Acer Predator Helios 18 laptop review: RTX 4080 gamer with MiniLED display at over 1,000 nits

The RTX 4060 equipped Acer Predator Helios 16 scored a full 90 percent in our review in July. Now, we take a look at the 18-inch high-end model with an Intel HX processor, an RTX 4080 and a MiniLED display.
For comparison, we use other 18-inch gamers as well as 17-inch gamers with similar specs, since the Predator Helios 18 is the first with an RTX 4080 among our reviews of 18-inch laptops. Competitors include the MSI Raider GE78 HX 13VH, the HP Omen 17, the Alienware m18 R1, the Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI and the Razer Blade 18.
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
88.3 % v7 (old) | 10 / 2023 | Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU | 3.2 kg | 29.15 mm | 18.00" | 2560x1600 | |
88.3 % v7 (old) | 03 / 2023 | MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU | 3 kg | 23 mm | 17.00" | 2560x1600 | |
85.4 % v7 (old) | 03 / 2023 | HP Omen 17-ck2097ng i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU | 2.8 kg | 27 mm | 17.30" | 2560x1440 | |
90.7 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2023 | Alienware m18 R1 i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU | 3.9 kg | 26.7 mm | 18.00" | 1920x1200 | |
87.4 % v7 (old) | 03 / 2023 | Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI i7-13650HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU | 3 kg | 31 mm | 18.00" | 2560x1600 | |
91.4 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2023 | Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU | 3 kg | 21.9 mm | 18.00" | 2560x1600 |
Case - Black aluminum for the Acer Predator
Acer designs the Helios 18 in dark, almost-inconspicuous black. But the device makes no attempt to conceal its gaming nature, characterized by the small Predator logo on the display lid and the protruding cooling system at the back.
The workmanship leaves no room for criticism: gaps are unnoticeable. The rear air outlets can even be customized - Acer includes another pair of ventilation grilles, which can be further customized with a 3D printer.
The display lid and base are made of aluminum, while the display edges, the rear cooling unit and the laptop's underside are made of plastic. The metal provides the Helios 18 with good rigidity and nothing creaks or cracks when subject to torsional stress. However, fingerprints easily accumulate here, and the base's upper side can be pressed in a little despite the metal, even when typing. But this remains within limits and is due to the large surface.
Compared to the 18-inch competition, the Helios 18 falls in the middle in terms of size. The Alienware m18 is slightly larger, the Asus ROG Strix G18 is smaller. The latter is a bit thicker, while the Alienware m18 is thinner. In terms of weight, the Alien is clearly heavier, the G18 slightly lighter.
The 17-inch gamers are partly much smaller and also thinner.
Equipment - 2x Thunderbolt 4 in the Predator Helios
The Helios 18 has all the necessary ports. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports in the form of USB-C are on board. Only PowerDelivery is not available. The SD card reader "only" accepts MicroSD cards.
The ports are spread out over three sides, although the back still has room and could have easily accommodated one of the many ports on the left. We would have preferred the LAN port on the back and one of the increasingly important USB-C ports on the side.
SD card reader
Inserted microSD cards slide into place and do not protrude. Inserting our AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60 proved a little fiddly because it had to be pushed inwards a little further than flush to lock it in and disengage.
The speed is on an unremarkable, medium level; card readers in the Blade 18 or the Alienware m18 are significantly faster.
SD Card Reader | |
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 (Angelibird AV Pro V60) | |
Alienware m18 R1 (Angelibird AV Pro V60) | |
Average of class Gaming (19 - 197.3, n=78, last 2 years) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US (Angelibird AV Pro V60) | |
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
Alienware m18 R1 (Angelibird AV Pro V60) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 (Angelibird AV Pro V60) | |
Average of class Gaming (25.8 - 269, n=78, last 2 years) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US (Angelibird AV Pro V60) | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) |
Communication
Webcam
The camera takes pictures and videos in FullHD. Quality is acceptable: color deviations remain within limits. The blue tones display the highest deviations.

Security
TPM is on board, as is a connection for a steel lock. However, there is no fingerprint sensor.
Accessories & warranty
On top of the laptop, power supply and the usual paperwork, a pair of alternative fan covers for the back of the Helios 18 are included in the scope of delivery.
