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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your top priority is gaming and high-resolution content, the MSI GE66 Raider, with its more powerful processor and higher resolution screen, is suitable, but it comes at a higher price and with less portability. On the other hand, the Acer Predator Helios 16 is a more budget-friendly option with a slightly less powerful GPU but a higher refresh rate screen, offering smooth visuals for gaming. Both have ample storage and significant RAM, but the MSI has double the memory, which is advantageous for demanding tasks. The Acer's battery life estimates are similar to MSI's despite having a slightly smaller battery. Consider the Raider if performance is paramount and the Helios for a balance between cost and capability, especially if you favor a larger, yet less sharp, screen for gaming. Both are capable devices for engineering tasks but MSI may edge out in performance due to its superior CPU and RAM. 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
- The Acer Predator Helios 16 has no clear advantages over the MSI GE66 Raider.
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.8
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the MSI GE66 Raider for general use, and gaming and AI, while the MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen for content creation.
In choosing between the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the MSI GE66 Raider, consider that for general use, both laptops offer crisp visuals and bright displays which are essential for reading text and viewing images or videos. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops provide wide color gamuts ensuring accurate color reproduction which is crucial for detailed graphics work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates may lead to less smooth visuals which can be a disadvantage for fast-paced games or rendering motion graphics.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
$3,199
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,236 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.
The MSI GE66 Raider boasts a superior processor and double the RAM of the Acer Predator Helios 16, providing better multitasking capabilities and performance for demanding tasks. Despite both laptops having high-quality screens and large storage, the MSI's substantially better portability and marginally longer battery life favor users needing a versatile, powerful machine on-the-go.
Gaming and AI
8.5
8.6
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for gaming and AI.
The MSI GE66 Raider offers exceptional performance in gaming and 3D tasks due to its top-tier graphics card, the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti, which outpaces the still very capable Nvidia RTX 4070 in the Acer Predator Helios 16; additionally, the Raider has a higher screen quality, with a 4K display versus the Helios's 2.5K, but a lower refresh rate which is less optimal for fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GE66 Raider to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good.
The MSI GE66 Raider offers superior CPU and double the RAM of the Acer Predator Helios 16, enhancing performance for demanding engineering and design tasks. Although both have high-quality, color-accurate screens, the MSI also packs a more powerful GPU and higher screen resolution, which can be crucial for graphics-intensive projects, while the Acer trades some power for slightly better portability and lower operating noise.
Content Creation
8.2
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GE66 Raider to be very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is good.
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
6.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GE66 Raider and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,236 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 16
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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."
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the MSI GE66 Raider
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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