Best laptop for programming and gaming

The Acer Predator Helios 300 delivers overall best laptop for programming and gaming for a good price tag, but is suffering from below average battery life.

 Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming at a good price

FOR                                                                                              AGAINST

• · Edgy, futuristic style                                                               Subpar battery life
• Great in general and also gaming performance                              Tinny audio
• Pleasant, customizable keyboard
• Remains cool while gaming

 Positives                                                                                             CON

•  Great 1080p gaming performance                         - Chassis is able to get toasty under load
• 
  
•  Great smooth 240Hz display as tested                 - Metal chassis is powerful but has some
• 
  
• Sharp corners                                                          - So so CPU performance
• 
  
•  Space for three storage drives                           
• 
  
•  Cleaner look compared to its predecessor

Is the acer predator helios 300 great for gaming and streaming

ACER PREDATOR HELIOS 300 (2020) SPECIFICATION

• CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD Display: 15.6 inch, 1080p
• Battery: 3:12 Size: 14.3 x 10.5 x 0.8 inches
• Weight: 5.5 pounds

The Acer Predator Helios 300 (1dolar1 1,199 starting, 1dolar1 1,499 reviewed) is what goes on whenever a Decepticon opts a fighter as its type. Nevertheless, there is no deception happening right here. 

The Predator Helios 300 will help you vanquish your enemies a la mode. From its elegant design as well as powerful Nvidia GPU on the tenth Gen Intel Core i7 processor, this's frequently a major powerhouse. 

But below average battery life keeps this particular laptop from earning a much better score.

Acer Predator Helios 300 pricing as well as configurations

 The Predator Helios 300 I reviewed costs 1dolar1 1,499 and also comes with a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 10750H processor, 16GB RAM, a 512GB PCIe SSD, an Intel UHD Graphics, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max Q GPU with 8GB of VRAM, along with a 1920 x 1080 pixel, 240Hz display.

· Acer Predator Helios 300 (Black) at Amazon see now

The base version costs 1dolar1 1,199 and drops you right down to some 256GB PCIe SSD, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU with 6GB of video mind along with a 144Hz IPS FHD display.

When I started the laptop computer, I recognized it was included with disk drive cables for stepping up the disk drive. 

counting on your setup, you will equal to 2TB HDD or maybe a 2nd M.2 SSD. Removing rock bottom part of the device provides you with a chance to access the disk drive and consequently the RAM, which might be widened to 32GB.

Acer Predator Helios 300 design

With angular features and planes, a matte black metallic casing and several tasteful chrome accents, the Predator looks as it is secs from transforming into a killer sentient robot... The exhaust vents which line the side and also back suggest supersonic acceleration is closer to occur. 

It is a salacious style, to point out probably the smallest amount. you ought to, nonetheless, look out for smudges since the largest metal case collects them quick.

When I opened the Predator's lid, I discovered a superbly presented chiclet style computer keyboard welcoming me with vibrant backlit keys as well as chrome accents on the front side of the rii deck and round the touchpad. 

The Turbo button at the greatest of the deck dared me to press it and also have interaction warp element 10 gaming. I experienced a warm pang in my chest just like she may be the one.

Computing 14.3 x 10.5 x 0.8 inches and about 5.5 lbs, the Helios 300 is weightier compared to its direct competition, like the svelte Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (3.5 lbs as well as 12.8 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches), the Gigabyte Aorus 15G (4.9 lbs, fourteen x 9.8 x one inches) and consequently the MSI GE66 Raider 2020 (5.3 lbs, 14.1 x 10.5 x 0.9 inches). 

Nevertheless, I would not determine the Predator Helios harshly supported these amounts. It is more like your friend who's thin heavy since, as all of us know, muscle weighs rather body fat.

Acer Predator Helios 300 ports 

The Helios 300 has sufficient ports to serve as a passable workstation as well as content creation laptop. 

On the appropriate side, there's a Thunderbolt three port, a USB 3.2 Gen two port, a Mini DisplayPort 1.4 input as well as an HDMI port.

