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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 are similarly priced but offer different features. The Acer, with a larger screen and more powerful hardware, excels in 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks, making it ideal for gaming or intensive computational tasks. However, this performance comes with a heavier build and shorter battery life, reducing its portability. Conversely, the MacBook Pro offers exceptional build quality and a longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for on-the-go use. It also provides a high-quality screen and is equipped with Apple's own processor and graphics, which, while capable, may not match the Helios 16 in raw power. The MacBook's ecosystem might suit you better if you appreciate a streamlined operating system and workflow continuity across Apple devices. Consider your specific needs for performance, portability, and the software ecosystem to make the best 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 gaming and AI
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
- Very good for software development
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.7
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is only fair.
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
8.7
8.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 excels in engineering and design tasks due to its powerful Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, along with a generous amount of RAM and storage, which makes it capable of handling demanding software; however, it's less portable and has louder operating noise than the Apple MacBook Pro 14, which, with its Apple M3 chip, still provides good performance for engineering tasks with a high-quality Mini LED screen but has less RAM and storage capacity.
Screen Quality
8.8
9.2
16.0in
SIZE
14.2in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 14 for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the MacBook Pro's screen stands out because of its exceptional resolution and brightness, providing crisp and vibrant visuals for a variety of tasks. In the realm of engineering and design, this laptop excels as well with its wide color gamuts, ensuring that professionals can see accurate colors for precise work. However, both laptops are less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, as their screens do not prioritize high refresh rates that are crucial for smooth motion and gameplay.
Battery
6.5 Hours
17.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.2in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good 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 Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
$1,526
$1,649
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) costs $1,649.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.2
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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 Pro 14 (Late 2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,526 | $1,649 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Apple M3 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 17 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 489 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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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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."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 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.
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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