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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is better for intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software due to its high-performance CPU and powerful GPU. However, it is heavier, bulkier, and has lesser battery life, making it less ideal for carrying around. The Apple MacBook Air (2022) offers great portability with its lightweight design and longer battery life, making it suitable for general use, daily productivity, and some light creative work. It's also significantly quieter as it operates without a fan. If price is a concern, the MacBook Air is less expensive, whereas the Acer Predator Helios 16 will cost more. 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 engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
- Very good for software development
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.4
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 excels in gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and high screen refresh rate, both very important for smooth and immersive gameplay. The Apple MacBook Air, with a less powerful integrated GPU and a standard refresh rate, offers a lower 3D performance and is further limited by the compatibility issue that many popular games do not run on its MacOS.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher RAM capacity, more powerful Intel CPU, and dedicated Nvidia GPU, which can significantly enhance performance for intensive tasks and provide better screen refresh rates for smooth visual rendering.
Screen Quality
8.8
7.6
16.0in
SIZE
13.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air has a better screen for content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the MacBook Air offer high-resolution displays with bright panels, ensuring clear and vibrant visuals that make everyday tasks like browsing and document editing a pleasure. The superior color accuracy and wider color gamuts of these laptops' screens cater to engineering and design professionals, providing the precision needed for tasks like CAD and photo editing. However, their lower refresh rates compared to gaming-focused laptops can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced 3D environments, which may not satisfy the needs of gamers or professionals working with real-time 3D simulations.
Battery
6.5 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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
Fair
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,236
$839
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,236 and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) costs $839.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.4/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is well-suited for general use with its powerful Intel i7 processor, abundant RAM, and large SSD storage, resulting in strong performance, but its significant weight and larger size decrease its portability and its battery life is less impressive compared to lighter laptops.
Content Creation
8.2
7.9
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
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
7.9
8.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1664
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is good.
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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Apple MacBook Air (2022) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Apple MacBook Air (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,236 | $839 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | July 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 12'' x 8.5'' x 0.44'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 8.46" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 52.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1664 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 486 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 9.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 16
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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."
Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Apple MacBook Air (2022)
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.
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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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