On the left, you have got 2 USB 3.2 Gen one ports, a Kensington lock, an Ethernet port along with a 3.5mm headphone sound jack. the facility jack is discovered to the back.

Acer Predator Helios 300 display 

"Jumping Gigawatts!" I am sorry, however the Helios' 15.6 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel display is To the Future worthy with its 240Hz refresh rate.

 when I watched Aquaman, the display 's contrast was sound and Mera's white hair was well saturated. Jason Mamoa's muscles gleamed beneath his form fitting golden armor. For example, if I had to overcome my dad-bod shame by playing a few of hours of Batman Arkham Asylum to cheer up.

Whether i used to be playing Batman Arkham Asylum, Assassin's Creed Odyssey or maybe EVE Online, there's not a stutter or even frame fall. This particular panel beautifully renders soft, video and buttery gameplay. 

While Playing Arkham Asylum, the difference was ideal as I went from a dark space to the following, with well saturated pops of color as I emerged out of the shadows to avoid crime or maybe just beat abreast of thugs for my own enjoyment. 

The glowing green issue marks sprinkled through the sport as signs from the Riddler were attractively saturated.

Whenever we measured the screen 's color reproduction abilities, the Helios 300 scored a good 74.8 % on our DCI P3 Color gamut test, surpassing the mainstream gaming laptop typical of 67.9 %. Nevertheless, the Asus ROG again led the team with eighty three % followed by the MSI GE Raider (80.5 %). The Gigabyte Aorus scored an abysmal 61%

Shockingly, the Helios 300's panel averaged just 276 nits of brightness, and that is beneath the 295 nit average. The Zephyrus G14 led the team, scoring 323 nits followed by the Raider from 300 nits. The Aorus mentioned the back with a sub standard 243 nits.

Acer Predator Helios 300 audio 

The Helios 300's two speakers are placed underneath the front lip. They provide solid performance and get loud enough to appreciate music and gameplay. 

The device has pre installed DTS software so you will adjust the sound settings. It can help, but I nevertheless found the sound output being tinny while taking note of Busta Rhymes' "Pass the Courvoisier" as well as Jamie Foxx's "Blame it on the Alcohol.

when I paid attention to the "Best of Bach", the speakers performed much better simply because the music is generally made up of mid tones.

While playing Arkham Asylum, the speaker performed solidly as I caught the nuance of every bone crushing punch Batman delivered or maybe the sounds of the helicopter above Arkham Asylum. 

Throughout Assassins Creed, each one of those boring interactions came through clear and loud before I unleashed one among Alexios' specific attacks.

Let us be honest, many people play games or even watch videos with headset and this's usually the place that the DTS software shined. 

The DTS Headphone X setting simulates surround sounds inside the surroundings whether you are gaming, watching video clips or even taking note of music.

Acer Predator Helios 300 keyboard and touchpad 

This device is handily my personal favorite thus far. 

A spacious deck gives because of a complete Chiclet keyboard featuring 4 zone RGB backlighting, which you will personalize through the Predator Sense program. In order to log onto Predator Sense, just press the Predator logo key and go outdoors. I did.

The computer keyboard may be so well presented and also clicky which my grotesque beastly fingers scored their utmost ever ninety eight % precision at a whopping ninety five words a minute on the 10fastfingers test. 

My regular average is between seventy % and eighty five % with about sixty five wpm. The Predator Helios 300's innovative keyboard layout was a huge reason behind my excellent outcomes.

The highlighted WASD keys, hotkeys and arrow keys have a very concavity to them, making them much easier to look for during intensive gameplay sessions.

The chrome spotlights surrounding the 4.2 x 3.4 inch touchpad stand out. Windows ten gestures were extremely accurate, even when performing 3 or maybe straightforward finger and four-fingered gestures taps. rock bottom sides of the touchpad are responsive and also have a good click when pressed.

Acer Predator Helios 300 graphics, and gaming VR

 The Helios 300 is going for a double barrel approach to pictures with a discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max Q GPU with 8GB of RAM as well as an integrated Intel UHD GPU. 

The laptop switches in between the two with Nvidia's Optimus technologies counting on the job. 

