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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a good match for users who need high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming due to its more powerful processor and graphics card. However, this laptop is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 offers adequate performance for general use and engineering tasks at a lower price point. It is lighter with longer battery life, suitable for users who prioritize portability and battery life over top-tier performance. Both have a 16:10 display, good for productivity, but the Acer features a higher refresh rate, which benefits fast-paced visual contents. 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 Dell Inspiron 14 5425
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.2
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.7
7.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 excels in engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i7 CPU, substantial RAM, and high-end Nvidia RTX GPU which are crucial for demanding tasks, alongside a high-quality screen with superior color coverage and brightness. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is lighter, making it more portable, and still performs well with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated Vega graphics suitable for less demanding engineering tasks, but it lags behind in screen quality and raw performance power.
Content Creation
8.2
7.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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.
Screen Quality
8.8
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a high-resolution screen with brilliant colors and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and visual works like engineering and design, where clarity and color accuracy are key. However, despite its strengths, its lower refresh rate makes it less than ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where fluid motion is essential. The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 provides acceptable color and brightness for routine and professional tasks but doesn't excel in any specific area, including gaming and 3D work where its average refresh rate and color range limit performance.
Battery
6.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5425 has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,526
$500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 costs $500.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5425 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a high-performance CPU and abundant RAM, making it well-suited for multitasking and demanding applications, along with a superior screen quality for a vivid viewing experience, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the Dell Inspiron 14 5425. The Dell laptop, on the other hand, while having a capable processor and sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, is more portable with a longer battery life, which is advantageous for general use on the go, although it compromises on the screen refresh rate and gaming capabilities compared to the Acer.
Software Development
7.9
7.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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
7.0
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5425 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 Inspiron 14 5425 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Dell Inspiron 14 5425 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,526 | $500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
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 | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.1/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
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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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 Inspiron 14 5425
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NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | August 2022
"A slim chassis, an acceptable weight (1.6 kg) and a real-world battery life of almost 13 hours turn the Inspiron into a mobile companion. Good: The battery can not only be charged using Dell's proprietary power adapter, but also with a universal USB-C power adapter (min. 45 watts). Office and Internet applications are handled by the built-in combination of Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM just as easily as modest computer games. Heat and noise development are generally okay, but the laptop should work a bit quieter under full load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Dell Inspiron 14 5425
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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