Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Acer Predator Helios 16 is the powerhouse you have been wanting for your portable gaming. It is loaded with great features, it's upgradable, and amazingly fun to play on. Unboxing Acer knows how to pack a computer! There is careful attention taken to avoid vibration, dropping, or throwing damage. The laptop is securely bundled up in thick foam bricks and well presented in an awesome product box. It is nice to see this level of detail and care on packaging. It comes with some standard paperwork and a sticker sheet for Planet9 gaming league. In the product case there is the power brick and cables, and also 2 colorful magnetic fan port covers that you can swap out with the plain black covers already on the back of the laptop. Also included is a very nice zippered carrying pouch. It is slightly padded, and well crafted. Outside Features This laptop comes equipped with 3 USB 3.2 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, a MiniSD port, Ethernet, Headphone jack, 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports, and charger port. Setup and initial thoughts Make sure you are plugged in to power, because there is quite a bit of updating to do. The startup button is actually part of the keyboard, which takes some getting used to. The initial splash logo on startup is accompanied by a sound clip that is quite startling and loud if you are not expecting it. This can be disabled in Predator Sense once windows setup is complete. There is a bit of bloatware installed, so you may want to visit add/remove programs and do a bit of cleanup. PredatorSense Acers overclocking, monitoring, and customizing software. You can quick access it by hitting the Predator logo on the keypad. It is full of details and abilities. You have your power mode, which can choose between quiet, balanced, performance, and turbo mode. Turbo mode overclocks the cpu and gpu, and max fan speed. It gets quite noisy on that mode, but really beast modes the hardware safely in Acers specs. Also is fan control, where you can set custom fan speeds for the gpu and cpu. There is also lighting control, and also sound enviroment control. Sound The sound leaves a bit to be desired through the laptop speakers, even with DTS X ultra on. Most of the contol and quality comes through headphones or bluetoothing to a stereo system. Display This laptop comes with a 16" WQXGA LED Panel with a whopping 240hz refresh with a 3ms response time. It comes with Gsync and Optimus, which lets the computer jump back and forth between the RTX4080, and the I9 13900HX's integrated graphics to save on battery. It seems to work quite well. The panel is 500nits of brightness, but with a resolution of 2560x1600, the picture quality is insanely detailed. Performance With the I9's 24 cores up to 5.4ghz, and the RTX4080's 12GB of video memory and dlss, games run on ultra settings with high fps, and process cpu rendering amazingly fast, especially on turbo mode. The 16GB of DDR5 5600 Ram really help quick boots and loading. Upgradeability There is 1TB of SSD storage that comes with the computer. There is a 2nd SSD port will let you add more memory, and the 16GB of ram is upgradable to 32GB and is super easy to access. Keyboard, touchpad, and camera They keyboard takes up almost the entire width of the case, and includes a number pad which I like. The keys feel pretty good to type on and have a nice response. There is also a hotkey to open PredatorSense, and another off the keyboard to quick adjust your mode between performance and turbo. The key lighting is fully customizable and looks good. The trackpad is large and feels very smooth with gliding and clicks. The camera seemed ok. It is 1080p, but depending on what program is running it, it can be kinda fuzzy or super clear and sharp. The Flaw The reason for 4 stars is that the panel bezel is very thin and has quite a bit of flex. This has left the screen to have a few bleedthrough spots, especially in the upper corners where you open the panel. Acer needs to find a way to better sturdy that. The bleedthrough is not very noticeable except on pure blacks. Overall This is an exceptional gaming machine and is so much fun to game on, and also video editing or using design software. It flows so well. Even with the screen issue and the subpar speakers, I would highly recommend this laptop.

