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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" depends on your needs. The Acer is bulkier and heavier, aimed at gaming and intensive tasks with its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. It has a larger, higher resolution display which is great for multimedia and work, but this also means shorter battery life. Conversely, the Surface Laptop is sleeker, lighter, and ideal for on-the-go use with longer battery life but isn't suited for heavy gaming or demanding applications due to less graphical power. It’s perfect for general use like web browsing, office tasks, and watching videos. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is equipped with a more powerful CPU and graphics card, which, combined with a high-quality, larger screen, make it suitable for general use as well as demanding tasks, but its weight and battery life trade off portability.
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.1
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2
7.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 is somewhat better.
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
7.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you need a laptop primarily for general use, the Acer Predator Helios 16 offers superior screen resolution and brightness, making for a vibrant and sharp display, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" delivers good quality but may not be as bright or clear. For engineering and design work, the Helios 16's wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color reproduction, essential for detailed design tasks, compared to the Surface Laptop 5 which is satisfactory but not as precise. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on the Helios 16 could make fast-paced scenes less smooth compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming, whereas the Surface Laptop 5, despite a good resolution and panel type, also falls short in providing that fluid gaming experience due to a similar limitation.
Portability
Fair
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,599
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,599 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,599 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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