Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023)

Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023)

Manufacturer	Acer
Product family	Predator
Release date	January 2023 (2023-01)
Introductory price	USD 1300 to 1800
Discontinued	No
Operating system	Windows 11 Home
CPU	Intel Core i5-13500HX Intel Core i7-13700HX
Memory	16 GB DDR5-4800 SDRAM (supports up to 64 GB)
Memory slots	2 user accessible
Storage	512 GB or 1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Storage slots	2 user accessible
Removable storage	MicroSD card reader
Display	Screen size: 16 inch Panel type: IPS Coating: Matte (anti-glare) Resolution: 1920 x 1200 or 2560 x 1600 Refresh rate: 165 Hz Brightness: 373 to 500 Nits sRGB: 100 % DCI-P3: 81.6 % VRR: G-Sync
Graphics	Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop 6 GB GDDR6 140 W Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop 8 GB GDDR6 140 W Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop 8 GB GDDR6 140 W
Sound	2 x 2 W stereo w/ DTS:X Ultra and Acer TrueHarmony
Camera	720p or 1080p
Touchpad	Plastic, 4.9 inches (12 cm) x 3.1 inches (7.9 cm)
Connectivity	Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i Bluetooth 5.1 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-A) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C, DP 1.4, Thunderbolt 4, 65W PD) 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack
Dimensions	W: 14.2 inches (36 cm) D: 11 inches (28 cm) H: 1.11 inches (2.8 cm)
Mass	6.17 pounds (2.80 kg)
Power brick	230W or 330W AC adapter
Battery	4 cell Li-Ion 90 Wh
Keyboard	4 zone RGB backlit
Chassis	Color: Steel gray Materials: Aluminum lid; Plastic base Cooling: 2 x fans, 5 x heat pipes, liquid metal thermal grease
Number pad	Yes
Fingerprint reader	No
Facial recognition	No
Predecessor	Acer Predator Helios 300
Website	Acer

All statements attributed to reviews are the reviewer's own opinion. Note that these claims were accurate at the time of publication and may be dated when you are reading this article. Read more.

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The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023) is a mid-range gaming laptop that offers a balance of performance and value. It features Intel 13th Gen HX series processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs. Available configurations vary by store and location.

Primary Hardware

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Processor

The Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023) can come with the following processors:

• Intel Core i5-13500HX with 14 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 20 threads, 24 MB cache and a max frequency of 4.5 Ghz for P-cores and 3.5 Ghz for E-cores.
• Intel Core i7-13700HX with 16 cores (8 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 24 threads, 30 MB cache and max frequency of 5.0 Ghz for P-cores and 3.7 Ghz for E-cores.

Acer supplies the processors with sufficient power and cooling for CPU-intensive tasks resulting in average to above-average performance compared to other laptops with the same processors. In CPU-only tasks, the i7-13700HX performs well under load but is outperformed by some lower-tier CPUs in other laptops. The CPU can use more power and hit thermal throttling when the GPU is idle, like in Cinebench. The i5-13500HX performs well in multi-core tasks but shows throttling under sustained loads, particularly in battery mode where performance drops significantly.

Benchmarks:

• Cinebench R23:
  • i5-13500HX: ~19176 pts (multi-core)
  • i7-13700HX: ~1880 pts (single-core), ~14625 pts (multi-core)

Graphics

In addition to the integrated Intel UHD Graphics, the Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023) ships with the following discrete GPUs:

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop GPU with 6 GB GDDR6 memory, 1585 Mhz boost clock, and 140 W Total Graphics Power (TGP).
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU with 8 GB GDDR6 memory, 1585 Mhz boost clock, and 140 W TGP.

Acer supplies all GPU configurations with 140 W of max power. In GPU-only benchmarks, the RTX 4060 performs similarly to other RTX 4060 laptops but struggles against last year’s Helios 300 with RTX 3070 Ti in gaming benchmarks. The GPU can run up to 140 watts, but in real-world scenarios, it runs closer to 97 watts due to Nvidia’s voltage limit. The RTX 4050 performs well in gaming scenarios, achieving good frame rates in popular titles, but is outperformed by higher-tier GPUs like the RTX 4060.

