Acer Predator Helios 18 PH18-72-98MW
Specifications
Price comparison
Average of 11 scores (from 22 reviews)
Reviews for the Acer Predator Helios 18 PH18-72-98MW
18-inch laptops are slowly but surely becoming less of a niche product. Alongside MSI, Asus and Alienware, Acer also has suitable products on offer. We have put the latest version of the Predator Helios 18 through its paces.
Source: Creative Bloq
This laptop is big, heavy and hot, and that’s because it’s supremely capable when it comes to both gaming and creative work. Having a GPU this powerful in a portable PC is going to be very useful for some users, but they’ll have to pay the same amount as a 16in MacBook Pro for the privilege, and that may send some into the warm embrace of Apple. If you can put up with the weight and the sound of the fans, this is a top desktop replacement machine that, thanks to its big screen, will be bent to all kinds of creative tasks. Yes, it is technically portable, but its weight and power draw count against it in this situation, and you should look elsewhere if you want something you can sling in a backpack.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 08/09/2024
Rating: Total score: 90%
Source: T3
While 18-inch gaming laptops don't come cheap, and neither does the absolute bleeding edge of CPU and GPU technology, the Acer Predator Helios 18 is competitively priced and boasts a lot of grunt. Don't expect to take it on the go, and keep the charger close, but it's hard not to like this machine for its mix of smart design and impressive Mini LED display. If you've fallen out of love with PC gaming, this could be the machine to bring you back.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/22/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: PC Mag
Acer’s Predator Helios 18 doesn’t do too much to separate itself from the pack, for better or worse. This category of mega-laptop, inherent in the components and cost, presumes a high baseline of power and features, and the Helios 18 meets those marks. It’s a generally well-made, extremely fast laptop with an advanced display and some fancy extras, like its super-size competitors. It avoids any major pitfalls, and while it equally lacks a standout claim in design or performance, it's the least expensive of the batch. All of these systems are expensive, so the cost of entry is less vital in this field. (If you're in for this kind of laptop, you're prepared to pay big or go home.) But the relative value play here is still worth noting. If you have a budget that peeps just past $3,000, the Helios 18 gets you in the door to the high-end tier with the other big performers.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/19/2024
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Geek Culture
If there was an 18-inch beast of a flagship that’s worth the investment, it’d be the Acer Predator Helios 18. The gaming powerhouse has a lot to offer users, from excellent performance to spectacular visuals, but is a tough sell for the general crowd with its price tag.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 04/07/2024
Rating: Total score: 88% price: 80% performance: 95% workmanship: 90%
Source: Techradar
These days, huge gaming laptops can be surprisingly thin and light, yet still offer high-end performance. The 18-inch Acer Predator Helios 18 is no exception, and pushes the limits of how much high-performance hardware it can fit inside. As it suggests in the name, the Helios 18 has a huge 18-inch QHD+ (2560 x 1600) mini-LED panel with a fast 250Hz refresh rate, an excellent 3ms GTG refresh rate, but also covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut for vibrant, accurate colors. While the Helios 18 does have more affordable variants with lower-performance parts, I got hands on with one of the highest-end models. Key is the mighty Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, plus the equally high-end Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to 64GB of RAM.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/05/2024
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 60% performance: 80% mobility: 70% workmanship: 80%
Source: Trusted Reviews
This is another superb gaming laptop from Acer, going straight up against the mighty ROG Strix Scar 18 and Alienware M18, and beating the former on price by several hundred pounds. If you’re not set on an 18-inch model, we’ve tested a bunch more, and you can find our top picks in our best gaming laptops guide. While it’s not quite as fast as these two monster gaming laptops, the Acer Predator Helios 18 (2024) is still in much the same ballpark, and it’s hard to quibble with its gaming features, the excellent screen or the general ergonomics.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/26/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Laptop Media
Support, online available, Short, Date: 02/27/2024
Source: Laptop Media
The Acer Predator Helios 18 (PH18-72) is a universal powerful machine. It can be a desktop replacement thanks to the exceptional hardware. With the 32-threaded Intel Core i9-14900HX, the laptop is suitable for CPU-intensive tasks such as 3D Rendering because the processor can maintain high clocks and power limits. The mobile GeForce RTX 4090 is able to show a 1972 MHz frequency after 30 minutes of gameplay – that’s a tremendously good result for such a thirsty chip that dissipates tons of heat! This Acer machine can be considered (almost) as a workstation since the cooling is capable and the overall performance is great. The optional 16:10 IPS Mini LED display (AUO B180QAN01.2 (AUO45A8)) is trying to compete with the OLED panels, at least when it comes to contrast (which here is 16000:1).
