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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is more expensive but offers greater storage, a more powerful GPU and CPU, and a higher refresh rate display which is excellent for intensive gaming and engineering tasks. The tradeoff is it's heavier and has a shorter battery life than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5. The Legion Slim 5 is less expensive, lighter, and has longer battery life, making it more portable; however, it offers less storage and less powerful components, impacting performance in demanding applications. If portability and price are your primary concerns, the Legion Slim 5 is the better option, but if you need higher performance for gaming or engineering, the Predator Helios 16 is the better choice. 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 gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
7.7
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and 3D applications because it has a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate compared to the Lenovo Legion Slim 5, which still performs well due to its capable GPU and screen refresh rate, but is slightly less suited for extremely fluid visuals and the most demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is well-suited for engineering and design thanks to its high-performance CPU and GPU, abundant RAM, and superior screen quality with high resolution and color accuracy, making it powerful for computing and visual tasks but it's less portable and has moderate battery life.
Content Creation
8.2
7.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Slim 5 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
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers vivid colors and sharp images with its high resolution, making it suitable for both general use and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate may not suit the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 provides a balanced display that is sufficiently bright and clear for everyday tasks and professional design programs, although it might fall short for true color-critical work due to lesser coverage of professional color gamuts. For gaming and 3D, both laptops do not prioritize the high refresh rates that facilitate smoother motion, which is crucial for an optimal experience in fast-action scenes.
Cost
$1,236
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,236 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a suitable choice for general use because of its high-quality screen, capable CPU, and RAM that handle everyday tasks efficiently, though it's less portable and has shorter battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 also offers good performance for general tasks with its decent CPU and RAM, and it has the advantage of being lighter and having a longer battery life, but its screen and speaker quality are not as high compared to the Acer.
Software Development
7.9
7.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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 Slim 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Lenovo Legion Slim 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,236 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 5.29 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
Lenovo Legion Slim 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
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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