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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is better suited for gaming and engineering tasks due to a higher-performance graphics card, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a more lightweight, portable design with a premium OLED touchscreen. The Predator has a larger screen and a higher refresh rate ideal for fast-paced gaming and intensive graphics work. However, if portability and longer battery life are important, the XPS 13 Plus is easier to carry with its smaller size and weighs less. For general use such as office work or web browsing, both laptops are well-equipped, but if high-resolution image quality and touch capability are priorities, the XPS 13 Plus stands out. 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
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13 Plus
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.4
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus 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.
Screen Quality
8.8
8.4
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 Plus for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general usage, where you value text clarity and vibrant display, both the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus offer excellent resolution and brightness with panels that provide crisp images and good viewing angles. In engineering and design, where accurate color representation matters, the Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out with a wider color gamut coverage, ensuring that the colors you see on-screen are precise and consistent. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops may not be ideal due to their lower refresh rates, which could lead to less fluid motion compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming that usually feature higher refresh rates.
Battery
6.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 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
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 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
$1,849
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus costs $1,849.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out for general use with its superior portability, better battery life, and higher quality OLED screen, enhancing the overall experience for everyday tasks. In contrast, the Acer Predator Helios 16, while offering a solid CPU and more RAM, is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go usage despite its strong performance.
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell XPS 13 Plus are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios 16's strong CPU and GPU alongside a large, high-refresh-rate screen make it suitable for engineering tasks that require high performance, although it's less portable due to its size and weight. In contrast, the Dell XPS 13 Plus offers ample RAM and a high-resolution OLED screen that is advantageous for precision work, and it's highly portable with a thin and light design, but has less graphical power due to its integrated graphics.
Content Creation
8.2
8.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 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
8.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 13 Plus 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 XPS 13 Plus compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Dell XPS 13 Plus |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,526 | $1,849 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 7.84" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i7-1280P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 374 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 9.2/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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 XPS 13 Plus
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The XPS 13 Plus is powerful, but has its drawbacks. Dell did not only update the processor generation, but also decided to offer two completely different models from now on. The XPS 13 Plus gets the faster Intel Alder Lake-P chips, and the Core i7-1260P in our review unit offers good performance figures. However, the device once again shows the problems of the current Intel CPUs, because the high performance requires a lot of power. This affects the battery runtime as well as temperatures, so the new model (even with the Optimized power profile) is louder than the older model."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Dell XPS 13 Plus
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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