When considering which laptop to purchase between the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, keep in mind that the Acer often comes at a somewhat lower price, but with slightly less powerful hardware compared to the Lenovo. If your preference leans towards stronger performance in tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive engineering programs at the expense of a higher cost, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro with its higher-end processor and better graphics might be the better option. However, if you prefer to save money and can accept slightly lower performance, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 would be a cost-effective alternative. Both laptops are fairly similar in terms of portability and battery life, so your choice will likely hinge on the balance between cost and computing power. 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 Legion Pro 5i.
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
8.0/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
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
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i boasts a more advanced GPU and CPU, enhancing its suitability for high-end gaming and 3D work compared to the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, which offers slightly lower performance in these areas. However, both laptops feature an identical screen refresh rate and share similar levels of screen quality, contributing to a seamless visual experience in fast-paced games and 3D applications.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Predator screen excels in general use with its crisp resolution and brightness, and it's also suitable for engineering and design due to its wide color coverage, ensuring accurate color representation. The Lenovo Legion's display offers an enhanced experience for both general use and professional design work, with its high resolution and exceptional color gamut allowing for precise color grading and detailed work. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they have lower refresh rates, meaning they can't display as many frames per second for smooth motion in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
5.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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.
Cost
$799
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i costs $1,000.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers good general use with its efficient CPU and RAM, vibrant screen, and solid battery life but is less portable and has average storage capacity, while the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro has a slightly superior CPU, better screen resolution, and manages heat more effectively, though it has a shorter battery life and is slightly less portable.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
8.4/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro are excellent for engineering and design primarily due to their strong CPUs and ample RAM, which can handle demanding software tasks, and their GPUs that support intensive graphics rendering. Additionally, both laptops offer high-quality IPS displays with good screen resolution and color representation, enhancing visual work detail, though the Legion tends to have a slight edge in display quality; however, they might not be the most portable options and both could have louder operating noise under heavy use, a factor to consider if working in quiet environments is important.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.6/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 Legion 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."
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Lenovo Legion 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.