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Predator Helios 16
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Swift X (2023)
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers high performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming due to its powerful processor and graphics card; however, it's heavier, less portable, and has shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Acer Swift X (2023) is significantly lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for general use and less intensive engineering tasks, though its lower-tier graphics may not fare as well with gaming or highly demanding applications. If portability and battery life are paramount, go for the Swift X, but if you need top tier performance for demanding tasks and can handle additional weight and shorter battery life, the Predator Helios 16 is the better choice. 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 Predator Helios 16
  • Very good for general use
  • Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Acer Swift X (2023)
  • Very good portability
  • Very good battery life
  • Very good speakers
  • Very good keyboard

Key differences

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Gaming and AI

8.5
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
6.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is only fair.

Engineering and Design

8.7
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
8.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.

Screen Quality

8.8
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
14.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
390.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.

Battery

6.5 Hours
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life.

Portability

Fair
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.5in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Cost

$1,236
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
$1,100
Product image
Product image

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,236 and the Acer Swift X (2023) costs $1,100.
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Key similarities

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General Use

8.0
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
390.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is good.

Content Creation

8.2
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
8.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for content creation.

Software Development

7.9
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
7.9
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both good for software development.

Build Quality

7.4
Predator Helios 16
Swift X (2023)
7.6
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have good build quality.

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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Acer Swift X (2023) compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Acer Predator Helios 16Acer Swift X (2023)
Acer Predator Helios 16Acer Swift X (2023)

GENERAL

Price
$1,236
$1,100
Release Date
March 1, 2023May 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1''12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7''
Weight
5.73 lbs3.31 lbs
Width
14.15"12.7"
Depth
10.88"9"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i7-13700HXIntel i5-13500H
RAM
16 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
20
Storage
1024 GB512 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
6.5 Hours10 Hours
Battery Capacity
90 Wh76 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
16"14.5"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
2560 x 16002560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
240Hz120Hz
Display Brightness
498 nits390 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.4/107.6/10
Portability Score
6.4/108.3/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesNo
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/108/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7.5/108/10
Speaker Quality Score
7/108/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
NoYes
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
YesNo

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
32
USB-C ports
22
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
33
Thunderbolt Version
44

Shopping

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Acer Predator Helios 16

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Dig into reviews and images

IGN

Samuel Horti | June 2023
"The Predator Helios 16 stacks up well against its closest competition in benchmark comparisons. The Acer Predator Helios 16 isn't perfect. It's bulky, its lid feels flimsy and some of its keys are just too damned small – but none of its problems are fatal, and it shines where it counts. The powerful graphics and processor combo are spot on for this price point, the fans stop it getting hot under pressure, and the display is as good as you’ll find under $2,500. It's simply one of the best laptops to play demanding games on."

Acer Swift X (2023)

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."

Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Acer Swift X (2023)

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.

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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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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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