The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is more budget-friendly and has a decent screen, good for everyday tasks and some gaming. However, the MSI Vector GP76, while more expensive, offers significantly better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming due to its more powerful processor and graphics card. It also has a larger screen and higher refresh rate, which may appeal to gamers or professionals needing detailed visuals, but it's also heavier and less portable than the Acer. Battery life might be similar, so consider how much value you place on performance versus cost and portability. 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 Vector GP76.
Advantages of the MSI Vector GP76
Very good for general use
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
8.4/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Vector GP76 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The MSI Vector GP76 offers superior performance for gaming and 3D tasks due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 360Hz, compared to the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 which has an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a 165Hz refresh rate. While both have high-quality IPS screens, the MSI’s greater refresh rate provides smoother visuals crucial for fast-paced gaming, and its GPU excels at handling complex graphics.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
373.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
264.0 nits
The MSI Vector GP76 has a better screen than the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 for gaming and AI, and software development.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and MSI Vector GP76 feature displays with high resolution and brightness, making them ideal for general tasks where clarity and visibility are key. For engineering and design, their screens cover a wide range of colors, essential for precision and color accuracy, but for gaming and 3D applications, the displays have lower refresh rates, which could result in less fluid motion and responsiveness during fast-paced activities.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 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
$1,760
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has a price of $799 and the MSI Vector GP76 costs $1,760.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Vector GP76 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is good.
The MSI Vector GP76 is highly regarded for general use due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and high-quality keyboard, which outweigh its less portable design and shorter battery life; in comparison, while the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 offers decent general use capabilities with a fair amount of RAM and a good screen, it falls short on CPU performance and portability, making it less favorable than the MSI for demanding tasks despite having a slightly longer battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
8.7/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Vector GP76 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is optimized for design with a high refresh rate display and powerful GPU, making it suitable for graphics-intensive engineering tasks, while the MSI Vector GP76 provides more RAM and a larger screen, enhancing multitasking capabilities and detailed workspaces for complex engineering designs. Although the MSI device may be less portable due to its larger size, it compensates with a stronger main processor and increased storage, adding value for engineering use where processing power and data storage are crucial.
Content Creation
7.7/10
8.0/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Vector GP76 to be very good 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
7.5/10
7.6/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Vector GP76 and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Vector GP76 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.
Portability
Fair
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.0in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 to have only fair portability, while the MSI Vector GP76 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 and the MSI Vector GP76 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Vector GP76 12UGS is a gaming laptop on speed. The advantages are clear: The Vector GP76 is a real gamer with its 360 Hz display and super-fast response times. In addition, the Core i7-12700H has double the power of the CPU in its predecessor and another highlight is the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti with a real power consumption of 150 watts. This places the device in the top range of our database. The Vector can also operate rather quietly, offers a full sound range, improved battery runtimes, a key-configurable RGB keyboard, a very stable chassis and good upgrade options. Moreover, the display produces a nice, rich and clear picture."
Get a great deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 or the MSI Vector GP76
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.
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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