Acer has introduced new Nitro and Predator Helios-branded gaming laptops set to hit the streets this spring and summer including two reasonably compact models that pack premium specs into small spaces.
The new Acer Predator Helios Neo 14Â is a 4.2 pound gaming laptop with up to a 3,072 x 1920 pixel, 165 Hz display, an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Meteor Lake processor, and NVIDIA RTX 4070 graphics, while the new Acer Nitro 14 is a cheaper AMD-powered model with a starting weight of 4.5 pounds and up to a 2560 x 1600 pixel, 120 Hz display, a Ryzen 7 8845HS Hawk Point processor, and RTX 4060 graphics. Both should be available in North America starting in May, 2024.
Both laptops ship standard with NVIDIA graphics, but Acer uses the Nitro brand for its more wallet-friendly laptops that aren’t quite as sleek or powerful as models in the Predator family.
So while the two gaming laptops are nearly the same size, the Nitro 14 is a little thicker and heavier, and doesn’t support some of the highest-end features available for the Predator Helios Neo 14 like the top tier display or discrete GPU.
Acer also opted for LPDDR5x memory that’s soldered to the motherboard, presumably to save space and reduce power consumption. While the RAM should be speedy, it’s not user upgradeable.
The laptops also feature advanced cooling systems that include dual fans and liquid metal grease applied to the CPU.
Here’s a run-down of some key specs for both of Acer’s new 14 inch gaming laptops.
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) | Acer Nitro 14 (AN14-41) | |
| Display | 14.5 inches, IPS LCD 3072 x 1920, 165 Hz 2560 x 1600, 120 Hz 1920 x 1200, 120 Hz | 14.5 inches, IPS LCD 2560 x 1600, 120 Hz 1920 x 1200, 120 Hz |
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Intel Core Ultra 7 155H Intel Core Ultra 5 125H | AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (8GB GDDR6) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB GDDR6) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (6GB GDDR6) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB GDDR6) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (6GB GDDR6) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (6GB GDDR6) |
| Memory | Up to 32GB LPDDR5x | |
| Storage | Up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4 | |
| Battery | 76 Wh | |
| Charger | 230W | |
| Ports | 1 x Thunderbolt 4 1 x USB Type-C 2 x USB 3.2 Type-A 1 x HDMI 1 x 3.5mm audio 1 x microSD 1 x DC power input | 1 x USB4 USB 3.2 Type-C 2 x USB 3 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.1 1 x 3.5mm audio 1 x microSD 1 x DC power input |
| Wireless | Intel Killer WiFi 6E 1675i | WiFi 6E |
| Webcam | 1080p | 720p |
| Dimensions | 324 x 255 x 21mm 12.8″ x 10.1″ x 0.8″ | 324 x 256 x 23mm 12.8″ x 10.1″ x 0.9″ |
| Weight | 1.9 kg 4.2 lbs | 2 kg 4.5 lbs |
| Starting price | $1800 | $1300 |
| Availability | May, 2024 | |
why did the AMD version have weaker components?
Woof. $1300 starting for the cheapest Nitro? Assuming that’s for the lowest spec, then that’s a Ryzen 5 8645HS, a RTX 3050, and a 1920×1200 display. And soldered RAM, which will probably be only 16GB at best since it’s the base model. The processor may be new, but everything else is a red flag, especially at that price.