Predator Helios 300 and Aspire Nitro 5 are two Acer’s gaming laptops that have been upgraded in 2020. The second has more basic configurations with options with Core i5, from Intel. The Predator is more powerful and has GeForce RTX cards from Nvidia with support for Ray Tracing and DLSS.
Among the similarities, both products have options featuring hybrid SSD and HD storage, a Full HD display with up to 144Hz refresh rate, and support for Wi-Fi 6. Check out the following comparison of technical specifications of the laptops and find out which one is better for you.
Acer Aspire Nitro 5 vs Predator Helios 300
| Specifications | Aspire Nitro 5 | Predator Helios 300 |
|---|---|---|
| Price on Amazon | $714.99 | $1,299 |
| Screen | 15.6 inches | 15.6 inches |
| Screen resolution | Full HD | Full HD |
| Processor | Multi-generation Core i5 or Core i7, Ryzen 5 or 7 | 8th generation Core i7 onwards |
| RAM | 8 or 16GB | 16GB |
| Video card | GTX 1050 or GTX 1650 | GTX 1660 Ti, RTX 2060 or RTX 2070 |
| Storage | SSD, HD or hybrid | SSD or hybrid |
| Ports and Interfaces | USB-C, 3x USB, HDMI, headphone output, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | USB-C, 3x USB, HDMI, headphone output, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth |
| Dimensions (mm) | 39 x 26.6 x 2.67 cm | 36 x 25.4 x 2.29 cm |
| Weight | 2.7 kg | 2.4 kg |
Design
Both laptops have a robust profile typical of gaming laptops and weigh 2.4kg (Predator) and 2.7kg (Aspire). Therefore, they follow a common pattern among gaming laptops, which are not so focused on portability.
In the finish, both have a plastic construction. The Aspire Nitro 5 has red color traces, while the Predator Helios 300 brings a combination of black and blue elements. There is also colored LED lighting on the keyboard of both models.
According to Acer, the sacrifice in portability ends up having a positive effect in making both laptops more efficient in dissipating heat, something that contributes to not getting so hot during gaming. As for interfaces, Aspire Nitro 5 and Predator Helios 300 come with three USB, USB-C, HDMI, RJ-45 port, headphone jack, plus Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It is worth noting that 2020 editions of the Nitro 5 already feature Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
Screen
The two laptops offer similar screens with 15.6-inch dimensions and Full HD resolution. The big difference here is the upgrade: the Predator Helios 300 has a 144Hz display, while the Aspire Nitro 5 can be found both with 60Hz displays in entry-level and older versions and with 144Hz in newer and more robust models.
This aspect is worth keeping an eye on, especially if the idea is to play FPS games like Valorant and CS:GO. Faster screens ensure a superior user experience in all scenarios and can become a competitive advantage in online games.
Performance
The Aspire Nitro 5 is a multi-generation laptop that requires a bit of attention, since the competitive price of older versions can hide specifications that, today, are not so interesting anymore. An example of this is models of the laptop with a 7th generation Core i5 processor and a GeForce GTX 1050 card: these are adequate configurations for many users but can disappoint when it comes to playing the latest games.
The Predator Helios 300, on the other hand, is only found with more current specifications. The most affordable models are equipped with Nvidia’s GTX 1660 Ti and feature an 8th generation Core i7 processor.
More powerful versions of the laptop use the RTX 2060 or RTX 2070 Max-Q, cards that support Ray Tracing and DLSS. Also, they have a Core i7 chip that can be of eighth, ninth, or tenth generation. The Predator also comes with 16GB of RAM, while the Nitro can appear with either 8 or 16GB.
The typical Aspire Nitro 5, with the most up-to-date configurations, will have a ninth-generation Core i5 or Core i7 processor, as well as GTX 1650 graphics card and 16GB of RAM – a package that is enough to handle the latest Full HD games with some level of sacrifice in graphics.
The Nitro 5, on the other hand, also gained the alternative with AMD’s Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 processor in 2020. Apart from the difference in processor suppliers, the models follow the same profile and design as their Intel counterparts. Also, the cards are still GeForce, and the display is the same.
Storage
As with the Aspire, the Predator features the hybrid storage option, combining 128 GB SSD with 1TB HDD in some editions. Another alternative is the computer coming from the factory with the only SSD but keeping the additional slot for other storage.
It is worth considering that both laptops bet on SATA or NVMe technology SSDs. SATA interfaces are slower than NVMe, but are still much faster at reading and writing data than conventional HDDs. For those looking for maximum performance, it is important to pay attention to the storage technology offered by the laptop.
Competitors
The Nitro 5 has a larger number of rivals. Among the models, Dell’s G3 and G5, Lenovo’s Ideapad Gaming 3i, and Samsung’s Odyssey stand out. The prices are quite similar, but generally, the Acer option tends to be cheaper.
The Predator, on the other hand, considering more powerful options with Nvidia’s RTX cards, finds opponents in several Avell models, besides the Area 51M, from Alienware (Dell), and the Legion 5i and Odyssey 2, from Lenovo and Samsung, respectively.
Prices
In our searches, considering Amazon’s marketplace, it is possible to find the Aspire Nitro 5 as the cheaper of the two. The laptop is available on Amazon for $714.99 in a package that brings a ninth-generation Core i5 processor, GTX 1650, 8GB of RAM, plus storage combining 256GB SSD.
The cheapest Predator we could find starts at $1,299 and offers a configuration with the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti – Nvidia’s best card outside of the RTX lines at the moment – ninth-generation Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and hybrid storage combining 256GB Nvme SSD with a 1 TB hard drive.
- Buy Acer Nitro 5
- Buy Predator Helios 300Â
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