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 02/27/2024
Source: Engadget
Without a new generation of NVIDIA GPUs to accommodate, this year at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, laptop manufacturers have been forced to come up with other ways of getting attention. Some OEMs have opted for complete redesigns while others have introduced smaller (and super light) versions of existing models. But on the 2024 Predator Helios 18, Acer has opted for the flashiest method yet, featuring a captivating new hinge along with updated specs.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/09/2024
Foreign Reviews
Source: PC Games DE→EN
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/02/2024
Rating: Total score: 85%
Source: HardwareLuxx DE→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/25/2024
Source: El chapuzas Informatico ES→EN
Positive: Premium design; metal case; high performance; nice display; good connectivity; comfortable keyboard. Negative: Expensive.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/04/2024
Source: Noticias 3D ES→EN
Positive: Nice display; powerful processor; great GPU; high gaming performance; good cooling and silent system; decent connectivity. Negative: Heavy and bulky.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 07/04/2024
Source: Multiplayer IT IT→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 11/20/2024
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Smart World IT→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/27/2024
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 60% features: 95% display: 90% mobility: 55% workmanship: 70% ergonomy: 75%
Source: HDblog.it IT→EN
Positive: Excellent performance; good cooling system; great display; comfortable keyboard. Negative: Mediocre speakers; many bloatwares; short batttery life; heavy and bulky.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 05/13/2024
Source: Tweakers NL→EN
Positive: Comfortable keyboard; beautiful display; good connectivity. Negative: Average performance; noisy under loads.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 03/18/2024
Source: Charles Tech FR→EN
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 03/25/2024
Rating: Total score: 84% performance: 90% display: 90% mobility: 70% ergonomy: 80%
Source: Ixbt RU→EN
Positive: Impressive display; powerful hardware; good connectivity; decent autonomy; excellent gaming performance. Negative: Noisy under loads; expensive.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 10/16/2024
Source: Cell Phones VN→EN
Positive: Powerful hardware; high gaming performance; great cooling system; very good display; modern design; rich set of ports. Negative: Heavy and bulky; touchpad's location; high price.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 10/23/2024
Source: Laptopmedia CN zh-CN→EN
Positive: Decent hardware; rich set of ports; great ergonomics; solid workmanship; powerful CPU and GPU; high performance. Negative: Short battery life; noisy under loads.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 02/27/2024
Source: Laptop.bg BU→EN
Positive: Powerful hardware; high gaming performance; excellent display; Thunderbolt 4 port; very quick charging. Negative: Average battery life; overheats while using; noisy under loads; heavy and bulky.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 07/19/2024
Comment
NVIDIA NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU: High-end laptop graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. Offers 16 GB GDDR6 VRAM with a 256 Bit memory bus and can be configured with 80 - 150 TDP settings (+ Dynamic Boost).
These graphics cards are able to play the latest and most demanding games in high resolutions and full detail settings with enabled Anti-Aliasing.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
i9-14900HX: High-end mobile hybrid processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture with 24 cores and 32 threads. Clocks at a maximum of 5.8 GHz (P cores).» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
18.00": This display size is a standard format for desktop replacements (DTR). The DTR laptops are heavier to carry, need more power, but texts are easy to read and high resolutions are no problem. DTR are mainly intended for stationary desk use, where weight and energy hunger don't matter. In return, you enjoy the advantages of high resolutions (more details, better legibility).» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.
3.278 kg:
A laptop with this weight is comparatively heavy and less designed for mobility than for use at the desk. Therefore, the devices tend to shine less with battery life than with a large screen and higher performance.
Acer: In 1976, the company was founded in Taiwan under the name Multitech and was renamed Acer or Acer Group in 1987. The product range includes, for example, laptops, tablets, smartphones, desktops, monitors, TVs and computer peripherals. Since 2007, the group has merged with Gateway Inc. and Packard Bell, which also market their own laptop product lines.
Acer computers are designed for a variety of purposes, including ultrabooks for mobile use, gaming laptops for gamers, affordable options for everyday tasks, and 2-in-1 convertible laptops for versatility. Acer's product portfolio also includes tablets that offer portable computing and multimedia capabilities.
82.19%: This rating is slightly above average, there are somewhat more devices with worse ratings. However, clear purchase recommendations look different.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.