Gaming laptops have recently become very popular among the gaming community, and some people actually prefer them to the flagship gaming consoles. The biggest reason for this preference comes down to two things; 1) Portability and 2) Easy Upgradation.
With these powerful gaming laptops, you can game anywhere you want to. You don’t have to worry about a monitor setup, a power supply, and other factors you need to consider in case of using a gaming console. If you do enough research and spend your money wisely, you can easily get a gaming laptop as powerful as the latest gaming console models.
Even if you can’t find the right laptop at first, the good thing is that you can make one yourself. Like a gaming PC, you can upgrade your gaming laptop and install the latest hardware to enjoy the best performance. This ability to upgrade the hardware is why most people prefer laptops and PCs to gaming consoles.
Once you buy a PS4, you will have to wait for a PS5 release to get the latest technology and enjoy the newest games to their full capacity. In the case of gaming laptops, you can easily upgrade each and every hardware part instead of having to buy a new laptop altogether. You can install better RAM, upgrade the graphics card to the most powerful one available, and even increase storage space by upgrading the hard drive.
Because these gaming laptops are so powerful, they make a great daily driver as well. Even if you aren’t a regular gamer, having a gaming laptop will certainly improve your day-to-day computing.
In this article, we have got a gaming laptop comparison for you. We are going to compare the Acer Nitro 5 vs. Acer Predator Helios 300. We will take a look at their specifications, and then you will find separate detailed reviews for both of these laptops. We are confident that after reading this article, you will be able to make the final decision for which you have been doing all the research.
Table of Contents
Acer Nitro 5 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 Comparison
and Buying Guide
[amazon table=”820″]As you can tell at a glance, both these laptops are quite similar in terms of specifications. None of these two laptops dominate the other in any hardware department. So, choosing one winner of the Acer Nitro 5 vs. Acer Predator Helios 300 is not easy. That is why, in our opinion, it all becomes a matter of preference in the end.
However, that’s not all. We have in-depth reviews of both these Acer gaming laptops where we are going to talk about much more than just the technical details. We will consider the power and the performance as well as their outlooks, their usability, and much more. So, let’s get going.
Acer Nitro 5 Review
The reason we have gone with the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop is that we think it is a gaming laptop that didn’t get the recognition it should have. Acer makes some very good laptops, including daily drivers, high-end models, and gaming laptops. Once in a while, they try and merge two into one, as they tried with the Acer Nitro 5.
The Acer Nitro 5 is a mid-range gaming laptop with powerful enough hardware for a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience. With the Nitro 5, you get a high-quality gaming laptop within a competitive price range. Just like the previous Acer Nitro 5 models, the latest 2021 Nitro 5 is a very dependable and affordable gaming laptop. But, thanks to the better components and design, it doesn’t get overshadowed by its flashy competitors.
[amazon box=”B086KJBKDW”]Let’s dive in and see what are some highlights of the Acer Nitro 5 (2021).
Design
The latest installment of the Nitro series is certainly an improvement over its predecessors in every department, including the overall design. With a 15.6 inches display, you get a big enough display for a clear and full view, but it still keeps the device compact and good-looking. Gaming laptops tend to be bulky; however, the Acer Nitro 5 is not your typical gaming laptop.
It’s not as thin and compact as some of the premium quality gaming laptops like ASUS’ Zephyrus series. Even some of the expensive Acer laptops have a thinner and compact design, but considering the price and the fact that the Nitro 5 is a mid-range gaming laptop, the overall build and design couldn’t be better.
The outlook of the Nitro 5 2021 is a big improvement over its predecessors. As per Acer, the bezels around the screen are slimmer. The Nitro 5 has an 80% screen-to-body ratio, thanks to the 7mm bezels. This shredding to the extra body not only makes the laptop lighter; it also brings a more premium feel.
The keyboard and touchpad of the Nitro 5 2021 are still similar to the previous models. The red accent of the keyboard continues along with a 4-zone RGB light. For gaming or working in the dark, the backlight and the red accent look beautiful and is practical as well. The touchpad is a little to the left, a bit too much for our liking. While gaming, you will definitely have to use a mouse.
A huge improvement to the design is the switch in the position of the power connector and the exhaust fans. The power connector is now at the backside in the center. The fans are on the back as well as on the side, which makes sure the laptop and its powerful components stay cool and perform at the highest level.
To sum it all up, the overall design of the Acer Nitro 5 is much better than the previous models of the Nitro series. The unique edges, the slim bezels, the RGB lights vastly improve the overall feel of the laptop, making it look more modern. Even though it is a budget gaming laptop, no one will be able to tell just by looking at the Nitro 5.
Connectivity
A gaming laptop needs to have a wide connectivity range, so you can try it out with different setups and enjoy the various gaming accessories that are available in the market nowadays. The good thing is that the Nitro 5 2021 does not lack in the connectivity department at all. Acer Nitro 5 has the following ports available:
- 1 USB 3.1 Type C Port (up to 5 Gbps)
- 2 USB 3.1 Ports
- 1 USB 2.0 Port
- 1 HDMI Port with HDCP support
- 1 RJ45 Ethernet Port
- Audio Jack
For wireless connectivity, the Acer Nitro 5 uses the Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 for faster and stronger internet connections. Whether you are gaming, streaming, or just surfing the internet, no more slow internet speeds, no more lag, and no more connection lost errors.
Performance
Clearly, we can’t show you the fast and snappy performance of the Acer Nitro 5 on here, but what we can do is tell you about the powerful components that run this gaming laptop so that you get an idea of its performance and capabilities.
