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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a more robust performance with newer processor and graphics card, which is better suited for gaming, 3D work, or other demanding tasks. It also has a larger screen with higher refresh rates, important for smooth visuals in games and videos. However, the MSI GF63 Thin is lighter and more portable, making it a good choice for everyday use or if you need to travel often with your laptop. It also runs an older version of Windows and has a less powerful processor and graphics card, which might still be sufficient for general tasks but won't handle intensive applications as well. Choose the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 if performance is a priority and you're okay with a higher price tag, or go for the MSI GF63 Thin if portability and a lower cost are more important. 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 for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin 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
6.0
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
8.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, making it better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the MSI GF63 Thin, which is equipped with the less robust Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60.
Engineering and Design
8.3
6.0
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 outperforms the MSI GF63 Thin for engineering and design tasks due to its superior CPU, larger amount of RAM, and more powerful GPU, all of which are crucial for such demanding applications, in addition to having a higher quality screen with better color coverage and brightness. While the MSI GF63 Thin is lighter and thus more portable, it lacks the advanced hardware and screen capabilities of the Acer, making it less suitable for intensive engineering and design use.
Content Creation
7.7
6.0
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
7.8
6.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a sharp, bright display with accurate colors that make it suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but for gaming, its refresh rate may not be high enough to keep up with fast-paced action. The MSI GF63 Thin provides an adequate display for day-to-day use and entry-level design work, but its color range isn't as wide, and its brightness might not be as impressive, which can be limiting for professional design tasks. While the MSI's screen won't impress gamers due to a lower refresh rate, it's the Acer's lack of a high refresh rate that stands out more given its gaming-oriented branding.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF63 Thin has 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
6.5
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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