Acer has refreshed its Predator Helios Neo lineup of entry level to midrange gaming laptops, now featuring the latest Intel 13th generation processors and RTX 40-series GPUs.
The Predator Helios Neo 16 now retails for a starting price of RM4,899. However, our review unit is the higher spec-ed PHN16-71-77HU variant, with an MSRP of RM6,399.
Predator Helios Neo 16 (PHN16-71-77HU) – Specifications
| Processor | Intel Core i7-13700HX |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX4060 8GB GDDR6 140W MGP |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
| Display | 16″ 165Hz IPS 3ms response time 2560×1600 pixels 16:10 Aspect Ratio sRGB 100% |
| Memory | 16GB DDR5 (expandable up to 32GB) |
| Storage | 1TB NVME PCIe 3.0 SSD |
| Camera and sensors | FHD video 60 fps Temporal Noise Reduction |
| Dimensions | 360.1 (W) x 279.9 (D) x 26.55/28.25(H) mm |
| Weight | 2.6kg |
| Connectivity | Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX 1650i – 802.11 a/b/g/n+acR2+ax wireless LAN – Band: 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz – 2×2 MU-MIMO Technology Bluetooth 5.1 Killer Ethernet E2600 |
| I/O Ports | 1 x HDMI 2.1 port with HDCP support 2 x USB Type-C port supporting: – USB 3.2 Gen 2 (up to 10 Gbps) – DisplayPort over USB-C – Thunderbolt 4 – USB charging 5 V; 3 A 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 port with 1 featuring power-off USB charging 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports 1 x 3.5 mm Headphone/speaker jack, supporting headsets with built-in microphone 1 x microSD Card Reader |
What’s In The Box?
- Predator Helios 16
- Charger
Design
Overall, the design of the Predator Helios 16 looks like a trimmed down version of the more premium Predator Helios 16. You get an all-black chassis with an embossed logo on the lid. One thing to note is that the lid is prone to smudges and fingerprints.
There are also other design elements such as crosshairs, numbers and what seems to be morse code dotted throughout. The rear vents are painted in this a metallic blue trim which reminds me of exhaust pipes for some reason. While I am fairly neutral when it comes to gamer aesthetics, some may find the design elements to be tacky.
Opening the lid reveals more gamer-esque design elements. You get a full-sized keyboard with ARGB, and the WASD and arrow keys have distinct legends in blue key caps. The trackpad is fairly large, and is placed off-center leaning towards the left. The display has okay-ish bezels and an aspect ratio of 16:10.
If I am to nitpick, the charging power brick for the Predator Helios Neo 16 is just too large for me, and despite the lower tier hardware, the laptop still weighs 2.6kg.
I/O
Despite bring a trimmed down version of the Helios 16, the Helios Neo 16 has carried over largely the same amount of I/O. On the left, you get USB Type-A port, microSD card reader and headphone jack; while on the right, you get two USB Type-A ports and a Kensington lock. The rear houses two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a HDMI 2.1 port.
Overall, the I/O options on the Helios Neo 16 are plenty and is more than enough to connect all your gaming peripherals.
Display
The Predator Helios Neo 16 has adopted a fast 165Hz panel with a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) resolution. Colour reproduction is excellent thanks to a 100% sRGB colour gamut. Contrast ratio is mediocore, which is pretty much what you would expect from IPS displays.
That being said, for gaming purposes, the laptop display does a great job at handling fast-paced games, allowing users to get an edge over those gaming with slower panels.
Audio
The Helios Neo 16 has dual downwards-firing speakers, and it sounds modest. It doesn’t get very loud, which is a good thing as it manages to keep distortion at bay even at max volume.
Performance
Performance Benchmarks
| CPU-Z | Multi-Thread – 7,630 Single Thread – 753 |
| Cinebench R23 | Multi-Core – 10,365 Single Core – 1,647 |
Gaming Benchmarks
| Game | Frame Rate |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2560 x 1600, Highest Preset, DLSS Quality) | Min – 87 Max – 157 Avg – 108 |
| Counter-Strike Global Offensive (2560 x 1600, High) | Min – 145 Max – 202 Avg – 178 |
| The Witcher 3 Next-Gen Update (2560 x 1600, High Preset, Ray Tracing, DLSS Frame Generation) | Min – 57 Max – 72 Avg – 63 |
| Hogwarts Legacy (2560 x 1600, Ultra Preset, Ray Tracing Medium, Frame Generation On, DLSS Quality) | Min – 58 Max – 82 Avg – 73 |
The Predator Helios 16 performed decently on all benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-13700HX is quite powerful thanks to its 8 P-Core + 8 E-Core combo. The RTX 4060 8GB is decent as well, though I think pairing the CPU with an RTX 4070 would make more sense.
That being said, it can handle the latest AAA games at high settings with ease, as long as you don’t exceed the 8GB VRAM limit.
Thermals
The Predator Helios Neo 16 has also inherited the Liquid Metal and 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fan technology found on the Helios 16, albeit with a single fan configuration.
Despite that, it managed to keep the heat at bay, peaking at 74°C for the CPU and 63°C for the GPU.
Battery Life
Battery life is what you would expect for a gaming laptop of this calibre. I managed to squeeze out about 3 hours of game time from the 90Whr battery, and Helios Neo 16 could last about 7 hours with moderate use.
Final Verdict
4 / 5The Predator Helios Neo 16 offers respectable performance while inheriting most of the good stuff from the flagship Predator Helios series.
The Predator Helios Neo 16, while trimmed down, is a compelling value proposition for gamers who want decent performance out of the box without forking out too much money.
For more information on the Predator Helios Neo 16, please visit the official product page here.
