Acer Predator Helios 300 vs Helios 500: Which One to Buy?

Estimated read time 5 min read

Acer Helios 300 and Helios 500 are great gaming laptops, but what are the differences and which one should you get? This post will help you decide which one is right for you?

Helios 300Helios 500
BUY NOWBUY NOW
PROSPROS
Lots of power. Affordable price. 144Hz refresh rate. Decent battery life.Lots of power for gaming. Large, color-corrected 144Hz display. Easily adjustable CPU and GPU.
CONSCONS
Gets too hot. Loud fans. Lackluster sound.Speakers are mediocre. Bad trackpad. Not cheap.

SPECIFICATIONS

MODELHELIOS 300HELIOS 500
BrandAcerAcer
SeriesPredatorPredator
ModelHelios 300HELIOS 500
QUICK INFOHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
ColorBlackBlack
Operating SystemWindows 10 Home 64-bitWindows 10 Home 64-bit
CPUIntel Core i7-9750H 2.60 GHzAMD Ryzen 7 2700 3.20 GHz
Screen15.6″ 144 Hz IPS17.3″ 144 Hz IPS
Memory16 GB DDR416 GB DDR4
Storage512 GB PCIe SSD256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD
Graphics CardGeForce RTX 2060AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
Video Memory6 GB GDDR68 GB HBM2
Dimensions (W x D x H)14.23″ x 10.01″ x 0.90″16.85″ x 11.73″ x 1.52″
Weight5.07 lbs.9.37 lbs.
CPUHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
CPU TypeIntel Core i7 9th GenAMD Ryzen 7 2nd Gen
CPU Speed9750H (2.60 GHz)2700 (3.20 GHz)
Number of Cores6-core Processor8-core Processor
Core NameCoffee Lake
Turbo FrequencyUp to 4.50 GHzUp to 4.10 GHz
CPU L3 Cache12 MB16 MB
CHIPSETHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Chipset
DISPLAYHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Screen Size15.6″17.3″
TouchscreenNoNo
Wide Screen SupportYesYes
Display TypeFull HDFull HD
Resolution1920 x 10801920 x 1080
PanelIPSIPS
Refresh Rate144 Hz144 Hz
LCD Features144 Hz 3 ms 300 nits IPS 72% NTSCIPS Display, FreeSync, 144 Hz Refresh Rate, 72% NTSC
OPERATING SYSTEMHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Operating SystemWindows 10 Home 64-bitWindows 10 Home 64-bit
GRAPHICSHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
GPU/VPUNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
Video Memory6 GB8 GB
Graphic TypeDedicated CardDedicated Card
STORAGEHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
SSD512 GB256 GB
MEMORYHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Memory16 GB16 GB
Memory SpeedDDR4 2666DDR4 2666
Memory Spec8 GB x 28 GB x 2
Memory Slot (Total)24
Memory Slot (Available)02
Max Memory Supported32 GB64 GB
OPTICAL DRIVEHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Optical Drive TypeNoNo
COMMUNICATIONSHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
LANKiller Ethernet E2500Killer Ethernet E2500
WLANKiller Double Shot Pro Wireless-AC 1550 802.11ac WiFi featuring 2×2 MU-MIMO technology (Dual-Band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)Killer DoubleShot Pro Wireless-AC 1550 802.11ac WiFi featuring 2×2 MU-MIMO technology (Dual-Band 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)
BluetoothBluetooth 5.0Bluetooth 5.0
PORTSHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
USB1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (up to 10 Gbps)

3 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (One with Power-off Charging)
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (up to 10 Gbps, DisplayPort over USB Type-C & USB Charging)

3 x USB 3.0 (one featuring Power-off Charging)
Video Port1 x Mini DisplayPort1 x DisplayPort
HDMI1 x HDMI 2.01 x HDMI 2.0
Audio Ports1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack
AUDIOHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
AudioWaves MaxxAudio sound technology

Acer TrueHarmony Technology

Acer Purified.Voice technology with two built-in microphones
Waves MaxxAudio sound technology

