The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is aimed at those who need high performance for tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software, offering a powerful processor, advanced graphics, and a high refresh rate display. However, it's pricier, larger, and heavier, making it less portable and suitable for travel. On the other hand, the HP Stream 14" is budget-friendly, smaller, lighter, and thus highly portable but comes with modest performance suited for basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, or video streaming. Its display and graphics are also less suitable for demanding visual tasks. If portability and cost are your primary concerns, go for the HP Stream 14"; otherwise, invest in the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for a superior performance experience. 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
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a superior CPU and GPU, which makes it better suited for demanding tasks, along with a higher-quality IPS screen for better visual experience, but it is less portable and has shorter battery life than some alternatives. The HP Stream 14, while very portable and having good battery life, has a lower-end CPU and GPU, less storage, and a lower-quality TN screen, which makes it suitable for basic tasks but not for performance-intensive applications.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
5.7/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate, providing robust performance and smooth visuals crucial for gaming and 3D tasks, while the HP Stream 14" uses an Intel UHD Graphics 600 with a lower refresh rate, which lacks the power and fluidity for demanding graphics applications.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
5.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is equipped with a powerful i5 processor and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which make it very well-suited for demanding engineering applications and design work that require substantial processing and graphical power.
Content Creation
7.7/10
6.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
7.5/10
6.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
7.8/10
5.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 delivers a robust visual experience with a high-resolution display and ample brightness, ensuring crisp and clear images for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, its wider color gamut coverage allows for more accurate color reproduction, making it suitable for professional creative work. However, its lower refresh rate hampers the gaming and 3D-use experience, where smooth motion and quick image transitions are essential.
Battery
5.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Stream 14" has very 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
5.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
"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."
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the HP Stream 14"
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
127,095
Recommendations made
27,538
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.