The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a more suitable choice if you prioritize high-end gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, as it offers strong performance and advanced graphics capabilities. However, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, so it's less portable than the Dell Latitude 5430. On the other hand, the Dell Latitude 5430 serves well for general use and business applications with longer battery life and lighter weight for better portability. It might not handle intensive gaming or demanding creative applications as well due to its less powerful processor and integrated graphics. If you're budget-conscious and mainly working on less demanding tasks, the Latitude 5430 could fit your needs at a lower price, while if you need a machine capable of handling demanding applications, the Helios 16 may justify the higher cost. 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 Latitude 5430
Very good portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for general use, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers superior performance for general use with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM of the Dell Latitude 5430, as well as a higher quality screen with better color coverage and brightness, making it particularly good for multimedia tasks. However, the Latitude 5430 excels in portability, with a lighter build and longer battery life, making it a better option for users who prioritize mobility and longer work sessions without charging.
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Latitude 5430 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
8.7/10
6.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Latitude 5430 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is equipped with a powerful CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU than the Dell Latitude 5430, making it better for demanding engineering and design tasks that require a lot of processing power and graphical performance; it also boasts a higher-quality screen with better resolution and color accuracy. However, the Latitude 5430 is lighter and more portable, with a higher battery life, making it more suitable for users who prioritize mobility and longer unplugged use, albeit at the sacrifice of processing power and graphics capability for engineering software.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.2/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Latitude 5430 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
7.9/10
7.1/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Latitude 5430 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
8.8/10
6.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
248.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Dell Latitude 5430 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 likely has a high-resolution display and brightness, improving clarity and visibility for general use and detail work required in engineering and design, along with wide color gamuts, which ensure accurate color representation crucial for these fields. However, its possibly lower refresh rate may not be ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion representation is key. Conversely, the Dell Latitude 5430, with fair screen characteristics, offers an average experience across the board, not excelling in any particular area but also not falling significantly short for general use and engineering tasks.
Battery
6.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Latitude 5430 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Latitude 5430 has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,599
$790
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,599 and the Dell Latitude 5430 costs $790.
"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 Dell Latitude 5430
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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
111,195
Recommendations made
24,093
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.