When considering a laptop like the Acer Predator Helios 300 versus the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, think about your primary use. The Acer is tailored for gaming and heavy graphics, offering robust performance but at the expense of battery life and portability. The ThinkPad T14, on the other hand, provides a balance suitable for business and general uses — more portable, with a focus on durability and a longer battery life. If high-end gaming or graphic design is your main activity, the Acer could justify its cost. Otherwise, for everyday tasks, travel-friendliness, and work scenarios, the Lenovo is a sensible choice. 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 gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 300, with its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, excels in demanding tasks and gaming, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, which offers a balance of performance and mobility with a superior screen and longer-lasting battery, making it very good for on-the-go users who need reliability for general use. The ThinkPad T14 also benefits from a comfortable keyboard and robust build quality, enhancing its suitability for work-related tasks, whereas the Helios 300's larger storage and advanced cooling make it more suitable for intensive applications, despite being louder and heavier.
Gaming and AI
7.2/10
6.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 boasts a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and immersive gaming and 3D experiences; whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers decent performance for less demanding games and 3D tasks but focuses more on business features, compromising somewhat on graphic intensity and fluidity.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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
8.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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
7.3/10
6.9/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, both the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offer high resolution and brightness with quality panel types, ensuring sharp, clear images and comfortable viewing. For engineering and design tasks, where accurate color representation is key, both laptops provide wider color gamuts, catering to professional color work with their ability to display deeper, more accurate colors. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates of these laptops’ screens may result in less fluid motion and slower response times, making them less suited for fast-paced, visually demanding tasks in comparison to models with higher refresh rates.
Battery
3.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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
2.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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
7.4/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad T14 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and a powerful GPU that can effortlessly handle demanding engineering software, and it offers a vivid screen for detailed design work, but isn't the most portable option. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while also providing sufficient CPU power and RAM for engineering tasks, is more portable and has a reputation for excellent keyboard quality, making it a better choice for those who prioritize mobility and typing experience over gaming-grade graphics and screen richness.
Cost
$1,204
$1,241
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 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."
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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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