![]() ![]() ![]() You’ll have to opt for last year’s Predator 17X if you want that. Unfortunately, the Helios 500 doesn’t offer an optional GTX 1080. It’s plenty enough to handle the 1080p display and spits out beautifully smooth gameplay. The Helios 500 comes with an overclockable Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070, a powerful and smooth graphics card. More graphics power than you probably need Both the RAM and storage are accessible and expandable, ensuring you can upgrade this machine down the road. You can buy a SATA HDD with either one or two terabytes of space, paired with either 256GB or 512GB of PCIe NVMe solid state storage. There are two configuration options available. This Acer zips through any task you throw at it.įortunately, Acer bundles that with some equally fast and plentiful storage. The same is true in more practical testing such as 4K video encoding. Geekbench scores are off the chart compared to Core i7-powered gaming laptops like the Razer Blade or Digital Storm Equinox. These are the fastest processors we’ve tested in a laptop, and that’s not wasted on the Helios 500. You may have read controversies involving Core i9s in MacBooks, but rest assured the ultra-fast, six-core processor was made for laptops like the Helios 500. Throw in G-Sync to keep those frames free of tearing or stutter, and you have a display that does everything gamers ask. This isn’t the only gaming laptop with a 144Hz display, but it surpasses the Alienware 17 R5’s 120Hz refresh rate. The animations and response times feel so smooth you’ll swear you’ve become more skilled. A game like Fortnite, which the Helios 500 can play at up to 144 FPS, will look ludicrously fluid. The Helios 500 has a 144Hz display, which means it can display framerates of up to 144 frames per second. The inky blacks of the Predator’s display make the bright colors of a game like Fortnite pop. The Predator Helios 500’s display puts it ahead of laptops like the Alienware 17 R5, which lacks the contrast and color accuracy of the Helios 500 has. Fortunately, it uses Windows Precision drivers, so two-finger scrolling and four-finger swiping worked as expected. We also found the tap-to-click functionality to be overly sensitive, resulting in skips down the page while scrolling or accidentally dragging browser tabs. It’s made of glass, though tracking isn’t as smooth as many other laptops. ![]() Under the keyboard you’ll find a high-quality touchpad that’s good enough for general use (gamers generally don’t use touchpads in games). That’ll be an annoyance for gamers who play in the dark and need to see their keys without being blinded. In addition, Acer still hasn’t included multiple levels of brightness for the backlighting. The keyboard is backlit with RGB lighting, though it’s lit in zones rather than individual keys, like on the Razer Blade. You also get six programmable buttons above the function row that open up PredatorSense, Acer’s proprietary thermal control software, by default.Īnimations and response times feel incredibly smooth. Quick controls are hidden in the function row that gamers will appreciate, such as on/off toggles for Wi-Fi, the screen, and touchpad. The keyboard provides decent travel for fast typing, and the layout is comfortable. Predator’s unchanged design over the years means the good parts have hung around as well - and the keyboard is one of those. Ready to mash some keys? This is the keyboard for you ![]() It’s all the connections a gamer would ever need, complete with options for futureproofing accessories and powering external GPUs through Thunderbolt 3. On the sides, the Helios 500 has a standard array of three USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and an ethernet jack. Riley Young/Digital TrendsĪcer has smartly moved some of the video output ports, like HDMI and DisplayPort, making them both easier to find and out of the way. We did notice some flex in bend in the lid, but everything is as sturdy as a $2,500 laptop should be. The good news is that if you do need to lug it around, you can pretty much guarantee it’ll handle the transportation thanks to its bulky chassis. In other words, the Helios 500 is not portable in the slightest, so look elsewhere if portability is a deciding factor for you. The Helios 500 measures in at 1.5 inches tall with the lid closed, which is thicker than two Razer Blades stacked up. Compared to the competition though, it’s actually a bit lighter than the Alienware 17, the king of bulk. Weighing in at 8.8 pounds, don’t expect to throw this in your backpack and not notice. Similarly, the Helios 500 doesn’t pretend to be thin or light in any sense of the word. The Helios 500 is not a thin or light laptop, and it doesn’t pretend to be. ![]()
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