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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, making it well-suited for intensive gaming due to its more powerful GPU. However, it’s heavier, reducing its portability, and has shorter battery life, which is less ideal for on-the-go use. In contrast, the Acer Swift X (2022) is lighter, making it more portable, and has a longer battery life, perfect for general use and travel. The Swift X also has a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, which is favorable for content creation but its GPU is slightly less powerful, affecting performance in graphic-intensive tasks. Both laptops are similarly priced, so your choice will hinge on balancing the need for performance against portability and battery life. 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 300
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Acer Swift X (2022)
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.6
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is preferred for gaming and 3D due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which provide smoother visuals and better rendering for fast-paced games. In contrast, the Acer Swift X (2022) packs a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, making it less ideal for intensive gaming even with its high screen resolution and quality.
Software Development
7.1
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift X (2022) 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
7.3
7.0
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
330.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Predator Helios 300 and Acer Swift X have screens with clear resolution and sufficient brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and office applications. Engineers and designers will appreciate the wide color gamuts offered by both laptops, as accurate colors are critical for their work. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may result in less fluid visuals, which is less ideal for fast-paced or graphically intensive experiences.
Battery
3.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift X has 10 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
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2022) has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,099
$1,313
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Acer Swift X (2022) costs $1,313.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
330.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Acer Swift X (2022) both have solid CPUs and ample RAM, ensuring good performance for general use tasks. However, the Swift X boasts a higher resolution and brighter screen, better battery life, and higher portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, making it more suitable for on-the-go use, while the Helios 300, being heavier with a less impressive battery, is better for stationary use.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Acer Swift X (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a powerful CPU and GPU combination suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks, and a high-refresh-rate screen that's serviceable for such work, but it's heavier and less portable. In contrast, the Acer Swift X (2022) pairs a capable CPU and GPU with a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, which benefits design work, in a lighter and more portable form factor.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.6
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Acer Predator Helios 300 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 300 and the Acer Swift X (2022) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Acer Swift X (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $1,313 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 12.3'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.09 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 58.7 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 330 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 300
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | November 2022
"The Acer Predator Helios 300 review is an overclocked gaming laptop with a good display. The Predator is large, heavy, and loud, but also offers plenty of performance according to gamers. An overclocked gaming laptop - or its user - also has to struggle with the usual disadvantages we mentioned above. On the other hand, overclocking is optional, and those who like it quieter and can live with a few less frames per second can also switch to the significantly more moderate Standard mode. Then the Helios 300 won't be any louder than the competitors."
Acer Swift X (2022)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Acer Swift X (2022)
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.
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