Acer Predator Helios 300 Review: Most Recommended Gaming Laptop at Solid Price

Our review model is a higher-specced version of the Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Intel Core i7 processor.
There are numerous other models in the Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming series, each with different internal components and prices.

• Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-53-54KN (NH.QA2SI.002) (Core i5 10th Gen/8 GB/1 TB 256 GB SSD/Windows 10/4 GB) for ₹79,990
• Acer Predator Helios 300 G3-572 (NH.Q2BSI.007) (Core i5 7th Gen/16 GB/1 TB 128 GB SSD/Windows 10/6 GB) for ₹1,09,990
• Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51 (NH.Q3FSI.004) (Core i5 8th Gen/16 GB/1 TB 128 GB SSD/Windows 10/6 GB) for ₹1,25,990

The Acer Predator Helios 300 model from 2022 is accessible in all major offline and online retailers throughout the country, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Chroma.

Let’s take a look at the specifications before I dive into the detailed review of the Acer Predator Helios 300:

• Display: 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080-pixels Full HD LED Backlit IPS ComfyView display
• Processor: Intel Core i7
• Graphics: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 3660
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Memory: 256GB SSD | 1TB HDD
• Software: Windows
• Weight: 2.3Kg
• Dimensions: 3634 x 255 x 229 mm

The Acer Predator Helios 300 is similar in appearance to several other Predator laptops. It sports a black metal chassis with two reflective strips and a blue-lined Predator emblem on the back. Given the size of its screen, the computer is admirably compact at 14.3 x 10.0 x 0.9 inches. It is, however, slightly heavier than the competition at 2.3Kgs.

There are also sufficient ports to complete the task, albeit their configuration didn’t appeal to me. A headphone jack, two USB-A ports, and an Ethernet port are located on the left side, while a USB-C port, a USB-A port, an HDMI port, and a mini DisplayPort are located on the right side. The power port is located on the rear of the machine, out of the way of other components.
The close closeness of the USB-C and -A ports on the right made it difficult to use a mouse while attaching any device that required a USB-C adapter — and you need to use a mouse because the touchpad isn’t fantastic.

There’s no getting around the fact that this is a big, hefty gaming laptop — you can bring it into a cafe, but it’ll get noticed. The big, illuminated Predator logo on the laptop lid, as well as the rainbow backlighting on the keyboard, are all customisable.
The enormous air grilles for keeping the internal components cool, as well as the sheer size and bulk of this laptop, cannot be modified. It’s worth noting that this laptop will become quite loud and hot under heavy load, but no more so than other gaming laptops with similar specs.

In their all-new Helios 300 laptop line, the new Acer Predator Helios 300 offers 2-panel options.

• 17-inch FHD with 100% sRGB colour panel
• 15-inch QHD with 100% DCI-P3 colour panel

I tested Acer Predator Helios 300 17-inches panel for review. The performance was outstanding, but the AU Optronics FHD variety is ideal for budget-conscious gamers looking for the best midrange gaming laptop without spending much money on display. The panel also has an 85 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut, 350 nits of brightness, and a 1350:1 contrast ratio. The display is primarily designed for gaming with a high refresh rate and low response time. Although the display is not fully calibrated for content creation, users can use this device to edit photographs and videos.

In terms of overall performance, the Acer Predator Helios 300 does not disappoint. It compares favourably to most other gaming laptops in most of our benchmark tests, and its Intel Core i7 processor, combined with 16GB RAM, gives it ample power to perform hard work without breaking a sweat.

On the Geekbench 5.3 comprehensive performance test, the Helios 300 scored 6,257, higher than the average popular gaming laptop (5,263). In our tests during the review, the Helios 300 was able to maintain typical performance and speed when cycling between more than 30 open browser tabs and more than eight background apps.

