The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is a higher-end device that offers significantly more power for demanding tasks such as 3D design, machine learning, and gaming, but this comes with a higher price and less portability. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", on the other hand, is more budget-friendly, lighter, and likely to offer longer battery life, which makes it suitable for general use like web browsing, office tasks, and media consumption. If your work or leisure involves intensive applications, the Acer might be a better fit despite the extra cost and weight; for everyday tasks, the Lenovo can save you money and is easier to carry around. 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 overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14"
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
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
7.5/10
6.0/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 and a high 165Hz screen refresh rate, provides a superior gaming and 3D experience compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14", which uses an integrated AMD Vega 7 GPU and has a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate. The IdeaPad's modest gaming capabilities are also underlined by a less potent CPU and less vibrant screen quality, though it may offer better battery life and portability due to its lower power components.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
6.1/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, twice as much RAM, and a higher quality screen which is vital for graphics-intensive tasks. However, the Helios Neo is also heavier and larger, making the IdeaPad 3 a more portable choice though less capable in handling demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.1/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both good for content creation, though the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is somewhat better.
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
6.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
In general use, the screen on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a clearer and brighter display with higher resolution compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, enhancing readability and multimedia enjoyment. For engineering and design, the Acer's screen provides wider color coverage, making it suitable for tasks that require color accuracy, which is less pronounced on the Lenovo. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's lower refresh rate, as well as the Acer's, may lead to less fluid motion, whereas laptops designed specifically for these purposes usually offer higher refresh rates for smoother visuals.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 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
3.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$490
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" costs $490.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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."
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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
111,495
Recommendations made
24,158
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.