My knowledge gaming on the Predator Helios 300 was extremely smooth. There was not any stutters or maybe dropped hiccups or frames of any type, and that is without getting the Turbo button. Honestly, it is very disappointing since i really wanted to press the button.

I had taken the roadways in grand larceny Auto V and terrorized everybody, crashing each automobile I might get my hands on with the options at 1080p on Quite high. The laptop gave me a great eighty frames a second, beating the 63 fps average. 

The Zephyrus G14 (RTX 2060 Max Q GPU) scored 115 fps, even though the Raider (RTX 2080 Max Q GPU) managed just ninety one fps followed by the Aorus (RTX 2070 Max Q GPU), that notched seventy six fps.

While playing Far Cry New Dawn, the Helios 300 flexed its gaming muscle tissue, arriving at eighty one fps. it'd been quite adequate to surpass the seventy fps mainstream gaming laptop average. 

The Zephyrus G14 acquired seventy three fps, nonetheless, the Raider outperformed the competitors with ninety nine fps, followed by the Aorus' eighty seven fps.

Throughout our VRMark Cyan test, the Predator Helios 300 scored an extremely good 6,600. 

The MSI GE66 Raider led the team with a rating of 8,423 followed by the Aorus (6,575). mentioning the rear was the Asus ROG Zephyrus during 5,286. All of the devices surpassed the gaming average of 4,597.

\If you are not gaming or even powering another graphically taxing task, the Helios 300 changes over to the integrated pictures to save plenty of battery.

Acer Predator Helios 300 functionality With a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 10750H processor, 16GB of RAM, along with a 512GB PCIe SSD, the Helios 300 never struggled for a short time throughout my tests. 

It actually ran forty CPU draining Google Chrome tabs, including 1 streaming twenty one Bridges on Hulu, several working camera reviews on YouTube, along with yet another playing Ted Talks, all while not breaking a sweat.

I write a lot of video content, therefore I downloaded DaVinci Resolve sixteen to check the way the Helios 300 would revise as well as render. 

The laptop computer did a good job, rendering virtually as fast as my desktop computer, which comes with a desktop processor as well as 32GB of RAM. If I had been on location shooting video clip and must attempt to to a few fast edits, this particular gaming rig would quite complete work.

When I shoot photography, I take tethered so I often have much more control over picture quality. 

when I downloaded Capture One Pro and then proceeded to take aproximatelly fifty pictures, the Predator done easily, with none problems.

The Helios 300 scored a good 5,137 in our Geekbench 5.0 total performance test. It done beneath the 5,603 mainstream gaming average. 

The MSI GE66 Raider led our team (8,379, Core i9 10980HK CPU) together with the Zephyrus (AMD Ryzen nine 4900HS CPU) right behind at 7,895. The Aorus rounds through the number with 7,194 (Core i7 10875H CPU).

It had taken the Helios 300 ten minutes as well as twenty six seconds to transform a 4K video to 1080p resolution with the Handbrake app. it'd been slower compared to the gaming laptop average of 9:24. 

The Zephyrus G14 and Raider tied at 6:59 with the Aorus coming during a complete second more slowly at 7:59. within the immortal words of Ricky Bobby, "if you are not very first, you are last."

Throughout our Photoshop assessment, our device scored 755, handily beating the gaming notebook average rating of 531. 

Exclaiming for those to listen to, absolutely I do Photoshop, honey, and no, I am not simply playing online games.

Throughout our file transfer test, the Helios 300 averaged 741.9 megabytes a second while transferring 25GB of mixed media. 

The MSI GE66 averaged 739.6 MBpsfollowed by the Aorus, which pointed out the back with 460 MBps.

Acer Predator Helios 300 battery life

 Gaming laptops are to battery life what Quasimodo would be to a beauty pageant. The Helios 300 isn't a different, lasting just three hours as well as twelve minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which includes constant net surfing over Wi Fi from 150 nits of brightness. 

which stage was way beneath the mainstream gaming average of 6:15. The Raider tapped out at 4:57 while the Aorus clocked in at 6:16. But the undisputed victor is definitely the Zephyrus G14 during 11:32.

