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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a more expensive, higher-performing laptop suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning projects thanks to its powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which may affect portability. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is less expensive and lighter with longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for general use, casual gaming, and less demanding engineering tasks. The ASUS model has an AMD Ryzen processor with integrated Vega graphics, sufficient for many tasks, but not as powerful as the Acer's dedicated GPU for intensive applications. 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
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook S 15
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.3
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a stronger graphical performance with its Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 240Hz, making it very good for gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 with its integrated Ryzen 7 5800H Vega 8 graphics and a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz provides a fair experience in gaming and 3D, but not as powerful or smooth as the Acer.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is better suited for engineering and design owing to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, higher-end Nvidia RTX GPU, and superior screen with greater resolution and color accuracy, which are crucial for tasks that demand high precision and detail. Comparatively, the ASUS Vivobook S 15, while still good for engineering and design due to its capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor and integrated Vega 8 graphics, offers less graphical power and a screen with lower resolution and color gamut, making it less optimal for intensive tasks but potentially more portable and with better battery life.
Content Creation
8.2
7.6
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 Vivobook S 15 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
7.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16's screen stands out for its sharp resolution and brightness, making things like text and images crisp and easy to view, which is why it's excellent for general use and engineering where detail is key. Its impressive color coverage also ensures accurate color representation for professionals in engineering and design. However, for gaming and 3D work, its inferior refresh rate can lead to less fluid motion, making it less ideal for fast-paced visuals common in those applications.
Battery
6.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,599
$908
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,599 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 costs $908.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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 Vivobook S 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | ASUS Vivobook S 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,599 | $908 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.97 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 9.17" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 70 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 1 | |
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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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."
ASUS Vivobook S 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | February 2023
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the ASUS Vivobook S 15
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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