The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for general use, 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 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.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
8.2/10
7.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good.
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
8.6/10
8.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both very good for engineering and design.
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
8.2/10
7.9/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
7.9/10
7.6/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both good for software development.
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 Dell Alienware m16 R2 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Acer Predator Helios 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,650
$1,650
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 16 has a price of $1,650 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 16 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 16 or the Dell Alienware m16 R2
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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
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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.