Every once in a while, some things you buy will surprise you. Or even blow your mind. This gaming laptop from Acer is one of them. This is my second Acer gaming laptop, my first one was a Nitro 5 and it still runs after 5 years of intensive use. Let's face it, just the specs of this laptop would make a nerd salivate. It sports one of the most powerful CPUs Intel has to offer, a GPU which can plow through every game without breaking a sweat and enough high-quality components to support the prior two. Be it the Intel Killer network adapter, the DDR5 memory or the rather amazing audio chipset, all the stars seem to align. Sure, a 1 TB SSD seems a bit on the light side, 16 GB of RAM might feel somewhat limited for a gaming laptop of this caliber, but considering what it can dish out (and the fact that you can expand or replaced both at a later point) doesn't make this laptop any less impressive. Let's have a look at the good and the not so good. Pros: + The Intel CPU is blazing fast + The RTX 4080 with its 12 GB of VRAM is amazing and can plow through every game you throw at it + The look and feel of this laptop is excellent, down to the hinges of the screen, everything feels sturdy + The ports are all very well laid out + The ARGB keyboard has a great response time and is comfortable, and the lighting can be customized to your liking + The touchpad is made of soft-to-the-touch plastic which enhances its comfort massively + The 16" screen is gorgeous and can keep up with the GPU with its 240Hz refresh rate and its vivid colors and deep blacks + The cooling is very efficient + Memory and SSD can be replaced or upgraded or add an NVME SSD (note that you'll have to open up your laptop which will very likely void your warranty) Cons: - The power supply is huge and heavy, which makes it a bit challenging to carry around - The battery life is limited unless you throttle the CPU and GPU way down - The cooling system can get VERY loud if you choose to use the Turbo or Performance profile - The Predator Sense software can be confusing for beginners - The storage capacity is limited considering the size of current gen games - The cable from the power supply to the outlet has a tendency to come loose After running some benchmarks, it's clear that there's not much this gaming laptop can't handle. Horizon Zero Dawn runs at 244FPS on average on maximum settings and native resolution. Far Cry 6 runs at over 140 FPS on Ultra. Cyberpunk 2077 on max settings and raytracing enabled can run at over 60FPS with DLSS 3 active. The only real limitation was the available memory of the GPU. At 12 GB, it might be a bit tight for certain games which require 16 GB or more for HD textures. If you're looking for a gaming laptop that will be able to perform well for the next couple of years to come, look no further. Acer has done a wonderful job with this laptop, from the luxurious Predator Helios packaging to the components, this will be more than sufficient to run whatever you want at the highest settings for a while. It isn't without minor flaws, but you really can't go wrong with this one. It's a beast and I highly recommend it as it is very fairly priced for what you get.

Thing preforms amazing. But acer software and cooling is absolutely garbage…. Cant undervolt,change fan curves to deal with the the cpu temperatures and thats just the start of the software problems…. Let the people that like to tinker with stuff tinker to dial in there laptop to fit there needs. If you can get this on sale for 1900 pull yhe trigger but if your going msrp get the strix

I purchased three laptops (Lenovo/HP) before settling on one that I would keep. This laptop takes anything you can throw at it and for less than 2k its an unbelievable bargin. People will complain about heat but any laptop running components this high end is going to produce heat. Buy yourself a nice elevated fan to create airflow and it will be fine. I have had no issues with heat. I highly recommend this laptop.

This laptop is a monster! It completely keeps up with my desktop with a 3080ti and ryzen 5800x3d. And frame gen kinda puts it above it. Fans can be pretty loud though. So fan noise and Windows 11 would be my only complaints. Windows 11 is just horrible though for any PC.

This laptop is incredible. I have owned many top end laptops and this is by far my favorite. This features the following Specs - Intel Core i9 13th Gen - 16 GB of DDR5 5600mhz ram upgradable to 32GB max - 1TB Gen 4 SSD with 1 open M.2 SSD Slot - GPU is RTX 4080 with 12gb of ram at at 175 watt TDP - MUX Switch via bios & features Nvidia Advance Optimus - NVIDIA Gsync - Has 10 key so great for work PLUS WEBCAM - Beautiful 2k 16:10 screen with over 500 nits of brightness & 240hz Cooling on this laptop is amazing. Acer has nailed the colling and it never gets hot or gets close to thermal throttling. I typically run it in Performance mode but you can run in Turbo MODE which kicks the fans into max speed with overclocks and stills runs cool just a lot louder but nothing like some other gaming laptops with a high pitch wine, this moves air. If you look for comparable RTX 4080 laptop be prepared to pay around $2,700 and best buy has run this laptop on sale several times and currently stocks it instore. Bottom line its a gaming powerhouse and if you want something that supports the latest AAA titles maxed out, GET IT you will be happy you did.