Acer TrueHarmony Technology

Acer Purified.Voice Technology with Two Built-in Microphones
SpeakerTwo Built-in Stereo SpeakersTwo Built-in Stereo Speakers with Subwoofer
OUTPUT DEVICEHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Virtual Reality ReadyYesYes
INPUT DEVICEHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
TouchpadPrecision Touchpad (supporting Windows Modern Touchpad gestures)Precision Touchpad (supporting Windows Modern Touchpad gestures)
Keyboard4-Zone RGB Backlit KeyboardDedicated Numeric Keypad

Media Control Function Keys

Backlit four-zoned RGB Keyboard with anti-ghosting
Backlit KeyboardBacklitBacklit
WebcamHD Webcam (1280 x 720) supporting Super High Dynamic Range (SHDR)HD Webcam (1280 x 720) supporting Super High Dynamic Range (SHDR)
Card Reader
GENERALHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
StyleStandardThin and Light
TypeGaming & EntertainmentGaming & Entertainment
UsageConsumerConsumer
POWERHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
AC AdapterLithium IonLithium Ion
BatteryUp to 6 hoursUp to 1.5 hours
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTHELIOS 300 HELIOS 500
Dimensions (W x D x H)14.23″ x 10.01″ x 0.90″16.85″ x 11.73″ x 1.52″
Weight5.07 lbs.9.37 lbs.

Expert Reviews For Helios 300:

By Techau
All things considered the Acer Predator Helios 300 would sit a lot better with me if it wasn’t as big, given I take laptops with me daily, whereas this feels more like a laptop designed to take to a LAN party once a month. If I’m investing in a laptop I…

By Hothardware
Summed up, the Predator Helios 300 is a fast gaming laptop at a fair price, with some unique features to boot. It may not be the same exceptional value it was a year ago, but with the addition of a 144Hz display, it still stands out against other similarly equipped configurations.

By TechRadar
Despite two glaring flaws, namely the cooling system and the speakers, this budget gaming laptop packs a punch. If you’re serious about gaming but have a limited budget, you’re going to want to pick this one up.

By UltraBookReview
The Helios 300 is Acer’s mind-range gaming laptop built on Intel HQ processors and 1060 graphics. The excellent pricing and solid performance are its main selling points, alongside a nice keyboard, alright IO and a fairly good screen on this updated 2018 model. There are however still some aspects to improve, like the size of the battery, arguable design decisions and rather lackluster speakers.

By PCWorld
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a comfortable, no-nonsense gaming laptop that delivers a refreshing amount of bang for your buck.

Expert Reviews For Helios 500:

By TomsHardware
Those looking for a gaming laptop that does double duty as a powerful video editing rig will find a lot to like with this AMD-powered Predator. But an eight-core processor and Vega 56 graphics result in shockingly short battery life.

By CNET
The Acer Helios 500 is a big-screen 17-inch laptop that has some excellent components and doesn’t cost a fortune, but also offers few surprises.

By IGN
I really enjoyed using the Helios 500. From the display to overall performance, I can only think of small gripes, with the only major one being battery life. Overall it’s one of the most powerful laptops I’ve reviewed, and that’s saying a lot. Still, the Intel Core i9 model (with extra storage) is $500 more than the i7 version, which seems like a lot of money for what is likely to be not much of a boost in gaming, so be sure to consider that if you’re in the market.

By TrustedReviews
Smooth performance and cool running make this a worthy top-end gaming laptop, despite limited portability and a few little flaws. Just keep an eye on battery levels.

By LaptopMag
The Predator Helios 500 truly embraces its name with powerful graphics and an intense processor, all running at chilling…

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Jaskaran Singh

Jaskaran, a tech enthusiast from childhood, inspired by his father, began his tech journey by rooting Android phones. He now writes on various tech topics, aiming to simplify complex ideas for a broad audience. His writing is direct, concise, and flows effortlessly, making tech topics accessible and engaging.

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