Acer Aspire 16 AI evaluate: Large display screen, small value

Greatest Costs At present: Acer Aspire 16 AI

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips are sometimes a strong selection for a funds laptop computer, as they ship good-enough efficiency and strong battery life at a low value. Most techniques, although, have smaller shows. The Acer Aspire 16 AI provides an interesting big-screen possibility that’s full of options together with USB4, Home windows Hi there facial recognition, and a plus-sized touchpad, amongst different issues.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Specs and options

The Acer Aspire 16 AI has Qualcomm’s entry-level Snapdragon X chip with eight cores and a most multi-core pace of 3GHz. It additionally ships with 16GB of reminiscence and a 512GB solid-state drive. These are typical specs for an entry-level Snapdragon X laptop computer.

• Mannequin quantity: A16-11MT-X669
• CPU: Snapdragon X1P-26-100
• Reminiscence: 16GB LPDDR5X-8448
• Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno
• NPU: Qualcomm NPU as much as 45 TOPs
• Show: 16-inch 1920×1200 120Hz IPS-LCD
• Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
• Webcam: 1080p 30fps
• Connectivity: 2x USB-C 4 as much as 40Gbps with Energy Supply and DisplayPort, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 (one with charging), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio. MicroSD card reader
• Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
• Biometrics: Facial recognition
• Battery capability: 65 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14 x 9.85 x 0.63 inches
• Weight: 3.42 kilos
• Working System: Home windows 11 Dwelling
• Value: $729.99 MSRP

The Acer Aspire 16 presently is available in only one configuration and is listed at an MSRP of $729.99. Some retailers truly record it increased at $799.99. The shortage of configuration choices makes purchasing for the laptop computer easy—simply purchase from the retailer with the bottom value you will discover.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer’s Aspire is among the many extra reasonably priced Home windows laptops, and whereas that’s apparent within the laptop computer’s design, it’s much less apparent within the construct high quality.

First up, design. There’s not a lot to comment on. The Aspire 16 AI is an easy silver-gray plastic slab with a low-key Acer badge. It’s skinny at simply 0.63 inches in profile (although observe that quantity doesn’t seem to incorporate the rubber ft on the underside). It’s additionally gentle at 3.42 kilos, which isn’t a lot for a laptop computer with a 16-inch show.

What about construct high quality? The Aspire 16 AI isn’t luxurious, because the laptop computer makes use of plastic for each the inside and exterior. Nonetheless, the supplies supplied feel and appear high-quality for a funds machine. It’s inflexible, too, because the show lid and decrease chassis enable solely a touch of flex in use.

I additionally seen the show hinge can rotate as much as 180 levels, which means it’s doable to open the laptop computer such that the display screen lies solely flat on a desk. That gives some further prospects in your setup when you plan to make use of the laptop computer as a second display screen with an exterior keyboard and mouse.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Keyboard, trackpad, mouse

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer Aspire 16 AI squeezes in each a keyboard and numpad. That, after all. means you might have a numpad, which even many 16-inch laptops lack. Nonetheless, it additionally means the keyboard structure isn’t as spacious as most 16-inch laptops and shifted in direction of the left (to make room for the numpad). The touchpad additionally strikes left to maintain it centered beneath the spacebar, which makes the left palm relaxation space tight.

Key really feel is ok. There’s honest key journey and every key prompts with an outlined bottoming motion, nevertheless it’s not as crisp as I would really like. This, nonetheless, is certainly a nitpick, and I had no drawback typing a number of thousand phrases on the laptop computer.

The touchpad is massive at roughly six inches vast and three.5 inches deep. Whereas there are some dearer laptops with greater touchpads, just like the MacBook Professional 16 and Razer Blade 18, that is an above-average dimension for a laptop computer on this value bracket, and the additional area is appreciated. Multi-touch gestures felt responsive and extra snug than on opponents with smaller touchpad surfaces.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Show, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer ships the Aspire 16 AI with a 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS-LCD show. That’s normal for a funds laptop computer, however the Aspire goes the additional mile and delivers a 120Hz refresh fee. The Aspire isn’t a gaming laptop computer, in order that’s of restricted use in leisure, nevertheless it does assist Home windows really feel smoother and snappier than on the everyday funds machine.

The show is vivid and has a semi-gloss end. Reflections are nonetheless noticeable in a really vivid room, however the show stays usable. Outside use is dicey, although.

However, the show’s distinction and shade efficiency are mediocre. It’s not horrible, however with OLED laptops now typically accessible for properly beneath $1,000, IPS-LCD shows have gotten much less engaging even in funds machines.

Audio efficiency is respectable. The twin-speaker system is downward firing, so audio presentation will fluctuate relying on the place the laptop computer is positioned. Nonetheless, it supplies respectable quantity and respectable readability. I wouldn’t suggest the laptop computer for films or for listening to your favourite album, nevertheless it’s high-quality if you wish to throw on some chill beats whilst you examine or work.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer Aspire 16 AI has a 1080p webcam that features a bodily privateness shutter. The digicam’s sharpness and shade replica are respectable. It’s an analogous story for the dual-array microphone, which picked up my voice with respectable quantity and readability. The webcam and microphone are common for the class, however they do the job.