This is an excellent gaming laptop. The 4080 is rated to 175w but seems to peak around 165w, regardless performance is incredible. The screen is a real highlight at 100% DCI-P3 and 500 nits 240hz, it’s about as good of an IPS panel you’ll find today. Thermals are excellent. 16gb ram can easily be upgraded. A great buy, especially on sale.

Acer really outdid themselves with this laptop. The Predator Helios is competitive with any other major name brand. The difference? The cost. As the Helios is so much more affordable with great hardware and build quality. Starting from the unboxing, I love that it comes beautifully wrapped and boxed. I've always been someone who purchases a certain other manufacturer that's name starts with an "A". And after having and using this Acer, I'm not so sure why! The Acer has all the top end specs, from an i9 13900HX, 16GB DDR5 5600, and an RTX 4080 with 175w TDP. Not to mention copious ports, including 2 USB-C Thunderbolt! Though, one gripe would be that we only get 16GB RAM in this model. 2-3 yrs ago that was fine and felt premium, but as an IT professional, I can tell you 16 is basically the minimum nowadays. Also, you can only upgrade this to a maximum of 32GB(16x2). That should be fine for 99% of users, but disappointing to see that limitation. Fret not, though, because this laptop is an absolute powerhouse. This coming from someone who has tested this years GT77 Titan and Zephyrus Duo. The Predator Helios stands on its own, and stands well. Opening the laptop, there is little to no screen flex. The display itself is gorgeous with up to 500nits brightness and great color pallette and refresh/response rate. Not to mention this new 16:10 aspect ratio for a 16" screen, very nice in a discrete 15" chassis. The keyboard is....well....a laptop keyboard. Don't expect mechanical level feedback, that's pretty much non existent on any gaming laptop, except for one really expensive one, so no real complaints there. I do like that it is a 10key, that's important for me and for anyone that does actual work on their device. If I can complain about one thing, it's that this has a decent built in webcam, but it isn't an IR cam, and the Helios doesn't have any other type of biometric security to utilize Windows Hello. Not a deal breaker for me, but I wouldn't judge you if it was for you. When putting the Predator through it's paces, it easily handles most anything I throw at it, sitting easily at 100+ fps in Ultra detail level at 1440p. From Halo Infinite, to AC Odyssey, and even to a degree in Cyberpunk 2077, which ran solid 70+ with DLSS on Auto at Ultra. Now, in order to avoid making this a 4080 review, I can say this is a full fat laptop 4080, and will do just was good as any other laptops with a 4080 with maximum power. It has excellent cooling, but be warned! This thing sounds like a jet taking off in Turbo mode, something you won't be able to get away from with this level of power in any portable laptop. It has a very basic UI for the "PredatorSense", which is Acer's mode changing software to monitor and set performance levels. It works well enough and does it's job, though maybe not as intricate as competitors. Speaking of portability, this laptop is sub 6lbs...until you add in the power brick, which adds another 2-3lbs. Granted, this isn't a problem unique to this laptop, as any and every gaming laptop will have this issue due to the amount of power needed to run the components full force. In order to get the most, you need to be plugged in with all of them, with the Predator Helios being no exception. On battery on the preset balanced, I got approximately 3 hours of browsing and video watching with the screen at 70% brightness. So mediocre there. Overall, this is a great high end rig for someone on a budget, though it doesn't feel so budget with the amount of high end components and nice build quality incorporated into it. It does have its short comings in a few areas, but nothing I would consider a serious issue, and would urge anyone looking for a good deal and good power to consider Acer's current Predator Helios line.