Acer provides a 24-month standard warranty in Germany. This may differ in other countries, so potential buyers should double check before purchasing.
Maintenance
Opening the Helios 18 is not quite as easy because of the tight clamps and the rigid aluminum base, but it is still manageable. First, 14 Torx screws of the same size have to be loosened. Afterwards, it is best to pry the backside open from the front corners, preferably with a narrow-edged plastic tool.
Once inside the Acer Predator, users have access to the fans, the battery, the SSD (plus second slot), the RAM slots and the WiFi module.
Input devices - MiniLED for the keys as well
Keyboard
The Predator has a very tidy layout that includes full-size arrow keys, a number pad on the right and extra keys for calling up the Predator Sense software and switching performance modes.
The keys are 1.5 x 1.5 mm, have a medium travel and noticeable feedback, which could be a little firmer. Typing noise is moderate and typing speed is quick.
According to Acer, the RGB-per-key backlight functions via MiniLEDs, just like the display, and can be adjusted in four levels.
Touchpad
Display - MiniLEDs at over 1,000 nits
The Helios 18 is optionally available with the fantastic MiniLED display at 250 Hz, which is also installed in our test device. No halos are visible here, the black is rich without any annoying light artifacts, and the contrast is correspondingly good.
In normal SDR mode, the AU Optronics panel achieves around 350 nits. However, the screen produces even more brightness in HDR mode. Here, we measured a peak brightness of over 1,100 nits! The illumination is a very good 92% in both cases.
Illumination in SDR mode
|
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 359 cd/m²
Contrast: 1714:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.82 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89, calibrated: 2.24
ΔE Greyscale 5.06 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
91.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.52
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 AUO45A8 (B180QAN01.2), IPS, 2560x1600, 18" | MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US AU Optronics B170QAN01.2, IPS, 2560x1600, 17" | HP Omen 17-ck2097ng BOE BOE09BF, IPS, 2560x1440, 17.3" | Alienware m18 R1 Chi Mei 180JME, IPS, 1920x1200, 18" | Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI NE180QDM-NZ2 (BOE0B35), IPS, 2560x1600, 18" | Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 AU Optronics B180QAN01.0, IPS, 2560x1600, 18" | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | -3% | -19% | -1% | -3% | -3% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 99.8 | 97.6 -2% | 67.4 -32% | 97.7 -2% | 98.1 -2% | 96.9 -3% |
sRGB Coverage | 100 | 99.9 0% | 97.6 -2% | 100 0% | 99.9 0% | 99.8 0% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 91.8 | 86.5 -6% | 69.6 -24% | 89.8 -2% | 85.6 -7% | 85.3 -7% |
Response Times | 55% | -28% | 53% | 38% | 50% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 7.6 ? | 4.2 ? 45% | 15.6 ? -105% | 3 ? 61% | 5.6 ? 26% | 4.2 ? 45% |
Response Time Black / White * | 17.8 ? | 6.4 ? 64% | 8.9 ? 50% | 9.9 ? 44% | 9 ? 49% | 8 ? 55% |
PWM Frequency | 2509 | |||||
Screen | -17% | 13% | 20% | 8% | -3% | |
Brightness middle | 360 | 398.6 11% | 371 3% | 372.8 4% | 471 31% | 549.6 53% |
Brightness | 355 | 384 8% | 350 -1% | 367 3% | 422 19% | 524 48% |
Brightness Distribution | 92 | 89 -3% | 90 -2% | 97 5% | 83 -10% | 89 -3% |
Black Level * | 0.21 | 0.46 -119% | 0.32 -52% | 0.32 -52% | 0.47 -124% | 0.53 -152% |
Contrast | 1714 | 867 -49% | 1159 -32% | 1165 -32% | 1002 -42% | 1037 -39% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.82 | 4.05 -6% | 1.74 54% | 1.92 50% | 2.05 46% | 3.32 13% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 7.38 | 8.68 -18% | 3.59 51% | 3.65 51% | 4.15 44% | 6.63 10% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 2.24 | 1.02 54% | 1.01 55% | 0.51 77% | 0.8 64% | 2.7 -21% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.06 | 6.5 -28% | 2.8 45% | 1.5 70% | 2.8 45% | 2 60% |
