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In fact, the display is so smooth that it's easy to appreciate outside of gaming. Combined with a 1,920-by-1,080-pixel resolution and an advertised 3ms response time, it's a winning combo for high-speed fragging. The IPS screen on my review model has a 240Hz refresh rate, the unstated standard for premium gaming notebooks in mid-2020. The pricier (albeit all plastic) Asus ROG Zephyrus M15 (GU502LW) is just 4.19 pounds. Higher-end gaming notebooks, such as the Predator Triton 500, usually have less depth because they have trimmer display bezels.ĭespite Acer’s specifications listing 5.51 pounds, I weighed my Predator Helios 300 at 4.8 pounds, a normal weight for this class.
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Size-wise, the Helios 300's 0.9 by 14.3 by 10-inch (HWD) measurements are on target for a 15-inch gaming notebook in this class. The Predator lettering under the lid is the only other branding on this laptop. Additionally, the metal that extends down the sides has squared-off edges at the bottom that I found uncomfortable when I used the Predator Helios 300 in my lap.Ī minor change for 2020 is that the lid no longer has the Predator lettering, leaving just the backlit teal logo and non-backlit stripes. Although it's very sturdy, the front and rear corners of the chassis are sharp. The metal design isn't without compromises.
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It does a classier job of being in this middle tier than the Lenovo Legion 5i and the Dell G5 15 SE (2020), whose all-plastic designs aren't as chic as the Predator's aluminum top and lid. The Predator Helios 300 sits between Acer's entry-level gamer, the Nitro 5 (2020), and its top-shelf Predator Triton 500 (2020). It’s our new Editor’s Choice holder for mid-range 15-inch gaming notebooks.
#Acer helios 300 portable
Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 remains an outstanding choice for a more portable gamer, but the Predator Helios 300 checks just about every box and then some if you’re after a larger screen. It put both to good use in our gaming benchmarks, where it produced best-in-class gaming frame rates while almost doubling the battery life of its predecessor. Now two generations matured, this 2020 version (starts at $1,199 $1,499 as tested) is largely a hardware refresh of last year’s model with Intel’s “Comet Lake” silicon and up to a 240Hz screen. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security SoftwareĬan a metal-clad gaming laptop be had without dropping some serious coin? You bet: Acer's Predator Helios 300 has been making that possible since 2018.
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