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Updated January 12, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1, it comes down to balancing cost against performance and features. The Acer is less expensive and offers good value, with a solid graphics card suitable for modern gaming and general multimedia performance. However, if you're looking for top-end performance, especially for more demanding tasks like gaming at higher settings, intense engineering applications, 3D rendering, or machine learning projects, the Dell Alienware, despite its higher price, provides more powerful hardware, a larger screen, and better overall capabilities. Keep in mind, though, that the Alienware is larger and heavier, making it less portable than the Acer. Additionally, you'll be paying more not only for performance but also for the premium brand that Alienware represents. 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 m18 R1.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m18 R1
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.1/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a more powerful CPU and double the RAM compared to the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, contributing to better performance for general use. However, the Acer is lighter and potentially offers better portability and battery life, making it a reasonable choice for users who prioritize mobility and longer unplugged usage.
Gaming and AI
7.5
9.1
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 eclipses the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 in gaming and 3D capabilities, primarily because it has a more powerful graphics card and a higher resolution screen which result in more detailed and fluid visuals. Meanwhile, the Acer's graphics card and screen are solid for gaming, but designed with a balance between performance and cost that may appeal to gamers seeking good value.
Engineering and Design
8.3
9.1
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with its mid-range CPU and GPU, provides ample power for various engineering and design tasks, although its screen quality, while good, isn't top-tier; the Dell Alienware m18 R1, on the other hand, boasts a high-end CPU and superior GPU, alongside a larger and higher-resolution screen which is excellent for detail-oriented engineering and design work despite its lesser portability and louder operating noise. Both laptops equip substantial RAM, essential for multitasking, but the Dell leads with a RAM size suited for more demanding engineering simulations and multitasking.
Content Creation
7.7
8.4
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 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
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for content creation, and software development.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Dell Alienware m18 R1 both offer screens with resolutions and brightness levels that make text and images clear and vibrant for general use and engineering, with the added benefit of wide color gamuts essential for accurate design work. However, for gaming and 3D, the importance shifts towards having a high refresh rate to ensure smooth motion rendering, which these laptops may lack, making their displays less suited for fast-paced gaming or fluid animation work. Panel type equally contributes to the visual experience, with certain types providing better viewing angles and color reproduction, influencing their performance across different applications.
Portability
Fair
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
8.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability, while the Dell Alienware m18 R1 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Alienware m18 R1 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
$2,600
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 costs $2,600.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.5
8.0
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell Alienware m18 R1 to be 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m18 R1 has 4 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Dell Alienware m18 R1 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | Dell Alienware m18 R1 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $2,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 16.2'' x 12.6'' x 1.05'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 8.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 16.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 12.59" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | Intel i9-13900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 97 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
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."
Dell Alienware m18 R1
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | July 2023
"Dell's Alienware m18 delivers on its promises: This is a large, powerful gaming laptop with the premium flair and feel you expect from an expensive purchase. The drawbacks are really the price and battery life, which in context are reasonable. (We'd also like to see more ports on the laptop's sides.) This price tier exists for deep-pocketed enthusiasts, and if you’re considering anything in this range, the m18 isn’t an outlier. For the majority of shoppers, of course, all of these mighty 18-inch systems are likely too expensive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Dell Alienware m18 R1
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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