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Acer Nitro NGR300: One-minute review
This is going to be a quick one because there just isn’t much to say about the Acer Nitro NGR300. As a PC and mobile controller, it probably would’ve made a decent purchase had it been released close to a decade ago. Around that time, there was much less in the way of wireless controller options, and they didn’t nearly have the feature sets we take for granted today.
At face value, it isn’t a horrible controller. I quite like its aesthetic, and it performs perfectly well while gaming – feeling responsive whether you’re wired via USB-C or wireless via Bluetooth. A word of warning, though; Bluetooth is the only wireless option here, so you may need to source a Bluetooth adapter separately in the case your setup doesn’t have it built in.
In 2025, however, there isn’t much of a reason to purchase the Acer Nitro NGR300. And perhaps the brand knows this, too, as it only seems to be available in the UK (at least at the time of writing). When it comes to the best PC controllers, there are so many options that cost the same or are cheaper than the Nitro – while simultaneously offering contemporary features like Hall effect sticks, 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, and more.
Acer Nitro NGR300: Price and availability
- List price: £49.99
- Limited to UK-only availability
- There are cheaper options available with more features
Much like the Acer Predator controller, the Acer Nitro NGR300 only appears to be available in the UK. However, it’s £20 cheaper than the Predator, coming in at £49.99. If you’re purchasing from abroad, you’re looking at roughly $64.99 / AU$100. The trade-off here is that the Nitro lacks the 2.4GHz connectivity and Nintendo Switch compatibility of its counterpart.
That being said, it’s still very difficult to recommend the Nitro when competing models like the GameSir T4 Kaleid ($41.99 / £41.99) and the 8BitDo Ultimate C Bluetooth controller ($29.99 / £24.99) come in much cheaper. With these, you’re also getting more features. In the Kaleid’s case, you’ve got drift-resistant Hall effect sticks and tactile microswitch buttons. For the Ultimate C, while lacking Hall effect, it makes up for it with 2.4GHz connectivity and Nintendo Switch compatibility as well as PC and mobile.
Acer Nitro NGR300: Specs
|
Price |
£49.99 |
|
Dimensions |
6.2 x 4.4 x 2.5in / 157 x 112 x 64mm |
|
Weight |
6.88oz / 195g |
|
Connection type |
Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
|
Compatibility |
PC, mobile |
|
Software |
N/A |
Acer Nitro NGR300: Design and features
- Simple, yet cool look
- Cheap-feeling build quality
- Turbo button function works as you’d expect
I do quite like the look of the Acer Nitro NGR300. While certainly an understated design, the subtly textured pattern bearing the ‘Nitro’ emblem is a really nice touch. Acer clearly knows how to do a lot with a little when it comes to overall looks, and it’s easily my favorite thing about this gamepad.
That’s about where the positives end when it comes to design and features, sadly. Overall build quality feels cheap and overly plasticky; a letdown even with that relatively budget-friendly price tag.
Sticks and face buttons both feel solid, in fairness, but I’m not at all a fan of the incredibly mushy D-pad that leads to some imprecise inputs. The bumpers and triggers are also relatively wide, with the latter also feeling quite listless when pressed.
The standout feature here is certainly the dedicated Turbo button. If you’ve used the feature on other controllers – which lets you assign a button to hold for continuous inputs – then it’s the same here. It’s certainly handy for old-school beat ‘em ups and action RPGs (role-playing games), but by no means is it the unique selling point it may have been all those years ago.
Acer Nitro NGR300: Performance
- Performs adequately in both wired and wireless modes
- It’s a Bluetooth controller, but it’s not compatible with Switch
- Relies on AA batteries for wireless play
Once more, there’s not much to write home about in terms of performance with the Acer Nitro NGR300. As a standard controller experience, it is comparable to similarly basic pads like the Xbox Wireless Controller, albeit lacking the strong comfort factor of that model.
In my testing, which included PC and mobile games like Final Fantasy 14 Online, RoboCop: Rogue City, and Zenless Zone Zero, I found the Nitro to be perfectly suitable for a variety of genres. It was also impressively responsive when used wirelessly over Bluetooth connection on mobile. I’d still argue that the best mobile controllers are better suited to gaming on the go, but the Nitro is serviceable in this regard.
The big sticking point for me – besides the lack of 2.4GHz connectivity – is that the Nitro relies on AA batteries for power. While not entirely unheard of in the present day (it’s also the default option for the Xbox Wireless Controller), I much prefer having a built-in battery that can charge up via USB-C.
Acer claims you’ll get up to 25 hours of battery life (as it did with the Predator), but this will naturally vary depending on the brand. With the included Energizer batteries, I managed to get around 15-20 hours of play.
Should I buy the Acer Nitro NGR300?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider…
Not sold on the Acer Nitro NGR300? There are at least a couple of better and more affordable alternatives out there, such as…
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Acer Nitro NGR300 |
Horipad Turbo |
GameSir Nova Lite |
|
Price |
£49.99 (around $64.99) |
$29.99 / £29.99 |
$24.99 / £29.99 |
|
Dimensions |
6.2 x 4.4 x 2.5in / 157 x 112 x 64mm |
6.1 x 4.7 x 2.5in / 155 x 119 x 64mm |
6.1 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 155 x 104 x 61mm |
|
Weight |
6.88oz / 195g |
12.32oz / 349g |
10.56oz / 299g |
|
Connection type |
Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
Wired (USB) |
Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C) |
|
Compatibility |
PC, mobile |
Nintendo Switch, PC |
Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile |
How I tested the Acer Nitro NGR300
- Tested for 15-20 hours (the time it took for the AA batteries to run out of juice)
- Tested across PC and mobile games
- Compared to the GameSir Nova Lite and Horipad Turbo
I tested the Acer Nitro NGR300 controller over a period of about 15-20 hours in total, after which the included Energizer AA batteries ran out. I primarily played on PC, which is its primary platform, having been unable to connect the controller to my Nintendo Switch. That said, Acer does not list the Switch as a supported platform, but as a Bluetooth device, I figured it was worth a try.
I compared my time with the Acer Nitro to that of its companion controller, the Acer Predator, as well as the GameSir Nova Lite and Horipad Turbo – all three of which I ended up preferring over this model. That’s due to a range of factors, including better features, compatibility, and connectivity options being available in the competition.
First reviewed March 2025
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