Acer’s Predator Helios series of laptops are, in their own rights, some of the most powerful gaming laptops you can buy today. The Helios 300 platform with Intel’s 12th Generation Core processors alongside NVIDIA’s finest in the form of the GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs are some of the most potent combinations for gaming laptops. That was in 2022 though.
It is 2023, Intel and NVIDIA have moved on from their 12th generation and GeForce RTX 30 series components respectively. Intel have launched their even more powerful 13th Generation of mobile computing chips. NVIDIA have also announced their new GPU platform for mobile computers, the GeForce RTX 40 series. The Predator Helios 300 then, is outdated.
No matter though, Acer has just launched their latest Predator flagship laptop in Malaysia. The Helios name stays, but it is a little different. Welcome to the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18.
Dropping off the 300 or 500 or 700 moniker, in our opinions, is a step toward the right direction in streamlining their products. Instead, the numbers behind now represents the laptop’s screen size. In the case of the Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 then, you get a 16-inch and 18-inch Helios gaming laptops.
Predator Helios 18
We start with the big one, literally, the Predator Helios 18, the 18-inch full fat variant of the Predator Helios flagship. It is meant to be a desktop replacement though, so you should not stress about bringing it about. Yes, it is heavy at 3.16kg.
With a larger body though, comes more real estate for cooling systems. As with any other Predator product, the Helios 18 packs their 5th Generation 3D Aeroblade aluminium fan that keeps your gaming laptop cool in intense gaming conditions as well as ensuring that dust build up is not a problem. The cooling solution ensures that the 13th generation Intel Core i9 (up to) runs optimally even at high loads. It also keeps the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) Ada Lovelace chips as cool as they can be in this package. Alongside the powerful CPU and GPU, you can opt for up to 32GB in DDR5 memory paired with up to 2TB of speedy storage.
You get a beautiful 18-inch IPS display too to enjoy all kinds of AAA games you might want to play on the Helios 18. It fits in the body of a traditional 17-inch notebook thanks to the clever 16:10 aspect ratio. No, you are not getting a measly Full HD resolution display either. It is now a WQXGA display (2560 x 1600 pixels), which is just a little more than 1440p. The display even boasts a 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, meaning you are getting very lifelike colours and graphics offering an immersive experience like no colour. On top of that, you get up to 240Hz to ensure that you can keep up with the best in competitive titles. With up to 500 nits in brightness, you do not even have to dim your room to game.
The keyboard is a step up from before too. You now get mini-LED backlighting that offers more efficient backlight system. It is not the plain ol’ 4-zone RGB backlighting system too. Instead, it is a per-key RGB system that allows you to completely customize your keyboard to your heart’s content.
To control all of this, you have the new PredatorSense 4 control software. The new PredatorSense is designed to be more streamlined and cleverer than ever before. The software also allows you to store multiple profiles for different lighting setups for different games too. Moreover, NVIDIA’s clever Advanced Optimus offers the Predator Helios 18 even longer battery life by switching between integrated graphics and discrete GPU whichever is required at different times.
Predator Helios 16
The Predator Helios 16 may be small, but it is still no slouch compared to the Helios 18. You get to choose and opt for all the hardware the Helios 18 gets. That means you still get the power of the 24-core 13th generation Intel Core i9 (up to). You also get to enjoy the full might of a modern NVIDIA GPU in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (up to) all in a smaller, more portable body.
You compromise a little on the display though. Instead of 18-inch, you get 16 inches of IPS goodness. It still refreshes at 240hz and boasts WQXGA resolution at 16:10 aspect ratio. All of this just so that it fits in a laptop body that traditionally fits 15-inch displays.
Price and Availability
The new Predator Helios 16 and Helios 18 are both available for pre-order from now to the end of April 2023. The Helios 16 starts at 8,999 while the Helios 18 will set you back from MYR 9,999 onward. If you do pre-order your Predator Helios laptop, you are entitled to a free gift package worth MYR 1,627 in total. That package includes a 175hz refresh rate gaming monitor from Acer’s Nitro stables, the XV272U gaming monitor. For more information on Predator’s latest gaming laptops, you can visit their website.
