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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering work due to its more powerful processor and GPU, which is suitable if you're looking at demanding applications or gaming; however, it is heavier and has shorter battery life than the Gateway 15.6". On the other hand, the Gateway has high portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, which makes it a better choice for general use and if you prefer to work on the go, but it has less capability for intensive tasks as it has a less powerful processor and integrated graphics. 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 for software development
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.0
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a high refresh rate screen, making it well suited for gaming and 3D tasks, while the Gateway 15.6" laptop utilizes an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate screen, which offers fair performance for gaming and 3D applications but is not as capable as the Acer in these domains.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a more powerful Intel i7 processor and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, which are crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, whereas the Gateway 15.6" utilizes an Intel i5 processor with integrated graphics, less suitable for intensive applications.
Screen Quality
7.3
6.1
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a brighter display with higher resolution, resulting in clearer images and text, which is why it's good for general use and engineering tasks where detail is key. For engineering and design, this laptop's screen covers a wider range of colors, providing accuracy crucial for professional work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops diminishes its capacity to render smooth visuals in fast-paced games, making it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
3.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" has 8 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
5.1
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,099
$600
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $600.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a powerful Intel i7 CPU, making it suitable for more demanding tasks, while its high-refresh-rate screen enhances the experience in fast-paced applications, but its heavier weight and brief battery life limit its portability. The Gateway 15.6" features a less powerful Intel i5 CPU and a standard screen which is fine for general tasks, it's lighter and has a longer battery life for better on-the-go use, although it sacrifices in performance for intense applications and has less robust heat management.
Content Creation
7.3
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios 300 to be good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 15.6" to have 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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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,099 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | Unknown | |
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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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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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."
Gateway 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Gateway 15.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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