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Updated January 16, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, being less expensive, may provide value for money, but the Dell Alienware m15 R7 could offer higher performance which may be preferred for 3D, machine learning, and gaming applications. If you prioritize portability and battery life for general use or travel, the lighter and potentially more efficient of the two may suit you better. But if top-end specifications for heavy tasks are what you need and you don't mind spending more, the Dell could be the way to go despite being less portable and possibly having shorter battery life. Please consider what you will primarily use the laptop for and whether the price difference is justified by your needs. 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 Dell Alienware m15 R7.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When considering general use, the Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a display that excels in clarity and visibility due to its higher resolution and brightness compared to the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16. For engineering and design, the Dell's panel shows colors more accurately and vibrantly, meeting professional color standards closely, making it preferable for tasks requiring color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key, both laptops fall short because they lack the high refresh rates that those activities demand, despite having decent resolution and panel technology.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
$2,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.8
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 with an Nvidia RTX 4050 and a 165Hz refresh rate display offers good gaming and 3D performance, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 steps up with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a higher 240Hz screen refresh rate for even smoother visuals in fast-paced games. Both laptops have quality CPUs and displays, but their GPUs and screen refresh rates are key differentiators, with the Alienware model providing an edge for gamers seeking top-tier visual fluidity and fidelity.
Engineering and Design
8.3
8.2
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both equipped with high-performance CPUs, sufficient RAM, and powerful GPUs, which are crucial for tasks in engineering and design, ensuring smooth operation of complex software. While the Acer offers a high screen quality with a vivid display and dedicated graphics features that enhance visual work, the Dell boasts a higher-resolution display with a faster refresh rate suitable for precise and rapid visual tasks, yet both may be considered slightly less portable due to their build and weight.
Content Creation
7.7
7.5
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
7.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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