Acer Predator Helios 300 heat ?

The Acer Predator Helios 300 applications a dual fan cooling process with a 4th gen AeroBlade 3d fan as well as Acer CoolBoost technology, that had been influenced by bionic quiet owl flight mechanics which maximize airflow and also reduce noise. 

The 0.04 inch fan cutting blades with serrated winglets across the bottom and highest are alleged improving cooling forty five % from the prior generation. 

I also need to point out, the science works; my lap don't felt absolutely warm.

And even with all of that performance, the laptop computer stayed whisper quiet whilst I had Batman Arkham Asylum for more than an hour. due to the proprietary CoolBoost app located in Predator Sense, you will generate customized changes in the fans. 

In case you press the Turbo button, the fans are going to operate at optimum velocity for optimum cooling whenever the method is overclocked.

Of the clip heat test (fifteen minutes of playing a fullscreen Hd video), the touchpad assessed a nice seventy eight degrees Fahrenheit as the middle of the rii registered eighty eight degrees. 

The undercarriage simply breached our 95 degree comfort threshold at ninety six degrees.

Acer Predator Helios 300 webcam The 720p HDR webcam on the Helios 300 does an extremely great job for an integrated shooter. But like the majority of webcams, you need to verify the lighting is ideal to urge the easiest results. the colours had been saturated well and seemed best when correctly lit. 

In darker problems, the colors are a touch muted and there is a little pixelation occassionally. Overall, the webcam is sound for what it is but in case you are a major gamer looking to stream your gameplay, purchase an outside webcam.

Acer Predator Helios 300 software program and guarantee The Acer Predator Helios 300 includes Predator Sense program, which grants gamers the capability to personalize the laptop computer in many ways. 

you will set the rii backlighting, fans, monitor system efficiency as well as balance overclocking.

Gamer-centric third party program contains the Nvidia instrument panel, that enables you to alter the discrete GPU's configurations. Furthermore, the Nvidia GeForce Experience might be a collection of apps made to optimize gameplay.

As is usual with Windows ten methods, there's a typical quantity of bloatware, Netflix, including Skype, and Microsoft Solitaire collection.

The Acer Predator Helios 300 includes a 1 year restricted warranty. Find out how Acer fared in our yearly specific reports, like Tech Support Showdown, Worst and best Brands and Worst and best Gaming Brands.

Several gaming examination info of Acer Predator Helios 300

 Could a metal clad gaming laptop computer be had without shedding some serious coin? You bet: Acer's Predator Helios 300 is making that you can after 2018. 

Today 2 generations matured, this particular 2020 edition (starts at 1dolar1 1,199; 1dolar1 1,499 as tested) is basically a hardware refresh of last year 's model with Intel's "Comet Lake" silicon and as much as a 240Hz display. 

It place both to great use in our gaming benchmarks, wherever it created best-in-class gaming frame prices while nearly doubling the battery lifetime of its predecessor.

Asus' ROG Zephyrus G14 is still a remarkable option for an lightweight gamer, however the Predator Helios 300 checks nearly every package then several in case you are looking for a larger display. 

It is our brand new Editor's Choice holder for mid range 15 inch gaming notebooks.

Top Entry Level...Or Lower High End?

The Predator Helios 300 sits between Acer's entry level gamer, the Nitro five (2020), and also its top shelf Predator Triton 500 (2020). 

It does a classier task of being throughout this particular middle tier compared to the Lenovo Legion 5i and consequently the Dell G5 fifteen SE (2020), whose all plastic styles are not as chic as the Predator's lightweight aluminum top and lid.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) perspective view The metallic style is not with no compromises. 

Although it is incredibly sturdy, rear corners and the front of the chassis are clear. Furthermore, the metallic which stretches down the edges has squared off tips at rock bottom which I discovered uneasy the moment I utilized the Predator Helios 300 in my lap.

A small change for 2020 would be that the lid not has got the Predator lettering, leaving only the backlit teal logo and non backlit stripes. it's a cleaner look.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) back view The Predator lettering underneath the lid would be that the only other branding on this particular laptop computer. 

