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Updated January 16, 2024·
If performance is a priority and you engage in gaming or engineering tasks, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 with its better graphics card might serve you well, though it is less portable and has less battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15, while not as powerful, may be preferable for general use or business applications due to its greater portability and better battery life. The Acer is typically less expensive, offering a cost-effective option for those requiring a more robust laptop for intensive tasks. 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 MSI Prestige 15
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.3
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
7.0/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers superior gaming and 3D performance due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, compared to the MSI Prestige 15, which has a less powerful Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU and a standard 60 Hz refresh rate. While both laptops have capable CPUs and good quality IPS screens, the GPU and screen refresh rate are crucial for gaming, making the Acer a better fit for those needs.
Engineering and Design
8.3
7.2
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is equipped with a more powerful CPU and GPU combination, making it exceptionally suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks that require significant computational and graphical capabilities. The MSI Prestige 15, while still capable for engineering and design tasks, offers a lighter and more portable option, with slightly lesser screen quality and performance components, but might be preferable for those who prioritize mobility and battery life.
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
60Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
If you prioritize a vivid display and accurate color reproduction for tasks like photo editing or engineering software, both the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the MSI Prestige 15 offer screens with high resolution and brightness, plus wide color gamuts that meet these needs. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not deliver the smoothest experience. Instead, they are designed with a focus on visual detail and color precision which benefits professional creative work more than fast-paced gaming.
Battery
5.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$799
$1,044
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and MSI Prestige 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is equipped with a high refresh-rate screen and powerful gaming-oriented hardware, making it a solid choice for general use despite its heavier weight and lower battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15, while offering a lighter build and longer battery life for enhanced portability, sacrifices screen refresh rates and has a CPU less suited for intensive tasks, though still capable for day-to-day activities.
Content Creation
7.7
7.5
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 Prestige 15 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
7.4
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and MSI Prestige 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 82 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 | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 Prestige 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the MSI Prestige 15
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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