A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024)
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.0
8.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
499.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) are both very good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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
8.3
6.7
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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
8.0
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is somewhat better.
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.
Software Development
8.0
8.6
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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
8.4
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
499.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
6.5 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,599
$1,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) has a price of $1,599 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) costs $1,899.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Content Creation
8.2
8.6
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) | Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,599 | $1,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 0.98'' | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 13.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-14700HX | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 66.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1864 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 499 nits | 501 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024)
See more
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."
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) or the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) vs. HP Omen 17
VS
Compare Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) vs. Eluktronics RP-15
VS
Compare Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) vs. Apple MacBook Air (2022)
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) vs. Dell XPS 16
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
112,395
Recommendations made
24,353
Consumer hours saved
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.
Featured in
