resolutions supported by the display. In contrast, the Editors' Choice Alienware 15 opts for full HD (1,920-by-1,080) resolution in order to provide a better gaming experience. The laptop is outfitted with four built-in speakers and Dolby Digital Plus Home Theater surround sound, offering plenty of volume and bass with minimal distortion.

The keyboard has chiclet-style keys with red, glowing backlighting and a matte-black finish. The red backlight provides some nice color for the otherwise black laptop, but it doesn't have the same color customization offered by the Alienware 15 and the MSI GE62 Apache, but it's still a decent keyboard. The extra-large touchpad offers great gesture-control support for Windows, but for gaming you'll want a separate gaming mouse.

Features
Despite the price, the port selection on the Aspire V 15 Nitro is the same as that of the more expensive Acer VN7-591G-70JY. On the left is a lone security-lock slot, while on the right you'll find three USB 3.0 ports, a full-size HDMI-out port, an Ethernet port, and a headset jack. For wireless connectivity, the Aspire V15 Nitro has 802.11ac Wi-Fi (with 2x MIMO for better connectivity)—a big step up in quality from the 802.11n connection offered on the more expensive Acer VN7-591G-70JY. The laptop also has Bluetooth 4.0.