With the 9th Generation Core i7-9750H 6-Core processor that has a 2.6 GHz to 4.5 GHz frequency, the laptop runs fast, smooth, and snappy at the same time. Running the Windows 10 Home, there is no lag, no getting stuck on a screen, and definitely no problem with gaming.
To provide the best gaming experience, the Nitro 5 has NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card with a 144 Hz refresh rate. Combine that with a 15-inch FHD IPS display screen you have the perfect combination for gaming and entertainment. The graphics card has a dedicated 6 GB GDDR6 VRAM to make sure no background processing ever disturbs your gaming.
Even with all these super-powerful hardware components, the laptop lasts for up to EIGHT hours with a single charge. So, if you like to travel around with your gaming laptop, now you have the battery backup too, to enjoy your video games anywhere you want.
Acer really has given great thought to the Nitro 5 2021 to make sure everyone can have a premium quality gaming laptop without having to spend too much.
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Acer Predator Helios 300 Review
Acer has a number of mid-range gaming laptops that can give the high-end models a run for their money. The Acer Predator Helios 300 is certainly one of those gaming laptops. It is available in different models with different hardware configurations.
The cheapest Predator Helios 300 is the one with an i7-8750H 2.2 GHz processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 1050Ti GPU. It has 8 GB RAM, a 256 GB SSD hard disk, and a 1080p display screen. This is model number PH317-52-716C, and this one falls into the low-budget gaming laptop category.
The model we are reviewing is the Predator Helios 300 PH315-53-72XD. This model is an amped-up device with a more powerful hardware configuration, and it naturally costs more as well. The price still is very affordable, and considering the specs, we will even say it is justified. However, we do have a detailed review for you so you can decide for yourself.
[amazon box=”B06Y4GZS9C”]Design
At first glance, you can tell straight away that this is a gaming laptop made for heavy-duty use. It’s not one of those subtle laptops with a plastic build. Instead, it is a built-to-last laptop with a metal chassis. The aggressive edges, the reflective strips on each side of the Predator logo, and the blue lights in the logo and the strips bring the typical gaming laptop look.
The Predator Helios 300 has a very beautiful accent on the keyboard and the touchpad. The keyboard has backlights of several colors and blue accents around the gaming keys. Even the touchpad has a blue accent all around, which makes the laptop so much colorful and bright to look at. With the edges, bright colors, unique shape, it looks like something out of the Transformer movies.
To take care of the heat, Acer has improved the exhaust vent design and increased the number of vents as well. The two bigger vents on the back and the two smaller ones on each side make sure the heat leaves the laptop as quickly as it generates. This slight tweak in the design ensures the bottom and the keyboard side of the laptop won’t get too hot to even use the keyboard.
Overall, it’s a compact design with a 15.6 inches screen. The thin bezels also play a huge role in improving the laptop’s look. The Acer Predator Helios 300 is not a subtle gaming laptop. It was made for gaming, and you can tell that just by opening the lid. So, if you want a quiet and simple gaming laptop without too much flashiness, this might not be your cup of tea.
Connectivity
Just as you would expect, the Acer Predator Helios 300 has a lot of ports to make it the perfect fit for any sort of gaming or work setup. You can easily attach it to any model of monitors if you want to utilize the power on a bigger screen to enjoy a better gaming experience or get a better view of your content creation. You get:
- 3 USB 3.2 Type-A Ports (5 Gbps)
- 1 USB Type-C Port (10 Gbps)
- 1 HDMI Port With HDCP Support
- 1 Killer E2600 Ethernet Port
- Audio Jack
The wireless connectivity of the Predator Helios 300 is pretty standard. You get an AX1650i chipset that offers Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 for stable and strong wireless connections. With all these ports, you can use standard wired gaming accessories. Even if you choose to use wireless accessories, the connections will be strong enough to give similar performance as using wired accessories.
Performance
Some reviewers call the Acer Predator Helios 300 as the laptop with midrange components and top-shelf performance. The primary purpose of a gaming laptop is to help you enjoy your favorite video games in the best possible way. The Predator Helios 300 totally succeeds at performing that primary purpose in the right way.
With the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU that has a dedicated 6 GB of VRAM, the laptop fares very well against some of the popular video games. Playing games like Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Throne breaker, and GTA V, the laptop was able to run them smoothly without any lag or any dip in the frame rate.
Running these games at the optimal graphics settings on a 1080p HD screen is not an ordinary feat, but the Helios 300 was able to do that with power to spare.
Aside from gaming, it performs great as a work computer too. The powerful 7th Generation Intel i7 processor is more than enough to run Windows 10 smoothly. The system is fast and snappy when you are doing some heavy video and photo editing. Even running some powerful software like Adobe Illustrator and Photoamazon at the same time for multitasking doesn’t budge the performance at all.
Just like work and gaming, the Helios 300 is great for entertainment as well. The FHD 1080p screen and the dual stereo speakers with Acer TrueHarmony technology make for great audio and visual combination. In short, the Acer Predator Helios 300 lacks in absolutely no department when it comes to performance.
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Conclusion
Now you have an idea about both these mid-range but great gaming laptops. You know about their specs, their design, and even the things they excel at and the things they could improve at. Our winner of the Acer Nitro5 vs. Acer Predator Helios 300 is the Acer Nitro 5 because it is much more flexible and easier to upgrade. Whereas with the Helios 300, it’s much more complicated to upgrade. Aside from this, they are quite evenly matched and both will do a fantastic job as your gaming laptop as well as your daily driver.
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