Gamma | 2.52 87% | 2.11 104% | 2.19 100% | 2.34 94% | 2.204 100% | 2.29 96% |
CCT | 5657 115% | 7518 86% | 6474 100% | 6607 98% | 7122 91% | 6319 103% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 12% /
-4% | -11% /
1% | 24% /
20% | 14% /
10% | 15% /
4% |
* ... smaller is better
However, out of the box, the display shoots above the important DeltaE value of 3 for colors and grayscale. Our manual calibration improves the color deviations and pushes the DeltaE values below the threshold. Lowering the brightness to 160 nits can also bring further improvement. Our calibrated icc file can be downloaded free of charge above.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
17.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 15.6 ms rise | |
↘ 2.2 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 36 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
7.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 4.4 ms rise | |
↘ 3.2 ms fall | ||
The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 17 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM detected | 2509 Hz | ||
The display backlight flickers at 2509 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 2509 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8619 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
Performance - HX CPU and RTX 4080
Equipped with an Intel Core i9-13900HX and a GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, plus 32 GB of RAM and an 18-inch MiniLED display, we have an extremely powerful desktop replacement and high-end gamer that should render all current games smoothly, even in the native WQXGA resolution.
Thanks to the good display, the laptop can also serve as a workstation for creative people.
Testing Conditions
Acer installs, among other things, Predator Sense software on its gaming laptop. Four performance modes (Eco, Balanced, Performance, Turbo) as well as other options (e.g. for keyboard lighting) can be customized here. The software is quite clear, but does not offer nearly as many (manual) settings as competing devices. For example, we lack an option for GPU switching as well as settings for manually adjusting the performance parameters.
Unfortunately, Acer also installs other software such as McAfee or Acer Care, which is more about support. Furthermore, we received unsolicited advertising from Acer. Once we even received an unsolicited request to install the Opera browser. Such forced advertising via mandatory manufacturer software is a real nuisance and is unfortunately becoming more and more frequent, for example by Lenovo in the LOQ 16. Clicking on the "Planet9" games hub in Sense triggers a cookie request that includes annoying, various "legitimate interest" buttons, which all have to be individually deselected if users wish to opt out.
We mainly used Turbo mode for the best benchmark results, but we also list information about the other modes.
Processor
The Intel Core i9-13900HX is a true high-end CPU from the Raptor-Lake series. It can run 32 threads with 8 P-cores (including hyperthreading) and 16 E-cores. Its cores have a base clock of 1.6 (E cores) and 2.2 GHz (P cores) and reach a single-core turbo of 3.9 - 5.4 GHz.
In the Cinebench R15 loop (CB15 loop), the Helios delivers strong and, above all, consistent performance, which is, however, minimally outperformed by the MSI GE78HX and the Alienware m18 R1 with a slightly more powerful CPU (i9-13950HX und i9-13980HX). The Helios easily outperforms the HP Omen with the same CPU, as well as competing devices with H instead of HX CPUs.
We have listed all TDP values achieved for each performance mode during the CB15 loops in a table below. In battery mode, you still have the choice between the Balanced and Eco modes. In both modes, the TDP is still 25 W and the CB15 score around 1,300 points, a drop of over 70%! So there is no real performance difference between the two modes.
