Predator Helios Neo 16: Mess with the Best

Ashley_Buckwell · January 26

Acer’s Predator brand is well known in the gaming industry for its wide selection of premium desktops, laptops, monitors, and computer accessories specifically designed for gamers. The Predator Helios and Triton ranges in particular are popular for effectively integrating powerful components into a compact laptop form factor.

The Predator Helios Neo 16 is a recent addition to Acer’s Helios range that offers gaming excellence at a very attractive price point, further expanding Acer’s commitment to providing a wide range of computers for gamers at all levels. The Helios Neo 16 checks all the boxes, combining premium components with excellent value for money—aiming for a design that can be achieved at a moderate price point for gamers.

The Helios Neo 16 closely resembles the design of existing Helios laptops, incorporating the latest CPUs from Intel and high-end GPUs from NVIDIA. Its hardware is wrapped in a chassis that is primarily designed for 1440p gaming yet also looks great in an office setting. Additionally, the Neo 16 leverages smooth Al-driven processor enhancements and accelerated system performance with DLSS 3.5 technology and full ray tracing.

Here are the key specs of the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16:

Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-13700HX 2.10 GHz
Graphics Card: NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060, 8 GB
Display: 16-inch IPS, 2560 × 1600 @ 165Hz
Memory: 16 GB (2 × 8 GB) DDR5 SDRAM
Storage: 1 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 × 4 M.2 SSD
Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
Camera: 1080p
Ports (left side): 1× USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, 1× 3.5 mm jack, Ethernet, 1× microSD slot
Ports (right side): 2× USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
Ports (back): 1× HDMI 2.1, 2× Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, power input
Dimensions: 14.18 × 11.02 × 1.05 inches
Weight: 5.73 pounds (2.6 kg)
Charging: 330 W
Operating System: Windows 11 Home (64-bit)

Design

The design of the Helios Neo 16 is conservative. It avoids standing out like other gaming machines often do. It has a metallic lid with a grayish hue and a black plastic base that has a slight shimmering effect when light hits it at certain angles. The lid features a bold Helios logo in its center along with lettering and block details toward the top corners. The only elements of flash in the laptop’s design are its arrow, WASD, and Predator Sense keys, which all feature translucent blue keycaps rather than being clear topped with black. Overall, the chassis is relatively subtle, visually sparking interest without being in your face.

The display is 16 inches in size, and its screen is framed on all sides by thick bezels. The laptop itself is relatively hefty, weighing in at 5.73 lb (2.6 kg). Acer has prioritized power for high-performance gaming over lightweight portability with this laptop model.

IO ports and connectivity

Around the edges of the Helios Neo 16 are a veritable smorgasbord of physical ports—something that is becoming harder to see in this MacBook-inspired era of port minimalism. The laptop has 3 USB-A ports, 2 USB-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 4, an HDMI port for video output, RJ45 for ethernet, a headphone jack, and even a microSD card slot.

Performance

The Helios Neo 16 features an Intel Core i7-13700HX CPU, 16 GB of DDR5 SDRAM (2 × 8 GB), and a 1-TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. On the graphics side, the laptop is equipped with an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060 GPU with 8 GB of dedicated memory. The machine is easily capable of handling games at 1440p resolution. Even at high quality settings, the graphics card can output high-resolution video at frame rates of more than 60 fps, and given the display's maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz, video and animations appear snappy. In benchmarks, 13th-gen Intel CPUs and NVIDIA's RTX 4000 series GPUs have demonstrated highly capable scores under a range of conditions, meaning this laptop will easily be able to keep modern games running smoothly for long periods.

Display

The 16-inch IPS panel on the Helios Neo 16 is driven by an NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4060 GPU. The display has a QHD+ resolution (2560 × 1600) and 165-Hz refresh rate. 16-inch displays are becoming the norm nowadays, gaining popularity over the 15.6-inch displays that have traditionally been prominent in gaming laptops, and QHD+ resolutions are also gaining ground over screens with lower resolutions. The display has antiglare coating, which mutes reflections under almost all light conditions, and it also gets incredibly bright, having a maximum brightness rating of 500 nits.

Overall, the Helios Neo 16 enhances the visual experience of games and movies. Cyberpunk 2077 in particular looks gorgeous with details cranked to high and ray tracing enabled. Fine smoke particles in the game can be seen wafting through the air, and water elements show mirror-esque reflections. Watching movies yields similar results: you’ll be impressed with how video is rendered on screen—vibrant colors and realistic tones are all visualized beautifully.

Interior and cooling

For heat control during extended gaming periods, Acer has engineered enhanced thermal solutions into the Helios Neo 16, which comes with dual custom-engineered 5th Gen AeroBlade™ 3D metal fans and vector heat pipes in the shape of rectangles. In addition, the chilling effects of liquid metal thermal grease cap off its advanced thermal performance. Tests have shown that even under heavy loads, the entire system maintains a reasonable temperature, eliminating the risk of damage to components. Although the fans can get loud at times, the included Predator Sense software allows you to adjust fan dynamics while keeping an eye on system health, allowing you to rapidly reduce the temperature as needed without throttling performance.

In conclusion

Acer has built a very solid gaming platform with the Predator Helios series of laptops, and the Helios Neo 16 is yet another example of Acer’s computer manufacturing excellence. The laptop is designed to last for years of 1440p gaming, providing not only a stellar gaming experience but also impressive performance for professionals and content creators alike.

Find out more on the Helios Neo 16 product page, and if you're interested in other gaming products, make sure to check out the Acer Predator website.

Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JISC-H5kPKY

Acer is proud to support the prestigious Intel® Extreme Masters gaming tournament, the longest-running global pro gaming tour in the world. This year, IEM is returning with a blast to Katowice, Poland, with action set to commence on January 31 at Spodek Arena. Acer will be present at the event to experience the action in person, and it will also be showcasing the Helios Neo 16 and its premium gaming desktop, the Orion 7000, at the Counter-Strike 2 station.

The finest Counter-Strike 2 squads, who have each been battling fiercely in recent months to secure their spot among the elite, will be appearing at this grand tournament. In total, 24 top teams will be vying for a chance to win the prestigious title and $1 million in total prize pool money. Alongside the winners of past IEM tournaments and the Polish National Championship, the top teams in the ESL World Ranking will be present to test their mettle.

Intel® Extreme Masters was established in 2006 by the Electronic Sports League and features the world's best gamers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft® II, and other esport titles. With more than a decade of history, the IEM is widely considered one of the most prestigious and exciting esports events in the world. To stay connected and receive real-time updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes content during the tournament, fans can follow the official IEM X account here.