Acer Predator Helios 300 review: Game performance remains the star

Price When Reviewed

$2,099.99

Best Prices Today: Acer Predator Helios 300 (2022)

The Acer Predator Helios 300 has, for the previous few years, confirmed itself among the many higher choices for avid gamers who desire a highly effective laptop computer at a mid-range worth. Its newest iteration will get a slight visible refresh, but it surely stays true to the core mission. This is a laptop computer you’ll purchase due to its bang on your buck. It delivers robust processing and graphics efficiency in addition to a vivid show. Just don’t count on it to be of a lot use on the street. Read on to be taught extra.

Acer Predator Helios 300 specs and options

Acer’s Predator Helios 300 is now a number of years outdated. The mannequin I examined was its most up-to-date iteration, which equips 12th-gen Intel Core processors. It additionally makes the leap to DDR5 reminiscence, an improve from the DDR4 reminiscence on prior variants. 

• CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H
• Memory: 16GB DDR5
• Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti @150 Watts
• Display: 2,560 x 1,440 240Hz IPS LCD
• Storage: 1TB PCI Express Solid State Drive
• Webcam: 1080p
• Connectivity: 1x HDMI, 1x Mini-DisplayPort, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Thunderbolt 4, 100-watt Power Delivery, DisplayPort Alternate Mode
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, Gigabit Ethernet
• Biometrics: None
• Dimensions: 14.1 x 10.9 x 1.02 inches
• Weight: 5.51
• MSRP: $2,099.99 (at the moment $1,799 at Best Buy)

The mannequin I examined is the costliest Predator Helios 300 variant to supply 12th-gen Intel Core processors. Acer gives an entry-level mannequin with the identical Core i7-12700H processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics for $1,549.99. 

Design and construct high quality

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer Predator Helios 300 refreshes the look of the Predator line-up with a two-tone design first seen on Acer’s Predator Triton 300 SE OLED. It interrupts the flat, matte texture of the show lid with streaks of glowing, electrical vitality that cowl all however the very high. I’m glad to see Acer boost this mannequin after a number of years of near-identical design. The design is in any other case workmanlike, although good-looking, with laborious edges and large, garish vents.

However, like most Predator gaming laptops, the satan is within the particulars. There’s a delicate mismatch in colour and texture between panels that might be higher off matching, such because the rear vents and the chassis correct. I’m not a fan of the keys, both, that are a unique shade of black than the encircling inside. Details like this separate the Predator Helios 300 from extra premium options, such because the Alienware x15 or Razer Blade. 

The Predator Helios 300 has a big, thick chassis that feels sturdy in most conditions. There’s little or no flex throughout the chassis even when holding it from a single nook. That’s spectacular for a big, heavy gaming laptop computer, which naturally has extra weight to withstand. The show lid does enable vital flex, although, and appears skinny. It’s sufficient to make me really feel leery about putting heavy objects, like books, on high of the laptop computer.

It’s a combination, then, and one which doesn’t work in Acer’s favor. The firm’s design positive aspects are sluggish in coming whereas new rivals, like Lenovo’s Legion sub-brand, have considerably improved over just some years. That’s to not say the Predator Helios 300 feels low-cost: it doesn’t. But it does fail to face out from the gang. 

Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer matches a big keyboard with numpad into the Predator Helios 300’s ample body. The keyboard is edge-to-edge and runs proper into the numpad, which supplies a spacious format. Most keys are full-sized or near it. Numpad keys are a bit smaller than others, but it surely doesn’t really feel significantly cramped (for a laptop computer numpad, not less than). 

The keyboard feels nice however doesn’t stand out from the gang. Key really feel is merely sufficient and keys backside with a sensation that’s agency, but not definitive. It lacks a telltale tactile bump or click on to drive house the sensation of a key reaching its restrict. 

The Predator Helios 300 mannequin I examined had a completely backlit keyboard with per-key RGB colour customization. Colors and patterns are managed by way of Acer’s PredatorSense software program. This mannequin additionally has a brand new “light bar” that shines downward from the front-bottom of the laptop computer for additional ambiance. It’s a little bit of a gimmick, to make certain, however I just like the look. 

While the keyboard is giant, the touchpad is cramped. It measures lower than 4 inches extensive and about 3.25 inches deep. That would really feel small on a 13-inch laptop computer, nevermind this 15.6-inch beast. The small contact floor could make extensive, sweeping strikes throughout the desktop awkward. Windows multi-touch gestures, such because the five-finger pinch used to open or shut all energetic home windows, require each millimeter of the touchpad.