This Acer Predator Helios 16 gaming laptop is an absolute powerhouse that left me awestruck. Packed with cutting-edge technology and a jaw-dropping display, it's a dream come true for any avid gamer. Equipped with the Intel i9-13900HX 24 core processor, the Acer Predator Helios 16 flexes its muscles by delivering unparalleled performance. Multitasking, running demanding applications, and of course, gaming, feel like a dream come true. The laptop's 16GB memory ensures smooth operation even during resource-intensive tasks, making lag a thing of the past. As a gaming laptop, the Predator Helios 16 truly lives up to its name. The 240Hz refresh rate combined with the WQXGA resolution on the 16-inch display is a sight to behold. Playing games feels incredibly immersive, with buttery-smooth visuals and vibrant colors that pop. Competitive gamers will appreciate the ultra-fast refresh rate, as it provides a distinct advantage in fast-paced games where every millisecond counts. Cyberpunk 2077 runs so smooth on ultra settings with ray tracing enabled compared to my previous gaming rig that is a few years old. CS GO absolutely flies, as expected on an older game and is a pleasure to look at on this 240Hz screen. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 is a high end graphics card that will make running all the current AAA games at the highest settings a breeze. The laptop's design exudes a premium and aggressive feel, perfectly aligning with its gaming DNA. The backlit RGB keyboard not only adds a touch of style but also enhances the gaming experience. The build quality is exceptional, with a sturdy chassis that feels capable of withstanding the rigors of frequent travel and intense gaming sessions. Given the powerful components packed inside, thermal management is crucial. Acer has done an impressive job with the cooling system on the Predator Helios 16. The laptop features advanced cooling technology that keeps temperatures in check even during extended gaming sessions. This means you can push the laptop to its limits without worrying about overheating. The Helios 16 doesn't disappoint when it comes to connectivity options. It offers a variety of ports, including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and more, allowing you to connect to multiple peripherals and displays simultaneously. Wifi 6E gives the latest gen in high speed wifi. This versatility is a boon for both gaming and productivity tasks. Considering the sheer power of this laptop, I found the battery life to be surprisingly decent. While you'll definitely get more mileage out of less resource-intensive tasks, I was able to enjoy several hours of gaming and work without constantly worrying about finding a power outlet. The one drawback is the power card hooks up to a large power adapter. There are multiple performance/power modes you can choose to get the right amount of performance for battery life you want. The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a gaming laptop that doesn't compromise on performance, visuals, or build quality. With its Intel i9-13900HX processor and Nvida RTX 4080 graphics card, high-refresh-rate display, stunning design, and effective cooling system, it's a true gaming beast that's sure to elevate your gaming and productivity experiences.

First, some level-setting. This is 100% a gaming laptop with all that entails - that means it doesn't have super battery life (you might be able to eek out 3 hours if you're lucky - and turn some settings down), it has a beefy power brick (330W!), it's not lightweight, and it's hot and can be loud when you push it. And it has RGB / "gaming" patterns on it. But, if you're ok with all of that, OH MY what you get here. This is an amazing package - one that can (with it's 13900HX and RTX 4080 mobile version) exceed the capabilities of my fairly capable desktop (water-cooled 13700KF, RTX 4070) - IN A LAPTOP. It can play pretty much any game at pretty much maxed settings. Benchmarks don't phase it at all. If you want a super capable on the go PC for games (or any hefty computer tasks), this is it. A few notes. The Intel chip here - a Core i9 13900HX - is super powerful, with 24 cores and 32 threads (16 single-thread efficiency cores plus 8 dual-thread performance cores) and great for multi-tasking. The GPU - an RTX 4080 mobile - has up to a 90W TDP and 12GB of VRAM for high resolution textures and it supports DLSS 3.0 / frame generation so you can be sure you'll get great performance. The RAM is DDR5 at 5600mts and it's 16GB - it is slotted DDR5 (SODIMM) so you can upgrade if you like (see the picture of the internals). Likewise, you can upgrade the SSD and/or add a second 2280 sized PCI-e NVMe - it comes with a 1 TB Gen4 drive which is plenty fast and a good amount of storage...but you can never have too much. The screen is gorgeous - 16" WQXGA at up to 240Hz (you'll want to turn that down to 60Hz when on battery - helps a lot) with thin bezels on 3 sizes and the keyboard and trackpad are perfectly usable though I still prefer an external mouse when gaming. Ports are generous by 2023 standards - 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, Gigabit ethernet plus additional USB-A ports as well. The Acer software isn't bad to control it - I wish it didn't make a boot up sound out of the box (which can be turned off in the BIOS) and that it had a few more options, but it's very usable.The gamer aesthetic here isn't as garish as some others - and the RGB can be turned off if you like - but it's certainly an unapologetic gaming computer. So on the whole this is a tremendously powerful gaming laptop with all the specs you could want and the performance to back them up. Is it for you? Well that depends on if you're going to put it to use - if you are, then it's a winner!

