If your priority is saving money and having a versatile device that you can use as a tablet with a touch screen, the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 would suit you. However, if your work involves more graphics-intensive tasks or gaming and you're willing to invest more for higher performance and a dedicated graphics card, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is the better option. Keep in mind that the Predator Helios Neo 16 will have shorter battery life and is more substantial in weight, making it less portable than the Aspire 3 Spin 14. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
373.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is labeled as fair for general use because it has modest hardware like an Intel i3 processor and 8GB RAM, which is generally sufficient for basic tasks, yet its lower screen quality, battery life, and storage may limit its appeal for more demanding use. In contrast, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is considered good for general use, benefiting from a more powerful Intel i5 processor, double the RAM at 16GB, and a higher quality display, although this comes at the cost of reduced portability and battery life due to its larger size and gaming-oriented hardware.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
7.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
8.3/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is more suited for engineering and design due to its higher-performance CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality, which are very important for such tasks, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14, though more portable with a better battery life and a 2-in-1 design, has a lower-tier CPU and integrated graphics, less RAM, and a lower quality display.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.7/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.9/10
7.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
7.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
373.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a clear and vivid display when doing everyday tasks like browsing the web or working with documents, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with its brighter and higher resolution screen, will offer a better experience than the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14. For engineering and design, which often requires color accuracy for detailed work, the Predator's wider color gamut coverage will make a significant difference. However, for gaming or working with 3D applications where visuals flow quickly, neither laptop provides an optimal experience as both have a lower refresh rate, meaning you won't have as smooth motion as you might prefer.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2/10
7.4/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$799
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 has a price of $418 and the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 costs $799.
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and Yannick Khong | November 2023
"The Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 is okay for school use. It feels reasonably well-built, and its compact design makes it easy to carry around. The battery lasts around seven hours of light use, so you only have to plug it in for a short time to get through a typical school day. The overall user experience is so-so; the display looks sharp but dim, and the touchpad is fairly responsive, albeit small."
"The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 sacrifices portability and a truly budget price in the name of additional power. While remaining relatively budget-friendly, this gaming laptop packs serious processing chops, and Acer optimizes its internals to deliver respectable 1080p (or 1200p) gameplay from an RTX 4050. Its keyboard and chassis design won't win it any awards, but its display is a cut above for the price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 Spin 14 or the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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