For intensive engineering tasks, gaming, or 3D/machine learning, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is the better choice as it has a more powerful processor, better graphics card, and a higher refresh rate display, but it is heavier and has lower battery life, making it less portable. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is significantly lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and portability, yet it has a less powerful processor and integrated graphics, making it less ideal for demanding software or gaming. The Acer is also more expensive than the Lenovo, which may be a crucial factor if budget is a constraint. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
Good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2/10
5.9/10
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
9.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 provides a better gaming and 3D experience than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 mainly because it comes with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which delivers smoother gaming visuals. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has an integrated AMD Vega 6 GPU suitable for less demanding tasks and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, which is sufficient for general use but not optimal for high-end gaming or 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
6.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a superior dedicated GPU, which translate to significantly higher performance in resource-intensive tasks, alongside a high-quality screen that enhances visual work; however, it's heavier and less portable than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, which, while offering fair performance with its integrated graphics and sufficient CPU for less demanding engineering tasks, emphasizes portability and has better battery life but compromises on the power and screen quality vital for more complex engineering and design work.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, where clarity and visibility are key, the Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a bright and high-resolution display that outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, although both would suffice for everyday tasks. When it comes to engineering and design, the Acer's display supports wider color ranges, which are crucial for precision work, whereas the Lenovo might not display colors as accurately. However, for gaming and 3D applications that demand smooth motion and quick screen updates, the Acer falls short with a lower refresh rate, making it less suitable for fast-paced visuals compared to laptops designed specifically for gaming.
Battery
3.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 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
3.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,099
$390
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,099 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a stronger CPU and double the RAM of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, making it better for demanding tasks and multitasking; its screen has a higher refresh rate and better color coverage, enhancing media and gaming experiences. However, the Helios 300 is heavier and has shorter battery life, which affects portability when compared to the lighter IdeaPad Slim 3 that offers longer battery use and measures well in heat management, making it more convenient for on-the-go users.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
7.1/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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