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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming due to its more robust dedicated graphics card. The tradeoff is that it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, which is lighter and offers longer battery life, ideal for general use and on-the-go productivity. The Dell also boasts a higher resolution screen with a taller aspect ratio that can be preferable for tasks like coding or document editing. However, for tasks demanding significant graphical processing, the Acer is the stronger option, although it comes at a higher price. 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
- Good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
326.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is somewhat better.
The Acer Predator Helios 300's robust CPU and dedicated graphics make it suitable for heavy tasks and some gaming, but its larger size and shorter battery life limit its portability. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offers a newer CPU, a high-resolution screen, double the storage, and a longer battery life, packaged in a more compact and lightweight design, making it highly portable while still powerful for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.6
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.3
7.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for content creation, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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
2240 x 1400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for software development, though the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 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
326.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, screen quality is typically judged by clarity, detail, and comfort for extended reading or web browsing. The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Dell Inspiron 14 Plus offer panels with good resolution and brightness that cater to these needs. For engineering and design, accurate color reproduction is vital, and both laptops provide a decent range of colors covering the important color gamuts; however, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial, the lower refresh rates of these screens are less ideal compared to models with higher refresh capabilities.
Battery
3.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has 6 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
3.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX GPU which is superior for handling demanding engineering software and design tasks, while its IPS screen offers decent color accuracy, but it comes with a heavier build affecting its portability. Meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus provides a balance with a higher resolution screen for sharp visuals and a lighter design for better portability, but its integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU may not be as powerful as the Predator's for highly intensive tasks.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Dell Inspiron 14 Plus both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,099
$1,162
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus costs $1,162.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Dell Inspiron 14 Plus |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $1,162 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | July 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.96" | |
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 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 64 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 | 326 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 8.1/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
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 | 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 Inspiron 14 Plus
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | August 2022
"The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus is for power users on a budget. If you're looking to maximize CPU and GPU performance on your next 14-inch laptop, then consider the pricier Razer Blade 14 or Asus Zephyrus G14. If you're looking for a thin-and-light 14-inch Ultrabook, then the Asus Zenbook 14 or LG Gram 14 may be better options. For the best of both worlds, however, the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7420 rides a fine line between extreme performance and portability while keeping prices at reasonable levels. Frequent travelers who rely on performance beyond what the Core U-series and integrated graphics series can offer will find the Dell to be a solid solution."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
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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