The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is less expensive and still offers solid performance for general usage and some gaming, with its Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card. It has a 16-inch display with a taller aspect ratio which can be good for productivity tasks but it may not be the best choice for high-end gaming or demanding engineering software. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a more powerful Intel i9 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, making it better suited for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and high-end gaming. However, it's more expensive and has a larger, 17.3-inch display which is great for immersion but less portable. Both laptops have similar battery performance and build quality, so if you need top-tier performance and a bigger screen, the ASUS may be worth the extra cost, whereas for budget-conscious users the Acer offers a viable alternative. 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 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17.
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
8.4/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers superior gaming and 3D performance primarily due to its more powerful graphics card, the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, and a higher screen refresh rate that can provide smoother visuals. On the other hand, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, while still providing good performance with its Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, has a lower refresh rate, which means it may not be as smooth in rendering fast-paced games or 3D applications.
Content Creation
7.7/10
8.2/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for gaming and AI, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offer clear and bright displays with high resolutions, making text and images sharp and easy to read. Their screens are equally suitable for engineering and design since they cover a wide range of colors, important for accuracy in visual tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, their lower refresh rates can result in less fluid visuals compared to screens optimized for these purposes.
Battery
5.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 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
7.4/10
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good 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
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 costs $2,499.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a more powerful CPU and larger screen size which make it very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 provides solid performance for general tasks but with a less powerful CPU, which is why it's considered good. Both laptops have similar RAM and battery life which are vital for multitasking and longevity, but the ASUS excels in keyboard quality and has a bigger storage, which can impact user experience and data capacity, although its larger size and weight may slightly hinder portability compared to the Acer.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
8.6/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is equipped with an Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, complemented by a high-quality IPS display with a sharp resolution that enhances the clarity for engineering and design tasks; however, it is less portable than some options given its weight and size. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a more powerful Intel i9 processor and superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics, making it a highly capable machine for demanding tasks, alongside a premium keyboard experience, but at the expense of an even heavier build and lower portability.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.0in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 to have only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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