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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is more budget-friendly and provides basic functionality for general use, such as web browsing and document editing, with a longer battery life and silent operation due to fanless design; however, it has limited storage, memory, and a lower-quality TN display. The Acer Predator Helios 300, on the other hand, is more expensive but offers significantly better performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering tasks due to its higher-end processor, more memory, better graphics card, and a high refresh rate IPS display, with tradeoffs including a shorter battery life and increased weight. The choice depends on your primary use case and budget. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 1
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Acer Predator Helios 300
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is less suited for general use primarily due to its basic Intel Celeron N4500 processor, lower amount of RAM, and inferior screen quality with a TN panel, which altogether lead to less capable multitasking and a less vibrant display.
Gaming and AI
5.7
7.2
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 struggles with gaming and 3D tasks because it has a basic integrated GPU and a screen refresh rate of only 60Hz, which are not suitable for intensive graphics processing and smooth gameplay. On the other hand, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is designed for gaming, featuring a powerful dedicated Nvidia GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, enabling it to handle demanding games and 3D applications with better performance and visual fluidity.
Engineering and Design
5.5
7.7
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1, with basic CPU, graphics, and lower RAM, performs poorly for demanding tasks such as engineering and design, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has a high-performance CPU, powerful dedicated GPU, and ample RAM, making it well-suited for such intensive applications. Additionally, the Predator offers better screen quality crucial for design work, although it's heavier and less portable than the Aspire 1, which may impact users needing mobility.
Content Creation
5.9
7.3
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
6.1
7.1
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
5.2
7.3
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1 likely has a lower resolution and dimmer screen, which affects clarity and enjoyment during everyday tasks, making it less suitable for general use. Its screen may not cover a wide color gamut, resulting in less accurate color representation crucial for engineering and design work. While the Acer Predator Helios 300 offers a good visual experience for general and professional tasks with better resolution and color accuracy, its lower refresh rate could hold back the smooth visuals desired in fast-paced 3D applications and games.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Acer Predator Helios 300 has 3.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 1 has good portability, while the Acer Predator Helios 300 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
7.4
The Acer Predator Helios 300 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$215
$1,089
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $215 and the Acer Predator Helios 300 costs $1,089.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Acer Predator Helios 300 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Acer Predator Helios 300 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$215 | $1,089 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 14.3'' x 10'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 5.51 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Intel i7-11800H | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | UHD Graphics | RTX 3060 (105 W) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 59 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 294 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | N/A | RGB | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
Acer Predator Helios 300
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | November 2022
"The Acer Predator Helios 300 review is an overclocked gaming laptop with a good display. The Predator is large, heavy, and loud, but also offers plenty of performance according to gamers. An overclocked gaming laptop - or its user - also has to struggle with the usual disadvantages we mentioned above. On the other hand, overclocking is optional, and those who like it quieter and can live with a few less frames per second can also switch to the significantly more moderate Standard mode. Then the Helios 300 won't be any louder than the competitors."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Acer Predator Helios 300
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
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