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Updated January 16, 2024·
When deciding between the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15, consider your needs. The Acer Predator, with its Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card, is better suited for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks. It has a slightly larger display with a higher refresh rate, good for smooth visuals, but at the expense of higher weight and thickness, making it less portable. The ASUS Vivobook, powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with integrated Vega 8 graphics, is more suitable for general use and light graphics work. It offers a slimmer design and lighter weight for portability, a larger storage capacity, but has a traditional 60Hz display. Keep in mind that the Predator's battery is larger, potentially offering longer use between charges, whereas the Vivobook may fall short in this regard. Both run on Windows 11 Home and have a similar memory size. Your preference should align with whether you prioritize gaming and graphic performance or 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 Neo 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook S 15
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.3
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 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.
Engineering and Design
8.3
7.1
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i5 processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, which excel in performance-heavy tasks, and its high-quality display that offers better color coverage and brightness for detailed visual work; however, it is heavier and larger, making it less portable. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook S 15, with its integrated AMD Vega graphics, provides a balance between performance and portability, suitable for less intensive design tasks, and while it's lighter and easier to carry, its screen and color accuracy aren't as advanced as the Acer's.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers high resolution and brightness, making it great for general use and engineering, where clarity and color accuracy are key, but its lower refresh rate is less suitable for fast-paced gaming which demands quick screen updates. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 provides adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering work, though it may not fully satisfy professionals needing wider color ranges. Neither of these laptops is ideally suited for gaming or heavy 3D work due to their poor refresh rates which can limit the smoothness and responsiveness during such activities.
Battery
5.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$799
$908
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 costs $908.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a higher screen refresh rate and advanced graphics capabilities, making it suitable for both everyday tasks and gaming, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the ASUS Vivobook S 15, which provides a balance of good CPU and RAM for general productivity, larger storage, and longer battery life, alongside a more portable design. While both have quality IPS displays and sufficient RAM, the Acer's screen also has a higher brightness and color coverage, enhancing visual experiences, yet the ASUS may appeal to those prioritizing a lightweight laptop with longer unplugged usage.
Content Creation
7.7
7.6
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
7.5
7.4
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
7.0
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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 Neo 16 and the ASUS Vivobook S 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | ASUS Vivobook S 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $908 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.97 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 9.17" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 70 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 267 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 7.7/10 | |
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 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
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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."
ASUS Vivobook S 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | February 2023
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the ASUS Vivobook S 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 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.
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