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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021), consider your primary use case. The Acer is less expensive but is designed for gaming and may offer robust performance for other intensive tasks. However, it is likely to be bulkier and have shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Pro, which is known for its sleek design, longer battery life, and strong performance, particularly for creative work due to its optimized operating system and software synergy. The MacBook Pro also maintains high resale value. If budget is a top priority and you need strong performance for gaming or Windows-specific applications, the Acer could be the right choice. If portability, battery life, and a premium build are more important, and you work often with multimedia or prefer macOS, the MacBook Pro, despite its higher price, could be more suitable. 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 Neo 16
- The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
9.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is rated very good for general use due to its excellent screen quality, superior battery life, and high portability, enhanced by its lightweight design and powerful Apple M1 Pro processor. In comparison, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, while suitable for general use, falls short with lesser battery life, greater weight, and a less color-accurate screen, although it has decent CPU and GPU performance for day-to-day tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.0
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI, though the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, designed for intensive gaming, features a high-refresh-rate screen and a dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, making it superior for gaming and applications that benefit from specialized graphics processing. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) sports a high-quality Mini LED screen and an integrated Apple M1 Pro GPU capable of handling 3D tasks, but its ecosystem limits game compatibility, making it less ideal for gaming despite its exceptional screen quality.
Content Creation
7.7
8.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 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
7.5
8.9
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 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
7.8
9.4
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16's screen offers high resolution and brightness that caters well to general use and engineering tasks, with its color accuracy and wide color gamuts making it ideal for professionals in design. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) boasts an even higher screen resolution and brightness, alongside an excellent color reproduction, which makes it exceptional for general use and design-related work. However, both fall short for 3D applications and gaming due to lower refresh rates, which are critical for smooth motion rendering in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
5.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$1,949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) costs $1,949.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.3
8.7
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with its high-performance CPU and dedicated Nvidia GPU, caters well to the demands of engineering software, while its IPS screen offers good color accuracy and refresh rate for design work, but its heavier build and slightly lower screen resolution mean it's less portable and has less visual detail compared to the Apple option. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) stands out with a high-quality Mini LED display, superior resolution, and more RAM, providing exceptional screen detail and smooth multitasking, complemented by a lightweight design for better portability, though its integrated GPU, while efficient, may not handle certain engineering tasks as effectively as the Acer's discrete GPU.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 497 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 sacrifices portability and a truly budget price in the name of additional power. While remaining relatively budget-friendly, this gaming laptop packs serious processing chops, and Acer optimizes its internals to deliver respectable 1080p (or 1200p) gameplay from an RTX 4050. Its keyboard and chassis design won't win it any awards, but its display is a cut above for the price."
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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 Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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