A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
499.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is very good for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
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
6.0
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
6.2
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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.
Content Creation
8.2
7.0
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
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
8.0
6.7
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
499.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" has 8 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 15.6" has 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
5.1
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,599
$600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) has a price of $1,599 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $600.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,599 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2024 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.9'' x 0.98'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.88" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-14700HX | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 499 nits | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024)
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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."
Gateway 15.6"
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PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 (2024) or the Gateway 15.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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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