Display, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer gives a wide range of shows for various Predator Helios 300 fashions, however the mannequin I examined had a 15.6-inch non-touch show with 2,560 x 1,440 decision and a 240Hz refresh fee. It delivers typical efficiency for an IPS LCD show, with all of the perks and issues anticipated.

Color efficiency is a spotlight. The show can deal with the whole sRGB and DCI-P3 colour gamuts, plus 90 % of the AdobeRGB colour gamut. That’s wonderful efficiency for any laptop computer show and, in actual fact, beats many gaming {and professional} displays. The result’s a punchy, colourful picture that appears wonderful when displaying vibrant video games like Overwatch or Cyberpunk 2077.

The show additionally has good, if not wonderful, colour accuracy. Technically talking, its picture is a bit too cool and sterile, and likewise a bit too darkish, however not a lot that almost all homeowners would see an issue. 

Brightness is so-so at a most of 324 nits. That’s nowhere close to the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, which hit 549 nits, and likewise behind the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE OLED, which achieved 448 nits. HDR will not be supported, both. The Predator Helios 300 advantages from a matte show coat, although, which reveals far much less glare than a shiny different. 

Contrast is the Predator Helios 300’s weak level. I measured a most distinction ratio of solely 820:1, which isn’t an incredible outcome for any trendy laptop computer. Even the HP Victus 15, a gaming laptop computer typically bought for lower than $600, scored higher in distinction. The Helios 300 lacks depth when in comparison with shows with higher distinction. It additionally appears to be like hazy and grey in scenes that ought to seem darkish and foreboding. 

Gamers might excuse this, nonetheless, after they see the 240Hz show’s movement efficiency. Fine particulars are preserved in quick movement when enjoying at 240Hz, and proceed to look quite sharp all the way down to 120Hz, making it potential to see subtleties in textures or decide up the distant silhouette of a foe. The show doesn’t assist G-Sync, nonetheless, so body pacing and display tearing points might seem.

The Predator Helios 300 has upward-firing audio system above the keyboard. They present robust audio high quality with a direct path to the listener’s ears, whereas stopping the sound from turning into muffled. There’s a touch of bass that gives a extra full-bodied sound in music and video games. The audio system typically carry out higher than Lenovo’s Legion 5 Pro, and are on par with the Alienware R15, however don’t match sound high quality leaders just like the MacBook Pro 16 or Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio.

Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Predator Helios 300 has a surprisingly good 1080p webcam. It appears to be like clear and vivid, significantly in a room with reasonable to vibrant lighting. It’s inferior to a standalone webcam, just like the Logitech C920 sequence, however a particular step above a extra typical 720p built-in webcam.

Microphone high quality is first rate, too, with good quantity and crisp presentation. Background noises will likely be current if they’re loud or intermediate, however low, persistent hums are tame or eliminated. 

Biometrics, however, are lacking fully. There’s no fingerprint reader or IR digicam for Windows Hello login. This will not be unusual for a gaming laptop computer, and I doubt most homeowners will miss their absence. 

Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

Acer spreads the Predator Helios 300’s connectivity throughout three of its 4 flanks. The left aspect hosts USB-A, Ethernet, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, whereas two extra USB-A ports are discovered on the precise. The rear features a USB-C port with Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alternate Mode, Mini-DisplayPort, HDMI, and the barrel plug energy adapter. 

This principally works. I like that the facility connector and video outputs are on the rear, as this makes routing cables to an exterior show simpler. It would have been good to additionally see one or two USB-A ports round again, nonetheless. Their present place makes cable routing difficult in the event you add a wired mouse and keyboard. 

Wireless assist contains the most recent Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 requirements. The presence of Wi-Fi 6E is great as it might probably, in excellent situations, attain speeds in extra of Gigabit Ethernet (when used with a top quality Wi-Fi 6E router, which will be costly). That’s good when it comes time to obtain an enormous, hefty patch or an enormous, 100GB+ sport like Total War: Warhammer III. 

Performance

The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-55-795C has an Intel Core i7-12700H processor with a complete of 14 cores: six Performance cores and eight Efficient cores. It pairs that with 16GB of DDR5 5200MHz RAM and a 1TB Micron 3400 PCIe NVMe strong state drive.

