If your primary concern is performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or heavy gaming, the Acer Predator Helios 16 is the superior choice, thanks to its more powerful processor and graphics card. However, this comes at a cost of portability and battery life, with the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 being lighter, offering a longer battery performance, and being easier to carry around for everyday use. The ThinkPad Z13 also has a touchscreen and is better suited for business use with its more professional appearance, while the Predator Helios has a gaming aesthetic and features such as a higher refresh rate display for smoother visuals in fast-paced games. Both have good build quality, keyboards, and displays, but the overall best fit will heavily depend on whether you prioritize portability and battery life or raw performance for demanding applications. 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 ThinkPad Z13
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.3/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
7.3/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16, equipped with a high-performance CPU and a more powerful GPU, offers better screen quality with higher resolution and refresh rate, making it very good for demanding engineering and design tasks. Whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while still capable for engineering and design with competent CPU and GPU, excels in portability and has a superior keyboard, which are somewhat important aspects, but its screen quality and performance are not as advanced as the Helios 16.
Screen Quality
8.8/10
7.0/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Predator Helios 16 offers an outstanding balance of resolution, panel type, and brightness, resulting in clear and vivid visuals. When it comes to engineering and design, it delivers expansive color gamuts, helping professionals see their work with enhanced accuracy and vibrant color reproduction. However, the Helios 16's lower refresh rate lessens its appeal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion is key for an immersive experience.
Battery
6.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
13.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
$1,236
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,236 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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 ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is good for general use as it offers a high-performance CPU and substantial RAM, along with a high-quality screen and ample storage, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, which also boasts a strong CPU, sufficient RAM, and a touch-enabled, quality screen, all packed into a highly portable design with longer battery life. While the Helios 16 has a gaming laptop appearance with better heat management and speaker quality that could appeal to mixed-use, the ThinkPad Z13, with its premium business look, excellent keyboard, and quieter operation, might be more suited for mobile professionals.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.8/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.7/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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."
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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
125,895
Recommendations made
27,278
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.