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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios 300 offers robust performance suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks with its higher-end graphics card. Its build quality, heat management, and overall performance scores indicate it's well-suited for demanding applications but has lower battery life and is heavier, making it less portable. The MSI Prestige 14, being lighter and with a longer battery life, is preferable for general use and is highly portable, perfect for on-the-go productivity. It's more budget-friendly but less powerful in 3D and resource-intensive tasks due to its integrated graphics. In sum, choose the Helios 300 for high performance in gaming and engineering or the Prestige 14 for portability and general use. 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 MSI Prestige 14
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
6.2
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 14 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
7.3
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 14 has a better screen for content creation.
Both the Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Prestige 14 offer high resolution and brightness, making their screens suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, which don't require specialized display features. Their color accuracy and range fit engineering and design work by providing a wide spectrum of colors for detailed and precise visual tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, which demand fast screen refresh rates to render smooth motion, both laptops fall short, as their screens prioritize color and resolution over rapid refresh capabilities.
Battery
3.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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
2.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 14 has very good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,204
$1,040
$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 Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The MSI Prestige 14 and Acer Predator Helios 300 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is well-suited for general use because it has a powerful Intel i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM, which is great for multitasking and demanding applications, along with a high-quality IPS screen. In contrast, while the 14-inch MSI Prestige 14 also has 16 GB of RAM and a high-quality IPS screen, it offers better portability due to its lighter weight and significantly longer battery life, but its Intel i5 processor may not handle intensive tasks as well as the Acer's i7.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is equipped with a high-performance Intel i7 CPU, dedicated RTX GPU, and a screen with good color coverage and refresh rate, which is ideal for engineering tasks that require powerful computing and detailed visual work; however, it is less portable and has a bulkier gaming laptop appearance. The MSI Prestige 14, while also suitable for engineering with its efficient Intel i5 CPU and vibrant IPS screen, trades off GPU power for significantly better portability, quieter operating noise, and a more business-oriented design.
Content Creation
7.3
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 14 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 14 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Predator Helios 300 and MSI Prestige 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Predator Helios 300 and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios 300 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,204 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.51 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 294 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios 300 or the MSI Prestige 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 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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