Benchmarks:

• 3DMark TimeSpy:
  • RTX 4050: ~9206 pts
  • RTX 4060: ~11000 pts
• 3DMark Fire Strike:
  • RTX 4050: ~21175 pts
  • RTX 4060: ~27000 pts
• Cyberpunk 2077:
  • RTX 4060: ~68 fps (1600p), ~90 fps (1200p)
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider:
  • RTX 4060: ~97 fps (1080p), ~57 fps (1600p)

Memory

The Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023) supports a maximum of 64 GB DDR5-4800Mhz memory. Pre-configured SKUs come with 16 GB (2 x 8) DDR5-4800 Memory. These sticks perform identically even when paired with different CPUs.

Benchmarks:

• AIDA64 Memory Copy: ~58381 MB/s
• AIDA64 Memory Read: ~66506 MB/s
• AIDA64 Memory Write: ~58019 MB/s

Storage

The Predator Helios Neo 16 can ship with 512 GB or 1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD depending on the seller. The OEM SSD only uses 1 slot in all configurations leaving the other slot open for upgrades.

Reviews of the i7 13700HX + RTX 4060 SKU note that it came with a 1 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 SSD which offers high sequential read and write speeds, making it suitable for gaming and general use. However, it experiences thermal throttling under sustained loads, which can affect performance during long gaming sessions.

Benchmarks:

• AS SSD:
  • Seq Read: ~5329.5 MB/s
  • Seq Write: ~4913.9 MB/s
• DiskSpd Read Loop: ~5248 MB/s
• File Transfer Test: ~1047.37 MBps

Co-processors

The Predator Helios Neo 16 does not have any dedicated NPUs or other co-processors.

Input Devices

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Keyboard

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with a 6-row chiclet keyboard with four-zone RGB backlighting. The keyboard offers 1.5 mm travel and customizable RGB lighting with four intensity levels.

The typing experience is comfortable with a good layout, but the shorter right shift key may be an issue for some users. The power button is integrated into the keyboard, requiring a long press to activate, which prevents accidental presses.

Touchpad

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with a plastic clickpad that measures 4.9 inches (12 cm) x 3.1 inches (7.9 cm).

The touchpad is responsive and supports multi-touch gestures, although it lacks the premium feel of glass touchpads. The integrated click buttons have a short lift and provide a satisfying click.

Webcam

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with a 720p or 1080p webcam.

The webcam quality is subpar, with grainy images and no Windows Hello support, which is disappointing given the laptop's price point. The webcam performs adequately for video calls but may not match higher-end models in clarity.

Microphone

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with a dual microphone array.

The microphone quality is not very good, particularly during typing tests.

Output Devices

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Display

Acer ships the Predator Helios Neo 16 with the following displays:

• 16 inch, 1920 x 1200, 16:10, IPS, 165 Hz, 373 Nits, anti-glare (matte), 100 % sRGB
• 16 inch, 2560 x 1600, 16:10, IPS, 165 Hz, 500 Nits, anti-glare (matte), 100 % sRGB, 81.6 % DCI-P3

The display gets bright (above 500 nits) and has a good response time of 4.5ms with overdrive enabled, which is below the 6.06ms needed for transitions to occur within the 165Hz refresh window. The color gamut is fine for gaming but not exceptional for creators. The display offers good color accuracy and brightness, with a maximum brightness of 373 cd/m². It covers 100% of the sRGB color space, making it suitable for gaming and general use, but it lacks the wider color gamut found in higher-end models.

Benchmarks:

• Brightness: 373 to 500 nits
• DCI-P3 coverage: 81.6%
• sRGB coverage: 100%
• Response Time: 4.5 ms (gray-to-gray)

Audio

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with two downward-facing 2-watt stereo speakers with DTS:X Ultra and Acer TrueHarmony.