Home windows Hi there facial recognition is supported for logging in to the laptop computer. It’s usually dependable and supplies a fast, simple option to log into the laptop computer. Whereas this function has come down in value currently, most funds laptops nonetheless don’t embody it—so it’s nice to see it right here.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

Connectivity is certainly a energy for the Acer Aspire 16 AI. It has two USB-C 4 ports, each of which help DisplayPort and Energy Supply, in addition to two USB-A ports, a microSD card reader, a full-sized HDMI port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

This can be a wide selection of connectivity for any Home windows laptop computer bought in 2025, so it’s nice to see all these ports included in a laptop computer that prices simply $700. The USB-C 4 ports are a selected benefit as funds laptops generally stick with USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 speeds.

Acer additionally delivers on wi-fi connectivity because the Aspire 16 AI helps Wi-Fi 7, the most recent model of the usual. It pairs that with Bluetooth 5.3, which is a step behind the most recent 5.4 normal. Whereas many Home windows laptops now help Wi-Fi 7, it’s nonetheless not included with some funds machines (just like the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and HP OmniBook 5 14), so that is one other function win for the Aspire 16 AI.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Efficiency

The Snapdragon X X1P-26-100 is Qualcomm’s entry-level chip with eight cores and a most multi-core pace of 3GHz. It additionally has a stripped-down model of Qualcomm Adreno. The NPU is identical, nonetheless, because it quotes efficiency at 45 TOPS throughout all Snapdragon X chips.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Regardless of its entry-level Snapdragon X chip, the Acer Aspire 16 AI did properly in Cinebench 2024, a closely multi-threaded CPU take a look at. The laptop computer did higher than a number of different Qualcomm-powered techniques and likewise beat the Intel-powered Dell 16 Plus.

It’s attention-grabbing to notice, too, that the Snapdragon X doesn’t appear to surrender a lot when in comparison with the Snapdragon X Plus, which sits a notch above within the product stack. Whereas the latter has the next most clock pace, they’ve the identical core depend. Due to that, the 2 chips commerce blows relying on the laptop computer.

IDG / Matthew Smith

As talked about, all Snapdragon X chips have Qualcomm Adreno graphics, however they’re not all created equal. The perfect Snapdragon X Elite chip quotes IGP efficiency as much as 4.6 TFLOPS, however the model within the Acer Aspire 16 AI solely quotes efficiency as much as 1.7 TFLOPS. That results in barebones efficiency in graphics checks.

With that mentioned—and because the graph exhibits—this isn’t sudden for a funds laptop computer. Most Intel and AMD chips on this value bracket additionally lack the perfect variations of every firm’s built-in graphics and endure equally modest efficiency.

That is additionally an space the place spending a bit bit extra can snag you an enormous achieve. The Dell 16 Plus, for instance, might be bought for as little as $750 when on sale. The Dell is a bit heavier and doesn’t final fairly as lengthy on a cost, nevertheless it’s a superior selection when you want satisfactory 3D graphics efficiency.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Battery life and portability

The Acer Aspire 16 AI ships with a 65 watt-hour battery. It powered the laptop computer to roughly 15 hours and half-hour of battery life in our normal battery take a look at, which loops a 4K trailer of the brief movie Tears of Metal with the laptop computer’s show brightness set to roughly 200 nits.

IDG / Matthew Smith

This can be a good end result, or a mediocre end result, relying in your perspective. Many laptops can obtain related battery life, and the Snapdragon laptops with the longest battery life go away the Aspire 16 AI within the mud.

However, the Aspire 16 AI is a big laptop computer, and most massive Home windows laptops lag a bit in battery life. This is actually because they pair the bigger show with higher efficiency, however the Aspire 16 AI’s miserly Snapdragon chip isn’t too demanding.

Personally, I feel 15 hours is an efficient end result for a laptop computer of this dimension, and it’s prone to be greater than sufficient for most individuals who use it. Simply bear in mind that you would be able to have even higher battery life when you go for a smaller, optimized various just like the HP OmniBook 5 14.

The Acer Aspire 16 AI ships with a USB-C charger that gives 65 watts of energy. It’s in direction of the bigger facet for a 65-watt adapter. Aspire 16 AI homeowners might wish to look right into a 65-watt GaN charger to enhance portability. The laptop computer doesn’t have a quick charging mode.

Acer Aspire 16 AI: Conclusion

The Acer Aspire 16 AI is a strong selection for buyers trying to purchase a reasonable Home windows laptop computer with a 16-inch show. Whereas it lacks a headline function that might make it stand out, it has an edge in a number of areas. It has USB4, Wi-Fi 7, a show with a 120Hz refresh fee, Home windows Hi there facial recognition, and a big touchpad. Many funds laptops can test off a couple of of those bins, however the Aspire 16 AI checks all of them.