With the popularity of gaming and streaming, Acer caters to the needs of all the gamers out there. With new improvements and a cleaner look, the Predator Helios 300 proves that the best can still do better.
Design: 5/5
The design changes on the Predator Helios 300 are noticeable at first glance. The brand engraving and muscle lines have been removed, and what’s left is the Predator logo with cutouts on the sides to reveal a teal background on the inside of the cover that I personally think is nifty, giving it a minimalistic look. The lid and the cover for the keyboard are black metal with an anodized finish. The bottom of the laptop is made out of plastic and the same goes for the frame of the screen. On the bottom edge of the laptop is the lightbar. On the sides, some of the ports and the grates of the vent have the same teal and black combo as the cover.
Opening the Predator Helios 300 reveals a gorgeous 17.3” QHD 165Hz IPS Display with a narrow border, an FHD webcam, a 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard, and a trackpad that feels buttery to the touch. Connectivity is not an issue as this RTX laptop has the essentials that you need. On the left are the USB-A port, 3.55mm audio jack, an ethernet port, and a Kensington security slot. On the right are two USB-A ports. At the back, to keep the cords smartly out of the way, are the HDMI, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C port, and charging port.
Hardware: 5/5
Running on a Windows 11 operating system and a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor with NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3080 GPU, this laptop surely is optimized for competitive gaming and max graphics. In addition to that, the Predator Helios 300 also has an Intel Killer E2600 Ethernet Controller and an Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1675 to eliminate lags and disconnects while in-game. For memory, the demo unit has 32GB RAM and 2TB of internal storage. Overheating won’t be a problem with its custom-engineered 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D Fan Technology and the cooling effects of liquid metal thermal grease. In addition, cooling fans adjust to keep some areas cooled while in heavy use with its CoolBoost Technology.
It has a per-key RGB mini LED Backlit 4-Zone keyboard that adds aesthetic and an extra boost to your gaming experience. The keyboard is customizable through the PredatorSense app for true RGB control. As the ultimate tool in this gaming laptop, the PredatorSense app not only lets you customize your keyboards, it also allows you to monitor and control your systems, including the cooling fan, to maximize its potential.
User Experience: 4/5
I’ve been hearing the hype about Predator gaming laptops for a couple of years now and I’ve always wanted to try it out to see what the fuss was all about, so when the Predator Helios 300 arrived, you can only imagine how thrilled I was to use it. Booting up the laptop produces this cinematic sound and the keyboard lights up with a ripple effect. The display is bright and colorful, readable during the day, and perfect for nighttime gaming sessions.
I tested out my favorite games on the Predator Helios 300 — League of Legends, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Vanguard, and Forza 5. Of course, a stable internet connection is also important for uninterrupted and seamless gaming, and I don’t always have a good connection even when I use a LAN cable, but playing on this RTX laptop, I encountered zero to minimal lagging, and it was fast, as expected. Just a slight concern, it tends to overheat quickly. Thankfully, pressing on Turbo mode overclocks the CPU and runs the cooling fans on max speed to almost instantly cool down the laptop, although the motors were a bit too loud. Overall, the gaming experience is brilliant. The battery life while gaming can only last you up to 3-4 hours, so it is best to keep the charger plugged in the whole time while you’re at it. Still, this is much better compared to other mainstream gaming laptops with a measly 2-hour in-game battery life.
When it comes to audio, DTS: X Ultra takes a different approach to surround sound, with an updated algorithm and improved head-related transfer function (HRTF) for quality sound and direction placement. SFX is crucial when gaming especially in FPS games that require strategy. The speakers of the laptop are satisfactory, even loud enough to cover up the noise of the cooling fan. Sound directions are somehow hard to pick up as it seems to be coming from just one place. Gaming with plugged-in headphones or earphones is a different story, with much more accurate sound directions; the SFX is excellent and produces a crisp sound that takes your experience to a whole different dimension.
Value: 3/5
Priced at PHP94,999, the Predator Helios 300 is a good buy if you’re looking in the market for a high-performance laptop that’s suitable for fast-paced or competitive gaming.
Specifications:
- Display: 17.3” QHD 165Hz IPS Display, Advanced Optimus / FHD 165Hz, 3ms OD, Advanced Optimus / FHD 144Hz, 3ms OD
- Processor: 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 Processor
- Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
- Cooling: 5th Gen AeroBlade™ 3D Fan Technology, CoolBoost™ Technology, Liquid Thermal Grease
- RAM: 32GB DDR5-4800MHz
- Storage: PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD in RAID 0, up to 2TB
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
- Connectivity: Killer DoubleShot™ Pro and Killer™ Wi-Fi 6E AX 1675i & Ethernet E2600
- Ports: 3 X USB, USB Type-C™ with Thunderbolt™ 4, HDMI 2.1, Mini DisplayPort™ 1.4, 3.55mm audio jack
- Battery: 4-Cell Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
What’s Hot:
- Intel Killer for zero to minimal lagging
- Superb gaming performance
- PredatorSense app for overclocking
- Massive storage
What’s Not:
- The laptop and charger itself are both heavy
- Overheating
Bottomline:
The Predator Helios 300 is one of the best RTX gaming laptops that you can get. With overclocking features and a top-of-the-line graphics card, it’s like a custom-build PC in one package.
Reviewed by Franceska Aguila
Also published in Gadgets Magazine April 2022 Issue