After searching for a while, the Acer was one of the most affordable if not the cheapest QHD+ 16” gaming laptops with an RTX 4080. As even a macbook fan because of the build quality, i was shocked at how rugged the build of the acer predator helios is. Many gaming laptops have aluminum, but not all will feel premium or have aluminum surrounding the keyboard. Also, the sleekness and simplicity of the laptop does wonders. It’s not in your face with RGB, yet the per key lighting and the RGB bar in the back are welcomed. As far as performance, i have been impressed with how well it performs even in “balanced mode”, i find mtself playing demanding games with the laptop remaining cool and the fans not blowing much. I was also glad to see the laptop come with a case. I will have to say though, I was drawn to this laptop because of the value at the sale price. If I paid retail, i might have been willing to pay a little extra for something a little fancier.

Maybe its just some setting I need to adjust or something, but the performance seems to tank on battery, every game gets locked to under 30 frames. Also does get pretty hot and loud while playing some more strenuous games. All these things I kind of expected to be honest. Gaming laptops will probably just never have the same performance capabilities that desktop’s can achieve. One more bad thing I’d say is the setting up process was grueling. I swear it had to update something and restart like 3 or 4 times. Beyond all of that, I’m in love. I may be biased because this was a long overdue upgrade from a 1050ti. Going from an average of 45 frames even in non dense areas, to 150+ even in dense areas while its raining almost brought me to tears of joy.

The Predator Helios 16- 16" 240Hz Gaming Laptop WQXGA– Intel i9-13900HX with 16GB memory– NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080– 1TB kicks some serious behind.... Setup and all the updates with Windows took about 1 hours total. I thought it would take a lot longer but Acer already had a version of Windows that had a lot of the service packets in there. Thanks Acer. That save me at least another hour's worth of my time. Setup was pretty straightforward. Follow the prompts and you are all set. Ran SiSoftware to benchmark the PC. Benchmark came back showing that the PC met the specs that was shown on the box. Nice... As always benchmarkimg heated this puppy up but the dual fans kicked in and kept the PC nice and cool. Fans were surprisingly quiet. Color of the laptop is nice. It came with magnetic vent accents that you can switch out so that was a nice touch. Transfer speeds of USB C and A WAS super duper fast.... HDMI port was in 4hr back with power hook up. Full keyboard with 10 key on the right is nice if you also do work on this. Especially with Excel or spreadsheets. So this makes the laptop a little bit wider than the others. Image was superb. No lag. No cut outs. On board camera and mic and speakers were perfect for video calling and online gaming. On board Acer hot key functions makes it easy to customize. Keyboard lighting is really a nice feature. Battery life was pretty good. Only bad thing is the charger for this beast of a machine is a beast itself and is bulky and heavy. So if you tote everything it will add weight. My go to shooting game did really well on this machine. No lag. Both wifi and hardwired LAN. Video for the animation was really nice.. super Sharp. Colorful. No lag. Details with the renderings came through nicely. Even some of the facial hair can be seen. I streamed 8K on YouTube and it looked really spectacular... I tested both Wifi and hardwired with my Gig service gave me full throttle no problems. With all that I saw and experienced, I would recommend this product for hardcore gamers that want the most out of gaming.

