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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 16, which is generally less expensive, could be a good option if you prioritize value for money and still want good performance for general use, gaming, and engineering tasks. It has a substantial battery, but the battery life is average, and it offers a mix of portability and power suitable for a range of tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17 comes at a higher cost but provides higher storage capacity, more memory, and an elevated processor and graphics card performance, which would be beneficial for the most intensive workflows and multitasking demands. It has a larger screen which enhances visual workspace but also means it's less portable and has a slightly shorter battery life. Choose the MSI if top-tier performance is critical and cost is less of a concern, otherwise, the Acer might be the more balanced 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
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.0
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.5
9.1
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
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
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good for gaming and 3D tasks with its powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a high 240Hz screen refresh rate, which ensures smooth visuals, but the MSI Stealth 17 is considered excellent in the same categories because it features an even more robust Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU alongside the same high refresh rate for unmatched gaming performance and visual fluidity.
Engineering and Design
8.7
9.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good.
The MSI Stealth 17 outshines the Acer Predator Helios 16 for engineering and design use due to its more powerful processor, significantly higher RAM capacity, and superior graphics card. While both laptops have quality screens and sufficient ports, the Stealth 17's better hardware specifications make it a stronger choice for demanding tasks, albeit with a potential tradeoff in portability and higher cost.
Content Creation
8.2
8.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
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
8.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is 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.
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 Stealth 17 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
If you're focused on everyday tasks or office applications, either the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the MSI Stealth 17 will serve you well with clear resolution and a bright display. For engineers and designers, both laptops offer a wide range of colors, ensuring your work appears vibrant and accurate onscreen. However, if your primary activity is gaming or working with 3D applications, you may find the refresh rate lacking on both models, which can lead to less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes or animations.
Cost
$1,236
$3,899
$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 Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 17 and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 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 MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,236 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5.5 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 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 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 Stealth 17
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NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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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.
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