Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 Review: Unleashing the Power
Acer is back with a Predator Helios Neo 16 (PHN16–72) equipped with an i7–14700K processor and an RTX 4070. A winning duo in this body of a gaming laptop? Here’s our take.
With its Predator Helios Neo, Acer tries to answer the question that makes every gamer dream: Can you play well without breaking the bank? Contrary to what some might think, the question is far from being “quickly answered” and far from obvious. There are many things that go into it, one of the most important being the price of the machine.
The world of gaming laptops has its own codes, and Acer has built a reputation with its Predator machines. In this family of laptops, we find the Predator Helios Neo, like this test model that we had in our hands for a few weeks. Without further ado, here’s its full specification sheet:
Design about Acer Predator Helios Neo 16
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is impressive in every sense of the word. With 2.8 kg on the scales, it falls into the category of “transportable” computers. The dimensions are relatively controlled (357.7 x 278.6 x 25.9–27.8 mm) for this type of 16-inch machine. The quality of manufacture is present, even if we are not in the presence of the finest materials. The Predator Helios Neo 16 relies mainly on plastic to meet its mission of offering the best possible performance/price ratio.
While the trend of the moment is towards more sobriety, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (2024) is remembered by gaming fans. Without drooling RGB in all directions, it cultivates its very raw format with military codes (numbers, symbols, etc.). The latter are well integrated, and although this model does not hide its origins (Predator logo, large ventilation grilles, etc.), it does it rather well, and the whole remains pleasant.
The Predator Helios Neo 16 delivers on its mission by doing so efficiently and seriously while maintaining some scalability. It is possible to access the RAM and slots to upgrade the storage part. As it stands, there’s plenty to see coming, and the upgrade won’t be for now.
Keyboard and touchpad
Acer’s keyboard is well-made, offering pleasant typing with a fairly short stroke and quick feedback. The feel is pleasant, even if it’s not the same feeling as a mechanical keyboard. For gaming, we are not disappointed, and the keyboard even includes a full numeric keypad. The manufacturer still has to make sacrifices, and this pad is a bit narrow, with directional keys that slide in at its level. Nothing dramatic, but it’s not uncommon to accidentally press certain keys before getting your bearings. Finally, the backlight is satisfactory.
As for the touchpad, it is once again efficient and pleasant to the touch. Most gamers will switch to an external mouse, but it’s good to see that this touchpad isn’t sloppy.
Connection
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is a good student in the field since it offers a fairly complete set of connectors. On the left, there’s an RJ-45 Ethernet port, a micro SD card reader, a USB-A (3.2 Gen 1) port, and a 3.5mm combo jack port. To the right of the laptop, Acer adds two USB-A (3.2 Gen 2) ports.
On the back, the user accesses two Thunderbolt 4 compatible USB-C (3.2 Gen 2) ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and the power port. This connection is exactly the same as on the previous model and remains a strong point of this machine. One can easily envisage using the Predator Helios Neo 16 as the main machine at home.
Wireless is not to be outdone with Wi-Fi 6e support to play in very good conditions without connecting.
Screen
You won’t be out of place if you’ve read our review of the Predator Helios 16, launched in 2023. This new model is mostly a technical update, and the display continues to offer the same features. We still get a 16-inch IPS panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, offering a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. The maximum refresh rate is 240 Hz on this model, which also claims a 3 ms GTG response time.
In use, the screen is displayed in the configuration that comes with it. It is bright enough to perform in any condition of use, especially with its matte treatment. The latter is appreciable and allows a game to be played in a very bright environment or in direct sunlight.
Hardware and performance
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 packs a fourteenth generation Intel Core i7–14700HX processor, coupled with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. The CPU is based on a 20-core architecture, with 8 high-performance cores and 12 efficient cores. The total number of threads reaches 28, with a base frequency of 2.10 GHz and 5.50 GHz in turbo.
The graphics part has 8 GB of dedicated memory (GDDR6) with up to 140 W of power. It is also possible to switch to the Intel integrated solution for light use. On the storage side, there are 1 + 1 TB SSDs in PCIe 4.0 and configured in RAID 0.
The power is clearly there, and this i7/RTX 4070 duo shows in the benchmarks that it has it in its belly. While the processor is at its best, all eyes are on the GeForce RTX 4070 for gaming. NVIDIA’s card confirms that it is at home in most situations, even at the native resolution of the screen (2,560 x 1,600 pixels). In this case, it is not always possible to play with all the settings at maximum on the most demanding games. On the other hand, it is conceivable in older games.
The question hardly arises in DLSS 3 compatible titles. It’s no longer a surprise; the green giant’s technology is impressive, and the RTX 4070 takes full advantage of it. Once enabled, AI (or rather deep learning) helps to gain performance in games.
Software
Offered under Windows 11, this gaming laptop obviously has no trouble running Microsoft’s OS in the best conditions. The performance is there thanks to a powerful processor and a very fast SSD.
Cooling
Acer harnesses all this power by offering a truly efficient cooling system. The heating remains under control even after a long gaming session, and the machine quickly drops in temperature. This device had already impressed us last year; it remains effective with the latest-generation i7 and an RTX 4070. It also helps the Predator Helios Neo 16 maintain good performance in demanding environments or games.
When the machine is called upon, the blower is heard, and the deciles rise as the fans move. The machine is not a model of stealth, and it is better to use a headset when playing. In silent mode for everyday tasks, the Predator Helios Neo 16 is much wiser.
Autonomy
Stamina is rarely a strong point on gaming laptops. The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 confirms this tendency to run out of steam quickly away from the socket. Its 90 watt battery provides 4 to 5 hours of battery life in the best conditions, which puts the Helios Neo 16 in the low mid-range.
In multi-purpose use or for work (office automation), it is more like 2 to 3 hours of use. It is possible to optimize the autonomy by going through the machine setting box (Predator Sens, Nvidia Optimus) and Windows, but is it really useful? Such a machine is designed to express itself at the top of its lungs rather than to be restricted in these uses in order to gain a little autonomy.
You also have to take into account the presence of the 330 W external block. Matching the Acer laptop, it’s a real brick that makes you want to walk around with this machine and its charger in your bag. Obviously, this is not a surprise because of the positioning of this model.
Originally published at https://technoluting.com on April 16, 2024.
