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Updated March 21, 2024·
If budget is a primary concern, the Acer Predator might be the way to go, offering solid performance for a lower price. However, if you're looking for the best possible performance, particularly for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or high-end gaming, and don't mind the higher cost and potentially less portability due to its larger size, the MSI Titan may be a better option. Keep in mind that the larger screen size of the MSI can make it less convenient for carrying around, and typically, larger laptops also have shorter battery life compared to smaller ones. 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
- The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has no clear advantages over the MSI Titan 18 HX.
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
373.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
6.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers a balance of performance and portability, with a capable CPU and RAM that easily handle everyday tasks, a high-quality screen, and a reasonable battery life that might appeal to those who need to move around. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its more powerful CPU and larger RAM, excels in handling more demanding applications and offers an exceptional screen, but it's heavier and typically has a shorter battery life, making it less portable and more suited to static use where it can be plugged in.
Gaming and AI
7.5
9.4
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with its capable GPU, ensures smooth gameplay and decent 3D rendering, along with a high refresh rate screen for more fluid visuals. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, boasts a top-tier GPU, providing exceptional gaming and 3D performance, and pairs it with a similarly high refresh rate screen, but its larger size might make it less portable than the Helios.
Engineering and Design
8.3
9.9
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is very good.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, with high-quality CPU, RAM, and GPU, ensures smooth performance for engineering tasks and delivers a clear display, but the MSI Titan 18 HX surpasses it with even more powerful components and top-tier screen quality, making it the superior choice for the most demanding engineering and design work. However, the MSI’s larger size and potential louder operating noise may detract from its portability and user experience compared to the more compact and quieter Acer.
Content Creation
7.7
9.0
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
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
8.9
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
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
9.2
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a display with solid resolution and brightness that serves general purposes well, but its limited refresh rate is not ideal for gaming or 3D applications where smooth visuals are crucial. The MSI Titan 18 HX offers superior screen resolution and brightness, enhancing its suitability for general use and tasks requiring color accuracy like engineering and design due to its wide color gamuts. However, similarly to the Helios, its lower refresh rate does not cater well to the demands of high-frame-rate gaming or professional 3D work, where fluidity and response times are key.
Portability
Fair
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has only fair portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX has very good build quality, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$4,800
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
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Key similarities
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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 Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $4,800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.11'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.2" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500HX | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 373 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
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 Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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