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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is less expensive, offering solid performance with the latest Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics. It's also slightly more portable and has a 16-inch screen that's well-suited for general and engineering use. Conversely, the MSI Raider GE76 costs more but comes with more RAM, a slightly older yet powerful Intel i7 processor, and a top-tier Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, making it better for the most intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. It has a larger 17.3-inch screen but is heavier, which might affect portability. 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 Raider GE76.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE76
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.8
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the MSI Raider GE76 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the MSI Raider GE76 has a better screen for content creation.
If you prioritize a vivid display and sharp images for everyday tasks or professional design work, both the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the MSI Raider GE76 offer excellent resolution and brightness, along with a wide color gamut that ensures accurate color reproduction. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial, their lower refresh rates may not provide the smoothest experience. In contrast, laptops specifically designed for gaming often feature higher refresh rates to accommodate fast-paced actions, even if it means a trade-off in other display qualities.
Portability
Fair
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider GE76 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Raider GE76 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
$3,552
$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 Raider GE76 costs $3,552.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The MSI Raider GE76 and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.
The MSI Raider GE76 excels in general use over the Acer Predator Helios 16 because it has double the memory, which significantly improves multitasking, and a higher quality keyboard, enhancing the user experience for daily tasks. However, the Acer is more portable due to being lighter, though its smaller screen and lower speaker quality may affect the overall entertainment experience compared to the MSI's larger display and better speakers.
Gaming and AI
8.5
8.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE76 and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for gaming and AI.
The MSI Raider GE76, with its excellent Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU, offers superior gaming and 3D performance compared to the very good Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU of the Acer Predator Helios 16; both laptops have equivalent screen refresh rates of 240Hz, which are critical for smooth visuals during fast-paced action. The MSI has a somewhat larger screen and marginally better battery capacity, while both have similar screen quality with high-resolution IPS panels, adding to the gaming and visual experiences.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE76 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 offers a solid engineering and design experience with a capable processor and graphics card, along with a high-quality screen. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE76 excels due to its more powerful graphics card, double the RAM for multitasking or complex tasks, and a similarly high-quality screen but with a larger size, which may contribute to its lower portability.
Content Creation
8.2
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE76 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
8.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE76 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 Raider GE76 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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the MSI Raider GE76 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | MSI Raider GE76 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,236 | $3,552 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 15.6'' x 11.2'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 15.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 11.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i7-12700H | |
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 | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 498 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 5.9/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
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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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."
MSI Raider GE76
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2022
"The MSI Raider GE76: with Alder Lake and RTX 3080 Ti to gaming heaven. Yes, MSI could improve some aspects (like the quality of the webcam), but the manufacturer offers a very convincing and balanced overall package. The biggest advantage is definitely the immense performance potential. The combination of Core i9-12900HK, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 32 GB DDR5 RAM and two NVMe SSDs offers a lot of performance for the next couple of years and plenty of power for 3D applications. Most titles would run smoothly on an external 4K screen no matter the quality preset. We came away impressed with the integrated 360 Hz panel's fast response times and good color accuracy."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the MSI Raider GE76
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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