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Updated January 12, 2024·
If price is a significant concern and you're looking for a less expensive option, the Acer Predator Helios 300 will likely be the more budget-friendly choice. The Dell Alienware x14 R1, being somewhat more expensive, offers a higher battery capacity and more compact design, which means better battery life and portability, making it well-suited for gaming or demanding applications on the go. However, if performance for engineering tasks is critical, and you don't need the high portability, the Acer could suffice. Keep in mind, both have powerful processors and graphics cards, but the Alienware's more recent CPU might provide a slight edge in performance. If you need a larger screen, the Acer's 15.6-inch display could be preferable over the Alienware's 14-inch. Ultimately, the decision depends on what balance of performance, portability, screen size, and price is right for you. 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 x14 R1.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware x14 R1
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
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
7.3
7.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 is somewhat better.
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
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for software development, though the Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
7.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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 screens on both the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 perform well in general use and engineering due to their high resolution and brightness, delivering clear and vibrant images that are crucial for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work. Additionally, they support wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction for tasks like photo editing and graphic design. However, for gaming and 3D applications, they fall short because of their lower refresh rates, which can't deliver the same smooth visuals that more specialized gaming laptops offer, even though the resolution and panel type are satisfactory.
Battery
3.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware x14 R1 has 9 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
4.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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
8.5
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 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.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
411.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300's solid CPU and RAM handle general tasks effectively, but lesser portability and battery life can limit mobility, while it's screen is decent for everyday use. Conversely, the Dell Alienware x14 R1, with a higher-end CPU and similar RAM, offers excellent portability and longer battery life, making it better suited for on-the-go use, plus a higher-quality screen enhances visual tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.2
7.6
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware x14 R1 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Dell Alienware x14 R1 both feature the Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which are key for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D rendering. The similar GPU means they'll deliver comparable graphics performance, and the high refresh rate ensures fluid motion in fast-paced games and animations.
Cost
$1,204
$1,201
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 costs $1,201.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Alienware x14 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Dell Alienware x14 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $1,201 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 12.7'' x 10.3'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 4.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 10.34" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-12700H | |
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 | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 411 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 8.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
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."
Dell Alienware x14 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Alienware X14 series is thinner, but also slower than the competition. With the X series, you get plenty of modern technology: Intel Alder Lake CPUs, GeForce RTX 3000 GPUs, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6E, G-Sync, and Advanced Optimus. However, the slim design has some drawbacks, just like its larger siblings. The shifted hinge position results in a very deep device with a large footprint compared to the competition."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Dell Alienware x14 R1
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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