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Updated January 12, 2024·
The correct statement about these two laptops is that the Acer Predator Helios 300 is cheaper than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019), not the other way around. If high-performance gaming or tasks requiring a dedicated graphics card are your priority, and you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is a good fit. It offers powerful gaming capabilities but is heavier and typically has shorter battery life, making it less portable. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, is well-suited for professional creative work such as video editing, graphic design, has a sleeker design, longer battery life, and is lighter for better portability, but it tends to come at a higher price and may be less optimal for gaming due to its different operating system and typically less powerful graphics hardware. Choose the Helios 300 for more specialized tasks like gaming, or the MacBook Pro for a blend of performance and portability, along with a premium build quality, at a higher cost. 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 Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.4
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications primarily because it possesses a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which is crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced games.
Content Creation
7.3
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
7.8
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
477.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios 300 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Apple MacBook Pro offer crisp, bright displays with high resolution, making text and images clear and vibrant. However, for tasks like engineering and design, the MacBook Pro excels as it typically covers a wider color gamut, offering more precise color reproduction which is essential for professional photo and video editing. But for 3D applications and gaming, the Acer's refresh rate may fall short compared to other gaming laptops designed with higher refresh rates which provide smoother motion and a better experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
3.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) has 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 16 (Late 2019) 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
$1,204
$502
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) costs $502.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
477.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300, with its high-refresh-rate display and gaming-oriented hardware, including a potent GPU and a decent CPU, offers a solid performance for general use and gaming but is less portable due to its weight and shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) are both 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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $502 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | October 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.64'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 4.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 9.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-9750H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 100 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 477 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 4 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
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 16 (Late 2019)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
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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