Size-wise, the Helios 300's 0.9 by 14.3 by 10 inch (HWD) measurements are on course for a 15 inch gaming notebook throughout this particular class. Higher-end gaming notebooks, such as the Predator Triton 500, typically lessen level since they require trimmer display bezels.

Despite Acer's specifications listing 5.51 lbs, I weighed my Predator Helios 300 at 4.8 lbs, a conventional mass because of this category. 

The pricier (albeit almost all plastic) Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 (GU502LW) is actually 4.19 lbs.

An Ultra Smooth Operator The IPS display on my review version includes a 240Hz refresh rate, the unstated standard for high quality gaming notebooks in mid 2020. 

Mixed with a 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution as well as an advertised 3ms response time, it's a winning combo for high speed fragging.

Acer Predator Helios 300  home view In reality, the screen is very smooth it's so easy to learn outside of gaming. Just clicking and minimizing or dragging a window might be a brand new experience. 

A useful anti glare covering, wide brightness, along with fresh color round it out. there's absolutely no Nvidia G Sync assistance (hit which link for a primer on the technology), though it is difficult to seek that without investing a few 100 more.

The gaming design goes on with a colourful four zone RGB backlit computer keyboard.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) keyboard All zones are an equivalent color our pictures. The preinstalled Predator app enables you to modify them & save profiles.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) PredatorSense The rii 's feedback is on the soft side for my personal preferences, but its brief & fast key throws enable several quick typing. A slight bump on the W key will help your hands think it is. 

I also love the WASD as well as arrow key clusters have fuller borders to appear brighter, and that is fairly apparent inside the picture below. (The influence is much easier to determine from above.)

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) keyboard backlighting Moving down, the buttonless touchpad sits remaining to the palm rest to arrange with the computer keyboard.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) touchpad My left thumb went to sleep thereon while i used to be gaming, although pad's palm rejection guaranteed that which certainly not caused unwanted input. The matte surface is simple to slide across. 

Bodily clicks, achieved by pressing down on the pad, really feel a tad stiff although they produce minimal noise.

The MSI Bravo fifteen is the fact that exactly the same cost given that the starting Predator Helios 300. 

Its eight core, 16 thread Ryzen 7 CPU might be a genuine monster, although it has simply an entry level GPU. The Dell G5 fifteen SE pairs an equivalent Ryzen chip with a 6GB Radeon RX 5600M that is consistent with the 6GB GeForce RTX 2060 in the Lenovo Legion 5i.

 Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 goes an element for spare the Predator Helios 300. Let us get testing.

Storage, CPU, and Media Tests

The Predator Helios 300 began with a trailing score of PCMark 10, our normal system assessment which simulates real world productivity as well as content-creation workflows. It is still fast, although, hitting above our inner 4,000 point mark for high performance PCs.

 The beefier CPUs in the MSI and Dell models doubtless contributed to their best spots. That separate, the Predator Helios 300's rapid storage space drive aided it do precisely ok in PCMark eight.

Loads of Storage Expansion Concealed underneath the front side of the chassis are at least one clear sounding speakers which won't lead you to entirely regret misplacing your headphones. 

the key shock below there, nonetheless, takes a Philips screwdriver: upgradeable storage.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) underside The Predator Helios 300 supports around three drives through 2 M.2 slots, one among that is loaded in my unit by a 512GB solid state drive, along with a regular 2.5 inch bay. 

it may be easy to offer a 1TB or perhaps a 2TB disk drive for inexpensive storage, that may stop from consistently planning to exchange video games from the included drive since you ran from space. 

this particular kind of upgradeability might be a terrific feature that lots of finer notebooks cannot match.

Power Around Back, Please The Predator Helios 300's port choice is the same for the 2020 design. A pair of USB 3.2 Gen one Type A ports (5Gbps), an audio tool jack, along with a Killer E2600 Ethernet port grace the left edge. 

On the appropriate, you are going to find a USB Type C port (10Gbps), another Type A port, in addition Mini-Displayport video outputs and hdmi. Thunderbolt three is not present, though it is not expected throughout this tier.

