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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is more expensive but offers better performance for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning compared to the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, which is cheaper and has a longer battery life for general use. The Acer has a higher storage capacity, better screen resolution, and color accuracy, making it suitable for engineering tasks. However, it's heavier, reducing portability. Conversely, the ASUS is lighter with a decent screen, suitable for general use and some gaming, but it lags behind the Acer in performance for demanding tasks. Both have similar processing power and RAM capacity, both lack Thunderbolt ports, and each offers a backlit keyboard, though the Acer's is RGB. 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 ASUS TUF Gaming A16
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
7.4
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 leads for gaming and 3D with its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a faster 240Hz screen refresh rate which are very important for smooth and detailed gameplay, whereas the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, while still good for gaming, has a less powerful AMD RX 7600S GPU and a lower 165Hz refresh rate but offers a better battery life which makes it a more portable option. The CPU and screen quality are also factors, with the Acer featuring a potent Intel i7 processor and better screen brightness and color coverage compared to the ASUS's AMD Ryzen 7 processor and slightly lower screen performance metrics, respectively.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.7
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2
7.6
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for software development, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.
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
8.8
7.5
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 takes the lead in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its superior resolution, brightness, and extensive color gamut coverage, enhancing visual clarity and color accuracy essential for these tasks. Although both laptops have good panels and resolutions for general tasks and engineering design, the Acer's superior color gamut provides an edge for professionals needing precise color representation. For gaming and 3D applications, however, the significance of a high refresh rate outweighs resolution and color accuracy, and since both the Acer and Asus offerings are rated as having a poor screen refresh rate, they may not deliver the smooth visuals gamers usually seek.
Battery
6.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,526
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 excels in general use with its high resolution screen and ample storage, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16, which offers good performance and a significantly longer battery life, making it well-suited for on-the-go use, despite having less storage.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | ASUS TUF Gaming A16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,526 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.97'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.85 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 9.92" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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PCWorld
Dominic Bayley | May 2023
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the ASUS TUF Gaming A16
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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