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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a more powerful GPU and more RAM than the MSI Cyborg 15, which makes it more suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. However, the Predator is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which impacts its portability. The Cyborg, being lighter with a longer battery life, might be better if you often work on the go. Both laptops have similar processors, screen size, and resolution. Choose the Helios if performance is a priority and the Cyborg if you need a balance between cost, portability, and battery life. 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 overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.3
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Predator Helios 300 offers superior visuals with brighter and clearer images due to its higher resolution and panel quality, making it suitable for everyday tasks and media consumption. The engineering and design applications benefit from the Acer's wider color gamuts, providing more accurate color representation which is crucial for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on the Acer means less smooth gameplay compared to what other laptops with higher refresh rates offer, making it less ideal for fast-paced interactive content.
Battery
3.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Build Quality
7.4
6.7
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,204
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a price of $1,204 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with solid CPU and RAM for smooth multitasking, a quality IPS screen for clear visuals, and its larger battery capacity supports adequate time away from the power outlet, although it is a bit heavier and so slightly less portable. The MSI Cyborg 15 has a newer CPU and higher-end GPU for better performance, a similarly good IPS screen, and superior portability due to its lighter weight, but with reduced RAM potentially limiting extensive multitasking and shorter battery life making frequent recharging more necessary. Both have sufficient storage and decent keyboards and speakers for general use, and while their operating noise and heat management are good, the Helios shows a slight edge in heat management.
Gaming and AI
7.2
7.2
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
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
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Cyborg 15 are suited for engineering and design due to their powerful CPUs and GPUs, which can handle demanding software, ample RAM for multitasking, and high-quality screens conducive for detailed work. While the Predator has a superior GPU and color coverage which are essential for design accuracy, the Cyborg's more recent CPU provides updated processing capabilities; both compromise on portability and operating noise for high performance.
Content Creation
7.3
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Acer Predator Helios 300 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Cyborg 15 to have good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Cyborg 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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