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Predator Helios 300 begins behind the pack with a PCMark 10 rating of 7,086 which, although respectable, is behind the aggressive set. This check hints the laptop computer might not be a high performer for common productiveness. 

With that stated, all laptops on this class carry out notably higher than a standard midrange laptop computer. The reasonably priced HP Victus 15, for instance, scored solely 5,551 in PCMark 10. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Cinebench R20 turns in a greater outcome for the Predator Helios 300, which scores a really spectacular 6,483. This is technically the very best outcome among the many laptop computer’s aggressive set, although the Alienware X15’s rating of 6,479 is actually a tie. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

The HandBrake was accomplished in about 12 minutes, which is definitely among the many quickest outcomes we’ve seen from a 12th-Gen Intel Core laptop computer to date. It’s spectacular to see the laptop computer handle this stage of efficiency at its default energy profile. 

Overall outcomes, then, present that processor efficiency is a power. The Acer Predator Helios 300’s Intel Core i7-12700H processor will not be the highest of Intel’s product stack, but it surely appears to carry out simply as properly some Core i7-12800H and Core i9-12900H processors in real-world checks – amongst this set of aggressive laptops, not less than.

The Predator Helios 300’s graphics efficiency is supplied by Nvidia’s RTX 3070 Ti cell discrete graphics. This is a mighty variant of the RTX 3070 Ti with a most graphics energy of 150 watts—increased than some rivals with RTX 3080 graphics. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

3DMark delivers a merely good results of 9,790. This is actually the identical because the Razer Blade 15 with RTX 3080, but it surely falls behind the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro with RTX 3070, in addition to the Alienware X15 with RTX 3080. A satisfactory outcome, then, however not an distinctive one. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Acer recovers in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, nonetheless, with a median of 141 frames per second at 1080p decision and Highest element. This ties the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro for the very best outcome among the many Predator Helios 300’s rivals. The Predator Helios 300 additionally defeats each RTX 3080 laptops right here although, within the case of the Alienware X15, the margin will not be vital. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Metro Exodus supplies a fair higher outcome, reaching a median of 53 frames per second at 1080p decision and Extreme element. That’s an incredible outcome and locations the Predator Helios 300 forward of its rivals. The RTX 3080 options as soon as once more fall a tad behind on this sport. 

I additionally tried the Predator Helios 300 in a number of different video games. It achieved a median of 71 frames per second in Total War: Warhammer III at 1080p decision and Ultra element. Cyberpunk 2077 was additionally gratifying, and I used to be happy to search out the sport averaged 34 frames per second at 1080p decision and Ultra ray-traced settings (DLSS was off). That’s virtually similar to the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, which averaged 35 frames per second.

The Predator Helios 300’s efficiency will not be distinctive in all conditions, but it surely’s robust as a rule and delivers in what issues most: video games. Most titles will simply exceed 60 frames per second, and even ray traced titles are playable, albeit at 1080p decision or with a couple of cutbacks to high quality. 

Battery life

The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a powerful 90 watt-hour battery. That’s a variety of juice—however the laptop computer’s highly effective {hardware} can put it to the check. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Our battery life rundown check, which loops a 4K video file, depleted the battery in 4 hours and 9 minutes. That’s in direction of the low finish even for a big, highly effective 15-inch gaming laptop computer, and it’s far in need of the battery life required to endure an eight-hour work day. Even journeys to a neighborhood espresso store might go away you with a battery that’s almost flat by the point you’ve completed your second cappuccino.

Conclusion

Acer’s newest Predator Helios 300 is a pretty alternative for avid gamers who desire a mid-range gaming laptop computer that may deal with the most recent titles, and even obtain 30 frames-per-second (or higher) with ray tracing on. The mannequin I examined, which retails for $2,099.99, can meet or beat costlier rivals just like the Alienware R15 and Razer Blade 15. 

Gamers should compromise on construct high quality and portability to snag the laptop computer’s alluring efficiency. The Predator Helios 300 is heavier and thicker than an Alienware R15 or Razer Blade 15, and it doesn’t final as lengthy on a cost. It additionally feels and appears much less premium regardless of Acer’s minor design refresh.

The Predator Helios 300 isn’t spectacular, but it surely’s respectable and properly price its worth. Gamers who not often journey with their laptop computer or don’t thoughts its cumbersome body will look previous the laptop computer’s restricted portability and admire its top-notch efficiency.