The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 may be the right choice if you're looking for a gaming-focused laptop with higher performance, especially for tasks like 3D applications, machine learning, or gaming, and cost is a major consideration. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i might appeal to you if you prioritize a blend of performance and portability for general use or business-centric tasks, and you are okay with investing more money. Remember, gaming laptops like the Acer tend to be heavier and may have shorter battery life due to their powerful components, while more balanced laptops like the Lenovo typically offer a better mix of mobility and battery life but might not handle highly demanding tasks as well. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
Good portability
Good battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen for general use.
Considering screen quality for general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i stands out with higher resolution and brightness, offering clear and vibrant visuals, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has decent display characteristics but doesn't quite match the Lenovo. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops present good color accuracy and range, but the Lenovo edges out with slightly better coverage of professional color gamuts, making it more suitable for detailed color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite both having poor refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals, their adequate resolution and panel types merely meet the minimum requirements but don't offer the optimal gaming or 3D modeling experience.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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
$950
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both good for general use because they offer sizable screens, powerful CPUs, and ample RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and good performance for everyday tasks. While the Acer has a strong battery and high refresh rate, making it suitable for longer use and more fluid visuals, the Lenovo boasts a higher resolution display for sharper images and is lighter, enhancing its portability. Both manage heat and noise effectively, contributing to a comfortable user experience.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
7.4/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is geared towards gaming and 3D applications with its higher screen refresh rate, making it better suited for fast-paced visuals, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i offers a higher resolution display for crisper images but at a lower refresh rate. Both laptops feature the same GPU, which is very important for gaming and 3D tasks, but the Lenovo has a somewhat more powerful CPU, potentially giving it an edge in CPU-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
8.1/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with its high-performing Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, caters well to engineering and design thanks to its 16GB of RAM and quality IPS display, though its heavier weight compromises portability. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i also provides robust performance with an even superior Intel i7 processor and the same GPU, paired with a sharper display and lighter build, potentially offering a more balanced experience for mobile professionals despite a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 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
7.5/10
7.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 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
6.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i 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."
"Lenovo’s IdeaPad Pro 5i represents an impressive opening salvo for Meteor Lake in the ultraportable space against familiar foes from AMD and Apple. Not only does the Core Ultra 5 125H processor provide good performance across the board, but battery life remains a strong point against the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor. It can’t quite match the endurance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but the gap is shrinking."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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.