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Updated January 16, 2024·
If price is a significant factor, the Acer Predator Helios 300 presents a more budget-conscious option. However, keep in mind that the Lenovo Legion 9i, while more expensive, often features higher-end specifications and build quality which could lead to better performance and longevity, potentially making it more suitable for demanding tasks and gaming. If portability and battery life are important to you, laptops designed primarily for gaming, like these two models, may not be the best fit as they tend to be heavier and have shorter battery life compared to ultrabooks or business laptops. Consider the intensity of your tasks and whether you'll often use the laptop on the go to help determine if the performance benefits of the Legion 9i outweigh its higher cost compared to the Helios 300. 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 Lenovo Legion 9i.
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 9i
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i surpasses the Acer Predator Helios 300 in general use mainly due to its superior CPU and larger RAM which significantly boost performance, along with a higher resolution and better quality screen that enhances visuals. However, the Legion 9i is slightly heavier and has a marginally lower battery life which may affect portability, but its increased storage and exemplary speaker quality contribute to a more versatile and premium experience.
Gaming and AI
7.2
9.2
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a screen refresh rate of 144Hz which delivers good gaming and 3D performance, whereas the Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a superior Nvidia RTX 4080 and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, resulting in excellent gaming and 3D capabilities. Additionally, the Legion 9i benefits from a more powerful CPU and superior screen quality, enhancing its performance for demanding tasks and visual fidelity.
Engineering and Design
7.6
9.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i surpasses the Acer Predator Helios 300 in engineering and design use due to its more powerful processor and graphics unit, as well as a higher resolution and brighter screen, which benefits detailed design work. However, the Acer Predator Helios 300 still offers a capable processor and graphics card combination for engineering tasks but may fall short for more intensive design applications when compared to the Legion 9i's more robust capabilities.
Content Creation
7.3
8.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Legion 9i 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
8.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
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
9.7
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios 300 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize sharp, vibrant visuals for everyday tasks like browsing or watching videos, both the Acer Predator Helios 300 and Lenovo Legion 9i offer high resolution and brightness, but the Legion 9i edges out with superior panel quality that results in better overall image clarity. For engineering and design, professionals who need accurate colors will appreciate the Legion 9i's wider color gamut coverage, ensuring designs look true to life. However, for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from smoother motion, the lower refresh rates on both laptops may not deliver the most fluid experience compared to models with higher refresh rates.
Portability
Fair
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and Lenovo Legion 9i both have only fair portability, though the Acer Predator Helios 300 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,204
$3,420
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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Key similarities
Battery
3.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo Legion 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | December 2023
"The Lenovo Legion 9i is meant as a top-end flagship showcase for enthusiasts, and on that, it delivers. You'll find flashier designs in this price tier—Razer’s all-metal build in a similarly sized laptop like the Blade 16, or monstrous 18-inch machines—but this is a well-thought-out laptop. The chassis is trim for a 16-inch powerhouse, the lid is unique, and bespoke liquid cooling takes performance to the next level."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Lenovo Legion 9i
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.
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