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Updated January 16, 2024·
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers better graphics performance with its Nvidia RTX 4050, which would suit you well for gaming and visually intensive tasks. However, the MSI GF65 Thin, with an Nvidia RTX 3060, could be sufficient for less demanding games and offers better battery life, along with being lighter and more portable. In terms of processing, both have Intel i5 processors, but the Helios Neo 16's is a newer model, which could lead to smoother multitasking and better overall performance. If you're looking for a laptop mainly for gaming and resource-intensive applications and don't mind lesser battery life and a heavier build, then the Helios Neo 16 may be the better choice despite being slightly less expensive. If portability and battery life are more critical for your daily use, and you're willing to compromise on the latest graphics and processing power, the MSI GF65 Thin might be more suitable for you. 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 GF65 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 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 GF65 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
6.8
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is better for gaming and 3D because it features a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which still has a respectable GPU but a lower refresh rate. Additionally, the Acer's improved screen quality with its higher resolution and aspect ratio contributes to a better overall visual experience than the MSI, which has a standard full HD screen.
Engineering and Design
8.3
6.7
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 outperforms in engineering and design tasks with higher RAM, a more capable GPU, and a screen with better color accuracy and coverage, making it very good for such uses. Conversely, the MSI GF65 Thin offers good performance with sufficient RAM and a competent GPU, but with lower screen quality, it is less optimal for detailed design work, however, it is more portable and quieter under load.
Content Creation
7.7
6.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
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 GF65 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
6.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
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 GF65 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
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 delivers vivid and accurate colors along with a high resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for fast-paced gaming which requires smoother motion. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin offers decent color reproduction and sufficient resolution for general and engineering needs, but it might also lack the high refresh rate desired for an optimal gaming and 3D experience. Both laptops, by not prioritizing the highest refresh rates, are less suited for gaming, where players often seek fluid visuals with minimal motion blur.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 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
6.7
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 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
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
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 i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4.5 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
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 GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the MSI GF65 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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