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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 depends on your needs. The Acer Predator is more expensive but offers higher performance, with a better processor and graphics card, making it suitable for intensive tasks like 3D work, machine learning, and gaming. It also has a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy and refresh rate. However, it's heavier and less portable than the Lenovo IdeaPad, which is more budget-friendly and sufficient for general use like web browsing, office work, and media consumption. The IdeaPad has a lower-quality display and less powerful hardware, impacting its ability to handle demanding applications, but it is lighter and more portable for everyday carry. If you prioritize gaming and productivity for demanding tasks over portability and cost, the Acer may be more appropriate, whereas if you want something for casual use without breaking the bank, the Lenovo could be a better fit. 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
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.0
6.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 generally outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" due to its superior CPU and RAM, which provide better overall performance, and a high-quality screen with better resolution and visuals, offering a more premium experience. However, it's less portable and has lower battery life than the IdeaPad, which is lighter with better battery efficiency, making it more suitable for users prioritizing mobility and longer use away from power outlets.
Gaming and AI
8.5
5.8
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 excels in gaming and 3D because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 240Hz, which can render fast-moving images smoothly. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" falls short for these tasks due to its entry-level Intel UHD Xe G4 graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, which may struggle with demanding visual content.
Engineering and Design
8.7
5.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is equipped with a higher-performing CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU, which are essential for engineering and design software, while also boasting a high-quality IPS screen with a better resolution, ensuring clearer and more detailed visuals. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a lower-tier CPU, less RAM, integrated graphics that struggle with engineering tasks, and a lower quality TN screen with a lower resolution, which may not render designs as crisply or accurately.
Content Creation
8.2
6.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
6.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
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
5.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 likely offers a display with high resolution and brightness levels that make it suitable for general use and detailed work in engineering and design, along with broad color coverage which is crucial for those fields. However, despite these qualities, its screen might have a lower refresh rate, which diminishes the gaming and 3D experience where fluid motion is key. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" probably has a lower-resolution screen, less brightness, and a narrower color gamut, making it less ideal for any of the use cases, particularly for tasks that rely on visual detail and color accuracy.
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.5
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,236
$360
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,236 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" costs $360.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,236 | $360 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.26" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 9.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 35 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | February 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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