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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a midrange laptop designed for more demanding tasks like gaming, with a dedicated graphics card and a high-performance processor. It has a larger, high-resolution screen suitable for immersive experiences, but it's less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the HP Stream 14" is a budget-friendly laptop with modest specifications suitable for basic tasks such as web browsing and document editing; it's more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight. However, its performance for intensive tasks and multimedia capabilities are significantly limited compared to the Acer. If you require high performance for gaming or intensive applications, investing more in the Acer makes sense, while for casual use with a tight budget, the HP may suffice. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.4
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 stands out with a stronger CPU, more GPU power, and a higher-quality display, which makes it better for a variety of general use cases, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the HP Stream 14". On the other hand, while the HP Stream 14" offers excellent portability and longer battery life, its lower-end CPU, integrated graphics, and lower resolution screen limit its capabilities for demanding tasks and affect screen quality compared to the Acer.
Gaming and AI
7.2
5.7
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
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
5.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, alongside a high-quality IPS display, making it well-suited for resource-intensive engineering and design tasks. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" has a modest Intel Celeron processor and basic integrated graphics, with a lower-quality TN display, rendering it less capable for such demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.3
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
6.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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.
Screen Quality
7.3
5.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a high-resolution, bright display which satisfies general use and provides an extensive color range crucial for engineering and design tasks, but its lower refresh rate is less ideal for the fast-paced visuals in gaming and 3D applications. The HP Stream 14", with its lower resolution and brightness, falls short in delivering the crisp and vibrant visuals expected for general activities, and the limited color coverage significantly hampers precision tasks related to engineering and design. Additionally, its refresh rate is not suited for the high-speed demands of gaming and 3D content, resulting in a less smooth visual experience.
Battery
3.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" 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
5.5
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,204
$299
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the HP Stream 14" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | HP Stream 14" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.76" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel Celeron N4120 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 320 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 8.2/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
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 | 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."
HP Stream 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the HP Stream 14"
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.
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