The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a more affordable and moderately portable option with good all-around performance, suitable for both gaming and general use. Its smaller screen and lesser storage might be drawbacks if you need more space or a larger display. On the other hand, the HP Omen 17, while costlier, offers significantly more powerful performance, especially for 3D tasks, machine learning, and engineering software, along with a larger, higher resolution screen that's better for detailed work, but it’s less portable due to its size and weight. Both laptops have substantial battery life but reflect their gaming-oriented design, which may not appeal to those seeking a more professional appearance. 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 HP Omen 17.
Advantages of the HP Omen 17
Very good for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2/10
9.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The HP Omen 17, having a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, provides a superior gaming and 3D experience compared to the Acer Predator Helios 300, which is equipped with a lesser RTX 3060 GPU and a lower refresh rate of 144 Hz. Other factors like CPU and screen quality also contribute, but it's mainly the GPU strength and refresh rate that elevate the HP Omen 17's performance for these specific tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The HP Omen 17 leads in engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU, which are essential for intensive tasks and better screen quality that results in crisper visuals, while the Acer Predator Helios 300, having less powerful hardware and lower screen resolution, still offers good performance for less demanding engineering tasks. However, the Omen's larger screen and higher weight make it less portable compared to the more compact and lighter Helios 300, and while both have quality keyboards and manage heat and noise well, the Omen 17 has an edge with better speakers.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Omen 17 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
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
7.1/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The HP Omen 17 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for software development, though the HP Omen 17 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
7.3/10
7.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The HP Omen 17 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 features an excellent balance of resolution and brightness, making it a solid option for general tasks and detailed engineering or design work that requires accurate color representation. However, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops detracts from the smooth visuals critical for fast-paced gaming and 3D tasks. Conversely, the HP Omen 17, with similar benefits in resolution and brightness for general and professional use, falls short in providing the high refresh rates that are invaluable for an optimal gaming and 3D modeling experience.
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and HP Omen 17 both have only fair portability, though the Acer Predator Helios 300 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,204
$1,850
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the HP Omen 17 costs $1,850.
The HP Omen 17 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Battery
3.5 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The HP Omen 17 has 3.5 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
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and HP Omen 17 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the HP Omen 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The HP Omen 17 (2022) gaming laptop has a stylish case and hardware with lots of potential. The HP Omen 17 is a fairly unobtrusive gaming laptop. A material combination of plastic and metal gives the case a high stability and a quality surface feel. The unspectacular design is pleasing and is hardly indicative of the laptop's high performance potential. The Intel Core i7-12700H in particular is able to perform well once again. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti is also strong in the gaming notebook. Demanding games run smoothly in Full HD resolution. The HP Omen 17 is a good gaming laptop that delivers partly excellent performance. But even at this performance level, cheaper alternatives are available."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the HP Omen 17
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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