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Predator Helios 16
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Stealth 18 AI Studio
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·

If you're looking for a laptop primarily for gaming and don't mind a bit of extra weight and reduced battery life for the sake of saving money, the Acer Predator Helios could serve you well. However, if your work involves professional-grade 3D rendering, machine learning, or other engineering tasks and you require superior performance with a sleeker design for easier portability, the MSI Stealth would be a better fit despite its higher cost. Keep in mind that the MSI might also offer a more robust build and potentially better display quality, which can be important for creative professionals. 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
  • Excellent for engineering and design
  • Very good for software development
  • Very good overall build quality
  • Very good speakers
  • Very good keyboard

Key differences

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Screen Quality

8.8
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
8.4
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
498.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen for content creation, and software development.

Build Quality

7.4
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 has good build quality.

Cost

$1,526
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
$2,900
Product image
Product image

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,526 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities

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General Use

8.0
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
498.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for general use.

Gaming and AI

8.5
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
8.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

8.7
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
9.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is very good.

Content Creation

8.2
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
8.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Acer Predator Helios 16 are both very good for content creation.

Software Development

7.9
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
8.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 is good.

Battery

6.5 Hours
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
6.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 hours of battery life.

Portability

Fair
Predator Helios 16
Stealth 18 AI Studio
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Acer Predator Helios 16MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
Acer Predator Helios 16MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio

GENERAL

Price
$1,526
$2,900
Release Date
March 1, 2023March 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
14.2'' x 10.9'' x 1''15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94''
Weight
5.73 lbs6.15 lbs
Width
14.15"15.75"
Depth
10.88"11.4"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i7-13700HXIntel Core Ultra 9 185H
RAM
16 GB32 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
22
Storage
1024 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
6.5 Hours6 Hours
Battery Capacity
90 Wh99.9 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
16"18"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
2560 x 16002560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
240Hz240Hz
Display Brightness
498 nits305 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.4/108/10
Portability Score
6.4/106/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/107.5/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7.5/108.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
7/108/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
NoYes
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
YesYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
32
USB-C ports
22
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
33
Thunderbolt Version
44

Shopping

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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."

Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio

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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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.

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