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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a high-performance Intel processor and superior Nvidia graphics, making it a great choice for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. However, its battery life is shorter, which could be a concern if you need to use it on the go. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 features a powerful AMD processor with more RAM and a larger screen but has a less powerful graphics card, which may limit its capabilities for intensive gaming and 3D applications. The ASUS also boasts a longer battery life, which enhances its portability, and it comes with a higher overall performance rating for general use and engineering tasks. If mobility and battery life are priorities, and your tasks are more aligned with general use and engineering, the ASUS may be a more suitable option. Conversely, if you require higher graphics performance for gaming or 3D work and can manage with less battery life, the Acer might be 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 gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
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 Zenbook Pro 17 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 16's superior gaming and 3D capabilities are attributed to its higher-tier Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and an impressive 240Hz screen refresh rate, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17, with its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, offers a still commendable gaming performance but is limited by a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate. Despite the Zenbook's better CPU and larger screen, for very fluid and detailed gaming or 3D work, the Predator's GPU and refresh rate advantages are significant.
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 surpasses the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 in engineering capabilities, as it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, which are critical for intensive tasks, and a higher-resolution, brighter display that enhances on-screen detail and color accuracy.
Screen Quality
8.8
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, a laptop with a high-resolution, bright display like the Acer Predator Helios 16 offers crisp and vivid visuals, which are less critical on the Asus Zenbook Pro 17, although it still provides a clear and bright image. When it comes to engineering and design, the Acer Predator Helios 16's superior color reproduction capabilities, encompassing wider color gamuts, provide more accurate and nuanced color representation which is essential in professional design work, an area where the Asus Zenbook Pro 17 falls slightly behind. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on both laptops means less smooth motion and responsiveness, making them less ideal for fast-paced or graphically intensive 3D environments.
Battery
6.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 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
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is deemed good for general use because it delivers strong performance and a high-quality screen, but it's less portable and has limited battery life. In comparison, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is rated very good for general usage, offering a balance of superior CPU performance, better portability, and extended battery life along with ample storage and a high-quality keyboard, although it too shares challenges with operating noise and heat management.
Content Creation
8.2
8.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 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
7.9
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 are both good for software development.
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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,526
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 costs $1,500.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,526 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 5.18 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 76 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
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 | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17
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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