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Updated January 10, 2024·
Given your preferences, consider the following: The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers strong performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks at a more affordable price but is less portable due to its weight and shorter battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14" provides excellent portability with its lightweight design and extended battery life, superior display quality, and higher build quality, but it is generally more expensive. If intensive tasks and gaming are your focus, and price is a consideration, the Acer might suit you; whereas if you prioritize a more portable device with a top-class screen and battery life for general use, the MacBook Pro is more suitable. 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
- The Acer Predator Helios 300 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) excels in portability, long battery life, and has a superior screen quality which enhances its suitability for general use over the Acer Predator Helios 300, which, while having a decent screen and adequate CPU and RAM for daily tasks, falls behind in battery performance and is bulkier, making it less portable. However, the Acer's build is more tailored towards gaming aesthetics and includes a dedicated GPU, which can be beneficial for certain applications, but for users prioritizing ease of carrying and longer unplugged usage, the MacBook Pro is the better option.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 300, with its Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU, is a strong performer for engineering tasks and offers a good-sized screen with a high refresh rate which is great for design, but its thicker form and heavier weight affect portability. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023), in contrast, stands out with its high-resolution Mini LED screen and highly efficient Apple M2 Pro chipset for engineering and design, while also providing significantly better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller dimensions.
Content Creation
7.3
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 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
7.1
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
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
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios 300 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
Considering general use, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers superior panel technology, higher resolution, and exceptional brightness, enhancing visual clarity and detail. For engineering and design, it boasts wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation crucial for detail-oriented tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which are key for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
3.5 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,099
$1,630
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) costs $1,630.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.2
7.0
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a robust GPU and a high screen refresh rate, making it ideal for smooth and detailed gaming experiences, which also benefits 3D applications; however, the Apple MacBook Pro 14's GPU and high-quality screen provide excellent 3D rendering capabilities, but its gaming potential is limited by the narrower range of compatible games for macOS.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $1,630 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Apple M2 Pro (10C) | |
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 | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 489 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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.
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