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Predator Helios Neo 16
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Katana 17
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What we think

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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·

If you prioritize performance for intensive tasks like gaming or 3D applications and need more storage and memory, the MSI Katana 17 is a superior choice due to its stronger processor and graphics card. However, it's larger and heavier, which makes it less portable, and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a balance between performance and portability with decent processing power and battery life, and while being more affordable, it has less storage and memory. Consider the MSI for its higher performance if workload demands it and portability isn't a major concern, or opt for the Acer if mobility and budget are your primary considerations. 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 overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
  • The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16.

Key differences

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Screen Quality

7.8
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.

Battery

5.0 Hours
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
3.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 hours of battery life.

Cost

$799
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
$1,367
Product image
Product image

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities

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General Use

7.6
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
7.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for general use.

Gaming and AI

7.5
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
7.9
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

8.3
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
8.4
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both very good for engineering and design.

Content Creation

7.7
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
7.8
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both good for content creation.

Software Development

7.5
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
7.5
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and MSI Katana 17 are both good for software development.

Portability

Fair
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

7.4
Predator Helios Neo 16
Katana 17
7.2
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and MSI Katana 17 both have good build quality.

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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Acer Predator Helios Neo 16MSI Katana 17
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16MSI Katana 17

GENERAL

Price
$799
$1,367
Release Date
April 1, 2023May 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11''15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99''
Weight
5.73 lbs5.73 lbs
Width
14.2"15.67"
Depth
11"10.75"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i5-13500HXIntel i7-13620H
RAM
16 GB32 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
22
Storage
512 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
5 Hours3 Hours
Battery Capacity
90 Wh53.5 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
16"17.3"
Display Technology
IPSIPS
Resolution
1920 x 12001920 x 1080
Refresh Rate
165Hz144Hz
Display Brightness
373 nits256 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.4/107.2/10
Portability Score
6.2/106.2/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
7.5/107/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7.5/107.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
7/107.5/10
Webcam
1080p720p
Fingerprint Reader
NoNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
YesYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
33
USB-C ports
21
USB-C Charging
YesNo
Display Outputs
32
Thunderbolt Version
4N/A

Shopping

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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 Katana 17

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."

Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the MSI Katana 17

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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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

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.

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