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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7, consider that the Alienware typically costs more but offers higher screen resolution, a more powerful graphics card, and longer battery life, which is great for gaming and creative work on the go. On the other hand, the Helios 300 is less expensive and offers solid performance for its price, making it suitable for general use and gaming. Both are not the lightest laptops, so while they offer good performance for gaming and demanding tasks, they aren't the most portable options for frequent travelers. 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 Dell Alienware m15 R7.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
7.8
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is somewhat better.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3060 and a screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, making it suitable for gaming and 3D tasks within a certain performance range, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is geared towards more demanding gaming and 3D performance thanks to the more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a higher refresh rate of 240 Hz.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is considered very good for engineering and design due to its superior processing capabilities with an AMD Ryzen 9 and a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, coupled with a higher resolution screen which enhances detail and color accuracy; it outperforms the Acer Predator Helios 300 which has an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, though the Helios still provides adequate power and screen quality for engineering tasks. Both are somewhat heavy and bulky, reducing portability, with the Alienware having an edge with a better keyboard and speaker quality, but both could have distracting operational noise under heavy use.
Screen Quality
7.3
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios 300 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a balance of resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate detracts from the fluid visuals desired in gaming and 3D applications. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 boasts a high-quality display with sharp resolution and strong color reproduction, enhancing both everyday and professional design activities; however, for gaming and 3D tasks, its lower refresh rate may not provide the smoothness desired despite its visual fidelity. Both models prioritize different aspects of screen quality, excelling in productivity and creative work while falling short in providing the high refresh rates needed for optimal gaming and 3D experiences.
Battery
3.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 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.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good 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
$2,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is suitable for general use with a good balance of CPU and RAM, providing solid performance in a fairly portable design, but its battery life is on the lower side. In comparison, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a higher screen resolution and quality, better speaker and heat management, and improved battery life at the expense of a slight increase in weight and dimensions, which might impact portability.
Content Creation
7.3
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Software Development
7.1
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Predator Helios 300 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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.
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