The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is better for gaming and 3D because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, essential for smoother gaming visuals. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with its AMD Radeon 680M GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60, offers less graphical performance and less fluid motion, making it fair for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
7.3/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 stands out in engineering and design tasks due to its high-performance CPU, plentiful RAM, powerful discrete Nvidia GPU, and a screen with a high refresh rate, making it ideal for demanding graphics tasks, but with limited portability due to its size and weight. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while still good for such tasks with its capable CPU and integrated GPU, offers a touchscreen, superior portability, and a quieter operation, making it a balanced choice for professionals frequently on the move, though it may not handle intensive graphical work as smoothly as the Acer.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.0/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 both have high-resolution, bright displays with the panel types that offer sharp visuals and good viewing angles, which makes them good for general use and detailed engineering design work, as they can display a wide range of colors accurately. However, their screens aren't optimal for gaming or 3D tasks due to lower refresh rates, which may lead to less fluid motion and slower screen updates during fast-paced action or animation. The importance of color accuracy for engineering and design compensates for their refresh rate shortcomings in those fields, but gamers and 3D artists often prioritize smoother visuals that come with higher refresh rates.
Battery
5.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent 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
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
$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 ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 provides robust performance with a powerful CPU and dedicated GPU, which is beneficial for general use that involves multimedia or light gaming, although it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, which offers great portability, longer battery life, and good performance for everyday tasks due to its efficient CPU and integrated GPU, making it a good choice for users who prioritize mobility and battery longevity alongside competent performance for general use. Both laptops feature high-quality IPS screens with similar resolutions and substantial RAM, but the ThinkPad Z13 offers better portability and battery life, which are highly important for general use, while the Helios Neo 16 offers more power for performance-hungry applications.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.8/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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."
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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.
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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
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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.
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Laptops Expert
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