The speakers produce balanced mids and highs but lack bass, making external audio solutions preferable for an immersive sound experience. The maximum volume of 78.5 dB(A) is average compared to other gaming laptops.

Connectivity

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WiFi

Acer equips the Predator Helios Neo 16 with a Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i WLAN module.

The Wi-Fi performance is average, with transfer rates around 900 MBit/s, which is lower than some competitors that offer Wi-Fi 6E.

Bluetooth

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with a Bluetooth 5.1 module.

SD Card Reader

The Predator Helios Neo 16 includes a MicroSD card reader.

The MicroSD card slot performs well for reads but lower for writes, which is likely acceptable for most users who primarily transfer photos and videos.

USB

Acer equips the Predator Helios Neo 16 with the following USB ports:

• 1 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1, 5 Gbps)
• 2 x USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps)
• 2 x USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps) with 65W Lenovo Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4, Thunderbolt 4

The USB ports are functional, but the lack of useful port icons on the back is disappointing. The Type-C ports can be used to charge the laptop, and both connect directly to the Nvidia graphics, bypassing optimus.

Display Outputs

The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with 3 display outputs:

• 2 x USB-C with DisplayPort 1.4
• 1 x HDMI 2.1

The HDMI port can run a 4K TV at 120Hz with G-Sync, providing good connectivity options for external displays.

Case

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The Predator Helios Neo 16 (2023) is available in steel gray. The chassis features a robust aluminum lid and a plastic base. The design is understated and suitable for both gaming and office settings. The chassis feels solid and well-constructed, providing a good balance between aesthetics and durability. The surfaces attract fingerprints easily.

The laptop is heavier and larger than its predecessor, weighing about 6.17 lb (2.8 kg) without the charger and 8.4 lb (3.8 kg) with the charger.

Maintenance

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The bottom panel is held on by 11 Philips-head screws. The battery is not screwed in, which is unusual but functional.

Upgradeable components:

• 90 WHr battery.
• Two M.2 2280 PCIe4 x4 SSDs each covered by a aluminum heatsink (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).
• Two DDR5-4800 SODIMMs covered by a single plastic shield (most configurations only have one slot filled from the factory).
• M.2 2230 wireless card.

Cooling System

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The Predator Helios Neo 16 is equipped with dual fifth-generation AeroBlade 3D fans and liquid metal thermal grease for the CPU. The system intakes air from the bottom and exhausts air through the sides and back.

Heat

Surface temperatures vary depending on the configuration.

The laptop remains cool during idle and stress tests, with no significant heat issues. The internal temperatures were cold when just sitting idle, and the warm spotnear the arrow keys was hardly warm during stress tests.

Benchmarks:

• i5-13500HX + RTX 4050:
  • Maximum upper side: ~43 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~50 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~30 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~34 °C
• i7-13700HX + RTX 4060:
  • Maximum upper side: ~44 °C
  • Maximum bottom: ~55 °C
  • Idle upper side: ~33 °C
  • Idle bottom: ~36 °C

Noise

There is no electronic noise or coil whine. The laptop is effectively silent during undemanding loads like light browsing or video playback, hovering below 30 dB(A). During intensive tasks, the fans quickly ramp up even when set to balanced mode. Fan noise while gaming in balanced mode is identical to performance mode despite temperatures being noticeably lower in balanced mode. During intensive tasks, the laptop emits noise above 50 db(A) and is louder than most other gaming laptops. Most variants emit the same amount of noise with more powerful configurations being slightly louder.

Benchmarks:

• i5-13500HX + RTX 4050:
  • Load: > 50 db(A)
• i7-13700HX + RTX 4060:
  • Idle: ~23 db(A) (min), ~23 db(A) (avg), ~25 db(A) (max)
  • Load: ~45 db(A) (avg), ~53 db(A) (max)

Energy Management

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Power Consumption

The Predator Helios Neo 16 ships with either a 230 W or 330 W AC adapter depending on the configuration.

