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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a more advanced laptop with a higher price, suited for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning due to its powerful CPU and dedicated graphics card. Its heftier build means it's not as easily portable as other models and it may have shorter battery life compared to less powerful laptops. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is a budget-friendlier option that still offers good capabilities for general use and can handle moderate everyday tasks. It comes with integrated graphics, making it less suitable for demanding graphics applications, but it will be lighter and potentially offer better battery life, making it more convenient for on-the-go usage. 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 engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.3
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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 15 3530 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.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 features a high-performance Intel i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks that require substantial computational power and graphic processing capabilities, as well as a high-quality screen for detailed visual work. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, with an Intel i5 processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics, offers adequate performance for engineering and design, but with less processing grunt than the Helios 300, it may compromise on speed during complex tasks while offering better portability and quieter operation.
Screen Quality
7.3
6.6
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a better screen due to higher resolution and brightness which makes text clearer and images more vibrant, whereas the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 provides acceptable but not as impressive visuals, making it serviceable for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, the Acer's wider color gamuts enable more accurate color representation which is crucial for detailed work, but the Dell's fair color gamut still allows for a reasonable level of precision. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the Acer's lower refresh rate hinders the smoothness and responsiveness of moving images, while the Dell's performance in this aspect is also limited, thus they both fall short for fast-paced immersive experiences.
Battery
3.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
6.2
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,204
$699
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $699.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a higher-end CPU and dedicated graphics, making it well-suited for demanding tasks, though its heavier weight and shorter battery life affect portability. In comparison, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is lighter and has longer battery life, catering to on-the-go use with solid performance for everyday tasks, but its integrated graphics are less suitable for graphic-intensive activities.
Content Creation
7.3
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Dell Inspiron 15 3530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios 300
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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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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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