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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is less expensive and more portable than the Dell Alienware m18 R1, which can be important if you’re on a budget or frequently on the go. However, the Alienware m18 R1 has a larger screen, more RAM, and a slightly better processor and graphics card, making it potentially better for high-end gaming and intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications, but it's heavier and more costly. Both have a high refresh rate and multiple ports, but consider the Alienware if performance is a priority and the Helios if cost and portability are more important. 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 overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m18 R1
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
9.1
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.8
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m18 R1 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen for content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers vibrant colors and sharp details for tasks like browsing and streaming, thanks to its higher resolution and brightness, but for gaming and 3D work, its lower refresh rate makes fast-paced visuals less smooth. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m18 R1, while providing a decent resolution and brightness for everyday activities, also falls short for gaming due to a less optimal refresh rate. For engineering and design, both laptops deliver good color accuracy, essential for precise work, though neither stands out for gaming where the screen's responsiveness is key.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 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
8.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has very good 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
$2,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is suitable for general use with good keyboard and speaker quality, effective heat management, and less operating noise, which contributes to a comfortable user experience, alongside decent portability and battery life. However, the Dell Alienware m18 R1, with a very good keyboard and superior speaker quality, as well as top-notch heat management, provides a higher quality user experience for general use, despite its lower portability and shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very 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
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 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
8.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 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 Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,526 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 4 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 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 m18 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
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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