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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5, consider the following: The Acer offers better performance for 3D tasks, machine learning, and gaming due to its more powerful graphics card. It also has a higher refresh rate, which is ideal for fast-paced gaming, and it's slightly more portable. On the other hand, the Alienware has a larger screen and marginally better battery life, but falls short in 3D performance. If frequent travel is part of your routine, the lighter Acer might be preferable, while the Alienware offers a wider display for immersive gaming and media consumption. 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 gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a powerful gaming experience with its high-performance GPU and a screen that refreshes very quickly, which are crucial for smooth 3D and gaming visuals. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 also provides a good gaming and 3D experience, but with a slightly less powerful GPU and faster screen refresh rate as compared to the Acer, at the expense of weighing more which affects its portability.
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.
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.
Software Development
7.9
7.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 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
8.1
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it appealing for general tasks and detailed engineering work due to its accurate color representation. However, its lower refresh rate reduces its appeal for gaming or 3D applications which benefit from smoother visuals. The Dell Alienware m17 R5, while still delivering a high-quality image for everyday activities and professional design, fails to stand out for gaming and 3D work for the same reason, as its refresh rate isn't optimized for the high-speed graphics those tasks demand.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 has 5 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,599
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,599 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a quality IPS display with a higher resolution, lending to better screen clarity for general use, along with a well-regarded keyboard and speaker quality, however, it is less portable due to its lighter weight. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 boasts a larger screen size which may be preferable for those who prioritize a bigger display, accompanied by very good keyboard and speaker quality too, but has slightly lower portability with more weight and a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
8.2
7.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Acer Predator Helios 16 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 Dell Alienware m17 R5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Dell Alienware m17 R5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,599 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 15.6'' x 11.8'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 7.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 15.64" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 11.76" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | AMD Ryzen 7 6800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 97 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 | 480Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 301 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
Dell Alienware m17 R5
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NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | January 2023
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Dell Alienware m17 R5
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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