The Acer Predator Helios 16 typically offers high-end gaming performance with strong graphical capabilities, making it suitable for demanding games and content creation tasks. The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while also catering to gamers and creators, may provide a better value proposition if its performance meets your needs and the price difference is significant. The Predator may be more future-proof with potentially higher specifications but consider the Legion if you prioritize cost savings and still require competent performance for a mix of gaming, general use, and productivity tasks. Remember, increased performance often comes with a cost in terms of portability and battery life. Consider the weight and battery ratings if you plan to carry the laptop around frequently. It's essential to balance your specific needs for performance, features, and budget when making your decision. 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 content creation
Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.6/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Legion Pro 5i 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
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i have high-resolution displays with brilliant brightness and panel types that offer clear and sharp images, making them suitable for browsing, streaming, and productivity tasks. In terms of engineering and design, these laptops boast displays with wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation which is crucial for tasks like photo editing and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, they fall short due to lower refresh rates, which means they may not provide as fluid motion or as responsive an experience as screens tailored to these high-intensity visual tasks.
Battery
6.5 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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.
Cost
$1,526
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i costs $1,000.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is praised for its larger storage and more powerful graphics, providing smooth operation for various tasks, alongside a brighter and more vibrant screen, making it suitable for both work and entertainment. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro offers slightly higher portability with less weight and a slightly longer battery life, which could be beneficial for users who are often on the go, without significant compromises in performance, screen quality, or other important features.
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
8.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both very good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is equipped with a higher-end GPU which makes it more powerful for gaming and 3D applications, and it also features a screen with a higher refresh rate providing a smoother visual experience in games. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, while still offering a capable GPU and a quality display, has a lower refresh rate, which may not be as fluid during fast-paced gaming scenarios.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
8.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 stands out for engineering and design use due to its high-performance CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality featuring a higher refresh rate and color accuracy, which are essential for design precision and smooth multitasking. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i offers similar CPU and RAM benefits but the GPU is slightly less powerful and its screen, while still high-quality, has a lower refresh rate and color accuracy, which might not be as optimal for the most intensive design tasks.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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."
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
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.
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