The gamer notebook market has been growing year after year in Brazil, with more companies handing over the possibility of enjoying heavy games on a laptop computer enough to be comfortable in the backpack. One of Acer’s latest models is the Predator Helios 300. It promises performance at over 100 fps for competitive gaming and all this comes from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card, along with a tenth generation Intel Core i7.
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I’ve spent the last few weeks dividing my time between work and play on this notebook, to tell you in the next few paragraphs if it works in this world where paying slips is as important as getting first place in a Battle Royale of life.
Ethics Notice
Tecnoblog is an independent journalistic vehicle that has helped people make their next purchasing decision since 2005. Our analyses are not intended to be advertising, so they highlight the positive and negative points of each product. No company has paid, reviewed or had early access to this content.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 was provided by Acer on loan and will be returned to the company after testing. For more information, visit tecnoblog.net/etica.
Design and connectivity
No corner or centimeter of the Acer Predator Helios 300 tries to hide that this is a notebook gamer. The laptop uses edges with right angles, has light even in the company logo on the cover and proudly displays the places where hot air comes out. It makes sense and has an extra detail usually not present in these notebooks: the finish is done largely by metal.
Even with so much pomp pointing to this type of use, the look of the computer may still have less flashy details for those who are working and still could not enter the game match. The only black color and the presence of just the logo illuminated out of the keyboard lights follow in this hybrid use thinking.
In all it is 2.2 kilos and the thickness is almost 23 millimeters. These numbers fit well into a gamer segment and reinforce the need to use the computer on a desk, not on the lap. It is too heavy for the legs and very important part of the ventilation goes under the PC, so it is good to keep away from the body.
On connections the Acer Predator Helios 300 has three USB 3.2 ports, one always energized, a USB-C without Thunderbolt, Mini DisplayPort output, RJ45 for network and also connector for headphones with microphone. I missed a reader for memory cards, but you can even go through this detail being a notebook gamer.
Screen, audio and webcam
The screen is 15.6 inches in IPS LCD and Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), with refresh rate of 144 Hz and a very interesting anti-glare layer not to turn the display into a mirror. Even without need, the angles of view are satisfactory also for those who are more on the side.
Color reproduction is very pleasing, but this cannot be applied to sound experience. It is below the basics for a notebook, but this is another point that can be even noticed by the gamer audience, who will usually play with headphones himself. The webcam is hd only, at 720p and does the basic good for those who will stream or join a meeting. That’s it, that’s all.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard is backlit, with the black keys and the symbol of each blank, which helps a lot when identifying each one even when the lighting is off. Positive point for Acer!
If you expect a mechanical keyboard, you will be disappointed, but at the same time I put as another positive point precisely by the smaller noise. Typing while working is comfortable by the space of each key and there is a tactile and color highlight for W, A, S, D and the arrows at the bottom.
The keyboard is in the ABNT2 standard, which is good, but I found it very strange the volume control stay on the arrows, not at the top with the other function. Okay, just get used to it and it’s all right. Finally, the touchpad is great and this is rare even on non-gamer notebooks. You did good, Acer!