In less than 9 minutes and 20 seconds, it could also convert a 4k video to 1080p. Even though it took a little longer than the standard of 9 minutes and 15 seconds, it was still faster than the competition. With Turbo Boost, you can obtain slightly lower figures but expect loud protests from the spectators. Copying a folder from an external drive took the Helios 300’s 512GB SSD 87 seconds, or 544 megabytes per second.

The keyboard is the single most compelling reason to avoid the Acer Predator Helios 300. The Numpad on the keyboard sparked my curiosity at first, as it is a rarity in 17-inch laptops. Numpad isn’t much help if the keyboard isn’t comfy, and the Predator Helios 300 makes typing productivity chevalier. The rest of the keyboard is off-centre to accommodate the Numpad, which means you’ll have to move the laptop somewhat to the side of where you want to use it.

The fact that the Helios’ keyboard does not detect every keystroke is the most damaging feature. Since the keys are firm and resistive, you must thoroughly press them before they register a command. As a light-fingered touch typist, I always missed letters, spaces, and carriage returns, resulting in messy and unreadable messages and typo-filled publications.

Also, Checkout: Recycle your old laptop and get rewarded for it!

Some of the keyboard shortcuts are also confusing. The mute function has its own button. However, arrow key function shortcuts control the volume and screen brightness. The right arrow is squished in beside the zero on the Numpad, and the play/pause, fast-forward, and rewind controls are nowhere near the other audio controls. If you’re going to use the Helios 300 at home, a wireless keyboard — preferably one with Bluetooth, because USB connections are scarce — is almost a must.

In their new 2022 model, Acer has built a somewhat more expansive trackpad. The touchpad’s surface is constructed of plastic, and underneath the pad are left and right mouse buttons. When pressed wrongly, the single panel touchpad is more prone to making mistakes. But it won’t be an issue because getting adapted to it will only take a few hours. All movements like pinch to zoom and drag, as well as other windows functions, work perfectly on the trackpad. It operates well and provides a satisfactory experience for everyday use.

The 17-inch 2022 Predator Helios 300 has a 90Wh battery, which is an upgrade from the previous generation’s 58Wh battery. When using the laptop on battery, the OS does not immediately switch the screen refresh rate to 60Hz, thus we did our testing using the usual 165Hz refresh rate. Manually switching to 60Hz would improve runtimes marginally, according to more mature software that should be released in the future. I anticipate a negative impact on video streaming and light usage.

Another thing to note is that our unit came with Acer’s enormous 330W charger and weighs about 2.3kg. Given the power settings on this lineup, that’s presumably what you’ll get with the retail models as well. For what it’s worth, this series also supports USB-C charging up to 100W, in case you don’t want to bring along the bulky main charger. Of course, USB-C power doesn’t provide full performance.

The speakers on this laptop are underwhelming. Acer appears to value quantity over quality with them, and the results aren’t particularly pleasing. This isn’t a very good plot to block out the noise from the fans.

In any event, even a purist will recognise that the Helios 300’s speakers do not adequately replicate sounds, particularly music sounds. I suggest you use headphones while gaming. The camera is similarly unimpressive at best, and downright awful at worst. If you prefer live broadcasting your virtual adventures or enjoy Battleground Royale games, this is something you should really consider.

The Acer Predator 2022’s 720p webcam is adequate for video calls and conference sessions. We had hoped for a 1080p webcam, but the one provided is adequate for conference calls, zoom meetings, and so on. Since the webcam is not infrared, you may not be able to utilise Windows Face unlock on this laptop.

Also read: HP Victus 16 Review – A Valuable Gaming Choice.

The same ports are present on the new Acer Predator Helios laptop, however, they have been reconfigured. One Thunderbolt 4 port, one charging port, one Display Port, and an HDMI 2.1 port are all on the laptop’s backside.

One USB-A connector, a 3.5mm universal audio jack, a Kensington Lock, and an RJ45 LAN port are located on the laptop’s left side. There are only two USB-A ports on the right side. The Helios 300 2022 Laptop has Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E for reliable internet access and Bluetooth 5.2 for seamless audio playback and file transfers on the wireless side of things.