Acer remains very liberal with the power supplied to the CPU during combined CPU and GPU loads. Both the i5-13500HX + RTX 4050 and i7-13700HX + RTX 4060 SKUs consume around 220 W during load with temporary spikes to around 290 W.

The i7-13700HX + RTX 4060 Helios Neo 16 draws around 50 W when idling for the most part, reducing to 15-20 W after waiting a very long time and any minor input brings the consumption back up to 50 W.

Battery Life

All Predator Helios Neo 16 SKUs come with a 90 WHr Li-Ion battery that Acer claims can last up to 8 hours.

The battery life during light tasks is slightly below average for this class of laptop. Many competitors now include 90+ Whr batteries. Reviews verify the battery life claims to be accurate during light tasks but note significant performance drops during gaming on battery power.

Benchmarks:

• i5-13500HX + RTX 4050:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 256 minutes
  • Load: 105 minutes
• i7-13700HX + RTX 4060:
  • WiFi Browsing (150 nits): 281 minutes
  • Load (max brightness): 65 minutes

Biometrics

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The Predator Helios Neo 16 does not support Windows Hello face recognition and does not have a fingerprint reader.

Software

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All SKUs ship with Windows 11 Home but the laptop can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro, either manually or when buying directly from Acer.

Preinstalled Software

PredatorSense

The PredatorSense program acts as the primary control center in the Predator Helios Neo 16. In addition to the performance profiles, the program also handles keyboard lighting, hardware troubleshooting, always on USB settings, toggling flip to start (opening the lid starts the laptop), battery conservation mode (limit charge to 80 %), MUX switch, system updates and other things.

There are four preset performance profiles - quiet, balanced, performance, and turbo. Acer supports adding an AI engine in balanced mode that automatically adjusts system parameters based on the context. There is also a customized mode where the user can manually set various parameters.

Most reviewers use performance mode for performance benchmarks and quiet mode for the battery tests unless otherwise stated.

Other Preinstalled Software

The Predator Helios Neo 16 also comes with other less useful software like Acer Purified Voice Control, Acer Product Registration, Acer Care Center, Acer Planet 9, DTS Surround Unbound, DTS:X Ultra, Express VPN (30-day free trial), Dropbox (100GB free offer), Killer Intelligence Center, and Realtek Audio Console.

There is also unwanted software like 30-day McAfee security trial.

Linux Support

Basic functionality works with Ubuntu 23.04, but the camera is not recognized. Keyboard shortcuts for adjusting screen brightness, volume, and keyboard brightness worked too, but the keys are all static blue, and you can’t change the color or effect without software.

Accessories & Warranty

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The Predator Helios Neo 16 comes with a 230 W or 330 W AC adapter and paperwork.

There is one-year limited manufacturer warranty if purchased in the US.

Reviews Summary

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Overall Sentiment

The Predator Helios Neo 16 is considered a good value gaming laptop with high CPU and GPU performance relative to competitors. Often found under $1500, the Helios Neo 16 is suitable for people looking for a high-performance gaming laptop without breaking the bank. The laptop also comes with a decent screen for gaming and is highly upgradeable. The primary downsides are the poor battery life, large size, and weight which make it unsuitable for portable use away from an outlet for a long time.

Problems Summary

• No SD card reader.
• Below average speakers given the form factor.
• Slow WiFi compared to other laptops with the same module.
• OEM SSD loses performance during sustained disk loads.
• Plastic touchpad does not provide the best tracking experience.
• High idle power consumption
• Higher than average surface temperatures while idling and during intensive tasks.
• Below average battery life.
• Heavy
• Large size

Links

i5-13500HX, RTX 4050, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD: NotebookCheck

i7-13700HX, RTX 4060, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD: Tom's Hardware

i7-13700HX, RTX 4060, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD: JarrodsTech