TDP/Performance mode | Turbo | Performance | Balanced | Silent | Battery Balanced | Battery Silent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start of CB15 | 157 | 157 | 157 | 157 | 25 | 25 |
Later CB15 history | 157 | 125 | 85 | 25 | 55 | 25 |
Cinebench R15 Multi Sustained Load
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
CPU Performance Rating | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Cinebench R23 / Multi Core | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (24270 - 32623, n=22) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (5668 - 36249, n=168, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Cinebench R23 / Single Core | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (1867 - 2105, n=19) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Average of class Gaming (1136 - 2235, n=168, last 2 years) |
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (9152 - 12541, n=20) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (2179 - 13832, n=168, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core) | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (722 - 810, n=20) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Average of class Gaming (439 - 856, n=168, last 2 years) |
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (3913 - 4970, n=21) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (905 - 5663, n=174, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (247 - 304, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (191.9 - 318, n=171, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU | |
Average of class Gaming (87 - 555, n=163, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (101 - 153, n=21) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 |
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (90675 - 127283, n=20) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (23795 - 140932, n=167, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (6340 - 7177, n=20) | |
Average of class Gaming (4199 - 7581, n=167, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (17614 - 21075, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (4557 - 23194, n=167, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (1345 - 2093, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (986 - 2210, n=167, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (23.5 - 34.4, n=21) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Average of class Gaming (6.72 - 38.9, n=167, last 2 years) |
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average of class Gaming (19 - 96.6, n=164, last 2 years) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (32.8 - 51.1, n=20) |
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Average of class Gaming (0.3609 - 0.759, n=168, last 2 years) | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (0.375 - 0.4564, n=21) | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
Performance Rating | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX | |
Average of class Gaming | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (17589 - 27615, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (4986 - 60169, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng |
AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (88686 - 137015, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (25360 - 252486, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng |
AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (4362 - 7029, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (1339 - 10389, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng |
AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (125644 - 141385, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (50699 - 200651, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (12334 - 17179, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (4800 - 32988, n=164, last 2 years) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (43850 - 69202, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (12321 - 134044, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng |
AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (89413 - 237881, n=21) | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average of class Gaming (19065 - 328679, n=164, last 2 years) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (1284 - 1958, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (373 - 2409, n=164, last 2 years) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (9481 - 15279, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (2540 - 31796, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng |
AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (42994 - 51994, n=21) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Average of class Gaming (10805 - 60161, n=164, last 2 years) |
System Performance
Just like CPU performance, the Helios is only marginally behind the MSI GE78HX and the Alienware m18 R1.
Most applications subjectively feel smooth. Only the graphics switching (Advanced Optimus) is a constant problem for the laptop. More about this and latency issues in the following sections.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
PCMark 10 / Score | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (7609 - 8549, n=3) | |
Average of class Gaming (5776 - 9852, n=151, last 2 years) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (10982 - 11824, n=3) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average of class Gaming (9057 - 12600, n=151, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (9976 - 10788, n=3) | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (6662 - 14612, n=151, last 2 years) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average of class Gaming (6807 - 18475, n=151, last 2 years) | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (10135 - 14720, n=3) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
CrossMark / Overall | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (1991 - 2194, n=2) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (1247 - 2344, n=131, last 2 years) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US |
CrossMark / Productivity | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (1828 - 2059, n=2) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (1299 - 2204, n=131, last 2 years) |
CrossMark / Creativity | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (2239 - 2411, n=2) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (1275 - 2660, n=131, last 2 years) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US |
CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU (1808 - 1998, n=2) | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Average of class Gaming (1030 - 2330, n=131, last 2 years) | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US |
PCMark 10 Score | 8549 points | |
Help |
AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (67716 - 78835, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (21842 - 94222, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (73998 - 88462, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (23681 - 99713, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (65472 - 77045, n=21) | |
Average of class Gaming (22986 - 108954, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
Average of class Gaming (59.5 - 259, n=164, last 2 years) | |
Average Intel Core i9-13900HX (80.4 - 91.1, n=21) | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
Alienware m18 R1 |
* ... smaller is better
DPC latency
In the current driver state, the laptop has acute latency problems, as LatencyMon reveals. In Balanced mode, delays occur when opening the browser or moving a desktop window. These increase when opening multiple browser tabs on our website, and even playing a 4K/60 fps YouTube video results in a full 18 skipped frames. Acer needs to improve the driver here. However, rival laptops also have similar problems.
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
Acer Predator Helios 18 N23Q2 | |
MSI GE78HX 13VH-070US | |
Alienware m18 R1 | |
HP Omen 17-ck2097ng | |
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070 | |
Asus ROG Strix G18 G814JI |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
The Helios 18 is equipped with the Samsung PM9A1, one of the fastest SSDs in our SSD best list. Unfortunately, this doesn't perform well in the Predator and its performance is very quickly throttled, as our graph below shows. We repeated the same test later and got the same result because we were surprised by the rapid and strong drop. Similar SSD throttling behavior was also observed in the previously reviewed Predator Helios 16.