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) left ports Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) right ports

Almost all that is genuinely lacking might be a press card reader. The Kensington style cable lock slot in the left back corner is available for public spaces. 

the center jack's location around rear is possible since it has just one less cord protruding out of the edge.

The included adapter's right angle connector does not stick out faraway from the back, also. Within, a Killer AX1650i card offers Wi Fi six and also Bluetooth five. 

The preinstalled Killer middle app enables you to monitor as well as limit the network performance of some other apps.

The Predator Helios 300 does not have built in biometric features such as a fingerprint reader, one thing that is not unusual among gaming notebooks. 

Its 720p webcam, although correctly placed above the display, doesn't have worse or better image quality compared to the cams we come across on nearly all laptop Pcs during this cost range. 

(It will be refreshing to determine a high quality 1080p design one among lately,)

Midrange Components, Top Shelf Performance The Predator Helios 300 throughout this particular evaluation (model PH315-53-71QX) would be that the costliest U.S. configuration. 

As compared to the 1dolar1 1,199 base version on Amazon (PH315-53-72XD), this ups the GPU from the 6GB GeForce RTX 2060 to a Max Q edition of the 8GB GeForce RTX 2070, and bumps the display refresh rate from 144Hz to 240Hz. 

Otherwise, the two share Intel's mainstay six core, 12 thread Core i7 10750H processor, 16GB of memory, along with a 512GB solid state drive with Windows ten Home. Acer's regular warranty is but one year.

The competitors throughout this particular market segment is fierce. Dell's G5 fifteen went for 1dolar1 1,429 equipped like my Predator the moment I typed the, but with only a 144Hz screen; Lenovo's Legion 5i was 1dolar1 1,599 with just a 6GB GeForce RTX 2060 and a 144Hz screen; and thus the Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 (GU502LW) was 1dolar1 1,579 with two times the solid state storage (1TB) but only single zone keyboard backlighting as well as no webcam. 

Acer's pricing holds true exactly where it ought to be.

But we need to revisit the Predator Helios 300 base version. Until you are counting on in excess of 144 frames a second (fps) in esports titles, it's a more effective value compared to my review version. 

The overall performance gap between a 6GB GeForce RTX 2060 as well as an 8GB GeForce RTX 2070 Max Q definitely is not worth the 1dolar1 300 additional on it's own, and then the majority of eyes has trouble telling the big difference between 144Hz plus 240Hz. 

In reality, outside esports, both GPUs are likely to be investing their time effectively below 144fps for titles as Death Stranding, therefore the higher refresh speed is actually a moot point.

Today upon the overall performance assessment, wherever I compared the Predator Helios 300 on the gaming notebooks whose fundamental specifications are mentioned below.

Then set up might be at least one CPU crunching tests: 

Cinebench R15 stresses most accessible processor cores as well as threads while rendering a classy picture, while in our Handbrake test, we transcode a 12 minute 4K video right down to 1080p.

The Predator Helios 300's Core i7 10750H scored lower in Cinebench R15, wherever it ought to have scored no less than 1,300 tips the same as the Asus. it'd been also somewhat behind in Handbrake. 

In either case, the AMD chipped MSI and Dell devices were leagues ahead. Intel's closest comparison to the Ryzen seven 4800H is its Core i7 10875H, located solely in a lot of pricier gaming notebooks the same as the Aorus 15G.

The Predator Helios 300 fortunately redeemed itself in our picture editing test. We utilize a beginning 2018 introduction of Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud to work with ten complicated effects and filters to a regular JPEG picture, timing every operation and also including up the totals. 

This particular evaluation is not as CPU focused as Handbrake or Cinebench, bringing the functionality of the storage subsystem, mind, along with GPU into play.

 Visuals Tests

We utilize 2 benchmark suites to determine the gaming general performance possibility of a PC. inside the very first, UL's 3DMark, we operate 2 DirectX 11 driven subtests, the mainstream Sky Diver and Fire Strike, that is much more suited to gaming rigs. 

Our various other graphics benchmark is Unigine Corp.'s Superposition, which relies on an unique rendering motor to provide a classy 3d scene.