The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a higher-end gaming laptop with more powerful components, making it ideal for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, engineering, and gaming but with a relatively shorter battery life and heavier build. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i, being significantly less expensive, offers a slim and light design favorable for portability, a longer battery life suitable for general use and professional work on-the-go, but it has less storage and is not as suited for high-end gaming or demanding engineering applications. Choose the Acer for performance if that's a priority, or the Lenovo for portability and value. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
9.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
7.1/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16, with a high-performance CPU and GPU and superior screen quality, stands out for demanding engineering and design tasks that require robust processing power and high resolution, but it's heavier and not as portable. Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i, despite having good CPU and RAM for general engineering use, falls behind with a less powerful integrated GPU and lower screen resolution, which makes it more suitable for less intensive tasks, although it is lighter and offers better portability.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.7/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
8.8/10
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
340.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the Acer Predator Helios 16, its strong resolution and brightness make the screen ideal for everyday tasks and detail-oriented work like engineering, but its lower refresh rate is less optimal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i also offers a good display for general activities and precise color work due to its satisfactory resolution and color range, but like the Helios, it falls short for gaming and 3D use due to a less suitable refresh rate. Both laptops may serve well for general use and professional design tasks, but dedicated gamers and those working extensively with 3D graphics might seek alternatives with higher refresh rates for the smoothest visual experience.
Battery
6.5 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has 11.5 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
$899
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,599 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i costs $899.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a strong CPU and graphics card, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, making it well-suited for general use that may include demanding applications or multitasking, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i 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
7.4/10
7.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i compare to other laptops
"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."
"Among Lenovo's multiple laptop brands, the IdeaPad family is decidedly the one designed for consumers: people who want decent performance at a reasonable price. Consider, then, this laptop a paragon for the pickier members of that crowd. With a 14-inch touch-enabled display, a comfortable keyboard, an Evo-certified Intel Core i7 11th Generation CPU, and the latest Windows 11 operating system, the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro ultraportable ($1,199 as tested) is a slick mainstream machine at a bit of a premium price, and quite capable for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
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.
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.