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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with its powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, will serve you better, although it's less portable and has a higher price. In contrast, if you value portability, lower cost, and sufficient performance for general use such as web browsing, office applications, and light photo editing, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 will be more suitable. It has a smaller screen and less power, which restricts its ability to handle resource-intensive tasks but makes it lighter and 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
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.1
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.3
6.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 provides better performance for engineering and design tasks due to its higher RAM, more powerful CPU, and dedicated GPU, which are crucial for intensive tasks and computational work, while its screen quality aids in detailed visual work.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both have screens with sufficient resolution, brightness, and panel types that make them suitable for daily tasks and viewing documents, which is why they are good for general use. For engineering and design work, both laptops offer displays with color coverage that is adequate for precise color work, though they might not be the best in class. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the importance of a high refresh rate takes precedence, and as these laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, their screens are considered to provide a subpar experience in fast-paced scenarios where smoother motion is crucial.
Battery
5.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 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
12.4in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, offers significantly better performance for general use compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which is more portable and has a longer battery life due to its smaller size and lighter weight. The Helios Neo has a larger, higher-quality screen which is preferable for multitasking and media consumption, whereas the Surface Laptop Go 3 provides a balance of decent screen quality and exceptional portability for more basic tasks.
Content Creation
7.7
7.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.1
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Cost
$799
$788
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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