From beginning to end it’s an experience. Packaging is superb. And defines the quality and build behind this laptop. It’s a heavy one so find a permanent space to keep this and your setup, your wrists will thank you later. I’m saying that to say that If you’re looking for a great laptop with space, the ability to handle heavy applications and common everyday tasks, this is a good one, but you can find one that does the same things but is more portable and pocket friendly than this. Now if you’re looking for a heavy hitter, that can handle heavy data and game play, fantastic screen display for high res games and much more than this is the gaming laptop for you. It checks off many things on a gamers list. The resolution is amazing and the large screen is great. Now I would highly suggest getting external speakers as the native ones aren’t the best. Also, if or when the fans are in use, they can be a bit jarring. They are loud. I’ve only heard them during initial setup, but I haven’t heard them during any gameplay so that’s a plus for me. Now, the battery life during gameplay from full to empty, not plugged in, does not last long. Im sure it’s different when not using it for gameplay. The last con but an understandable one is the massive power brick. It’s heavy but once you get your hands on this baby, you’ll understand why. It’s a powerhouse. If you are undecided about a gaming laptop, but have the budget, I suggest this one for sure. Oh and it comes with its own sleeve.

The Acer-Predator Helios 16- 16" 240Hz Gaming Laptop WQXGA– Intel i9-13900HX with 16GB memory– NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080– 1TB SSD Is flat out amazing! Any metric you can think of to measure this lap top by I promise you it will excel at it. Processing power? It has it to spare... Graphics horsepower? It runs circles around lesser PC's... Good looks? It's like a black tie affair all by itself. Classy, Elegant, poised... just waiting for you to throw your hardest workload at it so it can cut through it like an assassin... quickly, quietly, while always being ready for the unsuspecting... just like the Predator it takes it's name from. The I9 processor is top of the line and will match or beat most high end desk top PCs, while the 4080 Mobile Graphics card can keep up with my water cooled desk top 3080... I was actually able to see a few fps improvement gaming on this laptop over my very high end gaming PC that is water cooled, and isn't even a year old yet. There is so much to like about this laptop that I could go on and on... the build quality is superb, the keyboard feels above average, the chassis feels nice and firm with minimum amounts of flex. The screen and picture quality are top notch, even in off angle viewing. Even the box and packaging are top notch!

Good: - Very colorful display, most vibrant i have seen on a laptop. - Like the startup effect - Full size keyboard - Good RGB lighting. Bad: - Gets very HOT when running for a while. You can use the back exhaust vents as a convection oven to heat up your food while you are gaming. - Battery is weak even on conservation settings.

I've deducted 2 stars for the following reasons: 1: The first laptop I purchased came with severe light bleed from all sides of the panel, as if the bevel was pinching the screen, I also experience VERY high CPU temperatures, upwards of 98 degrees Celsius when running the balanced mode preset - performance mode was not an option due to throttling. 2. Acer support agents seems content with the temperatures my laptop was reaching. The remaining three stars are left due to the fact that this is one monster of a gaming PC. My new (2nd laptop of this model) never sees temps above 85C, even on performance mode, handles all of my games like Minecraft (Complete with shaders and an x256 texture pack), GW2, Cyberpunk 2077, ARK, etc all at maximum settings, never dropping below 80FPS. The screen is vibrant and well-lit for my uses. I'm able to hook up three monitors without issue as well for those who have multimonitor setups. I simply use display port to USB-c for two of my monitors, HDMI for the third. The only nitpick I would have is 16 GB's of RAM preinstalled, I would have liked to have seen 32GB for the price of the laptop. But that is a minor issue, for me. All in all, if you get a unit that doesn't have defects - this is a fantastic device. Just as a side note, you cannot undervolt this unit.

Bulky but I was expecting this when I was purchasing this. For under 2k this is a great laptop with great performance for gaming. Asus, Alienware, MSI, etc if you spec out other of these companies with the same hardware. You're easily paying 3k. This is a steal.

Great laptop. I've had zero issues running the games I like to play. Only criticism is it's short battery life.

Best gaming laptop ive ever own. The only thing i would complain about is the 16gb of ram the comes with it. Its expandable up to 32 so i would recommend upgrading that immediately to 32gb. Alos another recommendation is expanding your internal ssd. It does come with an extra slot to do so. Other than those two minor issues its still the best value out there. Havent had an issue running anything on max settings