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Acer Predator Helios 300 Laptop Review: A modern gaming laptop with a Turing GPU

A useful gaming device! The Predator series is well known for its gaming devices, with Acer selling more than just laptops under its gaming sub-brand. While the company continues to sell Predator-branded accessories, it has overhauled the design and internals of its latest Predator Helios laptop. The Helios 300 should make for a compelling midrange gaming laptop, but our tests will reveal whether that is the case or not.

The Predator Helios 300 is well known around here, with two models in the last two years having graced our offices. Now, the company has released a new device that includes not only improved hardware but also an overhauled design. Our review unit is called the Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY and features an Intel Core i7-9750H processor along with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU. The device also has 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. The latter two are the smallest that Acer offers, for reference. The Helios 300 has a 15.6-inch 144 Hz display too, as do many other gaming laptops. Our review unit currently retails for 1,400 Euros (~$1,550), which is rather expensive.

All SKUs come with hexa-core Coffee Lake processors, but there are NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 series variants too, should you need something more powerful. The GeForce RTX 2070 is currently the strongest GPU on offer, while the Helios 300 can be configured with up to 32 GB of RAM. You can add up to two additional SSDs too if you need more storage than Acer offers.

We shall compare the new Helios 300 against comparable 15.6-inch gaming laptops. We have also chosen more expensive devices, like the Lenovo Legion Y740, but you can add others to our comparison tables too. We have included an overview of our comparison devices and our review unit below.

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY (Predator Helios 300 PH315 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile - 6 GB VRAM, Core: 1590 MHz, Memory: 6000 MHz, GDDR6 (Micron), Nvidia 417.88, Nvidia Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2666, dual-channel, both SODIMM banks occupied
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, AUO, B156HAN08.2, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, 512 GB 
, 512 GB M.2 PCIe, 420 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek Audio
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined headphone and microphone jack, USB-C
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW) (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23.2 x 361.4 x 254.2 ( = 0.91 x 14.23 x 10.01 in)
Battery
58.75 Wh, 3720 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 4-cell, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 7 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 180 W power supply, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.311 kg ( = 81.52 oz / 5.09 pounds), Power Supply: 575 g ( = 20.28 oz / 1.27 pounds)
Price
1429 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
82.1 %
11/2019
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
2.3 kg23.2 mm15.60"1920x1080
83.9 %
08/2019
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
2.4 kg23.4 mm15.60"1920x1080
82.3 %
08/2019
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
2.2 kg26 mm15.60"1920x1080
83 %
05/2019
Dell G5 15 5590
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.7 kg23.7 mm15.60"1920x1080
84.8 %
10/2019
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
2.3 kg25 mm15.60"1920x1080
82 %
06/2018
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
2.9 kg29 mm17.30"1920x1080

Case - A stable chassis with some flourishes

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315

Acer no longer relies on a black and red design as it did with the last Helios 300. Instead, the company has switched to black and blue, although it has stuck with an aluminium and plastic chassis. While the aluminium keyboard deck and display lid help make the Helios 300 look premium, their matte finishes pick up fingerprints easily. Acer has adorned the device with some light blue accents too, which contrast nicely against the black aluminium. The Predator logo also has a blue backlight.

Our review unit is well made and sturdy. While our attempts to twist or dent the base unit were made in vain, we could twist the display lid slightly. The display resisted our efforts to temporarily deform it, though.

The Helios 300 has stable display hinges too. The two hinges not only hold the display tightly and keep teetering to a minimum, but they also allow for the device to be opened with one hand.

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315

Size Comparison

The Helios 300 is comparatively compact for a 15.6-inch gaming laptop. While it has roughly the same dimensions as our comparison device, it only weighs 2.3 kg. The 180 W power supply weighs 575 g though, which you will probably also need to carry with you; more on that in the Power Management section of this review.

432 mm / 17 inch 290 mm / 11.4 inch 29 mm / 1.142 inch 2.9 kg6.42 lbs365 mm / 14.4 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs364.3 mm / 14.3 inch 273.4 mm / 10.8 inch 23.7 mm / 0.933 inch 2.7 kg5.91 lbs362 mm / 14.3 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg5.03 lbs361.4 mm / 14.2 inch 254.2 mm / 10 inch 23.2 mm / 0.913 inch 2.3 kg5.09 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 256 mm / 10.1 inch 23.4 mm / 0.921 inch 2.4 kg5.24 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Plenty of ports, but no card reader

Acer has equipped the Helios 300 with all the ports that most gamers should need. The device has four USB 3.2 ports, of which one is Type-C. While you could connect the Helios 300 to an external display via its Type-C port, you could also use the dedicated HDMI and mini DisplayPort ports instead. Acer has included an Ethernet port too, but no card reader. Hence, you must have an adapter to hand if you want to transfer files from a memory card.

Acer has distributed the ports across the left and right sides of the device, as most OEMs do. However, these are flanked by large ventilation grilles that may exhaust warm air over your hands, regardless of with which hand you hold an external mouse. Cables may also get in your way, but both are minor gripes. There are two other ventilation grilles at the back of the device too.

Left-hand side: Kensington lock, fan vents, power connector, Ethernet, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A, 3.5 mm jack
Left-hand side: Kensington lock, fan vents, power connector, Ethernet, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A, 3.5 mm jack
Right-hand side: USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, mini-DisplayPort, HDMI, fan vents
Right-hand side: USB 3.2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Type-A, mini-DisplayPort, HDMI, fan vents
Rear: fan vents
Rear: fan vents

Communication

Killer Wireless-AC 1550i
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i

Acer has equipped our review unit with a Killer Wireless-AC 1550i chip, a picture of which we have included to the right of this section. The 1550i provided stable and fast transfer speeds during our tests, which allowed the Helios 300 to finish top of our iperf3 Client comparison tables overall. Last year's Helios 300 narrowly beat its successor in one test with its Intel Wireless-AC 9560, though.

The new Helios 300 has a Killer E2500 Ethernet controller on board too, which offers a Gigabit LAN connection. Ethernet worked just as well as Wi-Fi did during our tests.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (865 - 1412, n=12, last 2 years)
1078 MBit/s +65%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
653 (615min - 670max) MBit/s
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
642 (581min - 693max) MBit/s -2%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
640 MBit/s -2%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
638 MBit/s -2%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
630 MBit/s -4%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
629 (602min - 651max) MBit/s -4%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (708 - 1700, n=12, last 2 years)
1310 MBit/s +95%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
692 MBit/s +3%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
672 (658min - 682max) MBit/s
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
657 (556min - 690max) MBit/s -2%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
619 MBit/s -8%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
615 (508min - 642max) MBit/s -8%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
614 MBit/s -9%
03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595630665Tooltip
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø672 (658-682)
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø653 (615-670)

Security

The Helios 300 does not offer many security features. There is a Kensington lock slot and a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) on board, but Microsoft requires all OEMs include the latter in their devices if they sell them pre-loaded with Windows 10. Unfortunately, Acer does not offer a fingerprint scanner even as a configurable option.

Software

Predator Sense
Predator Sense

Acer preinstalls its Predator Sense software on the Helios 300, just as it has with every gaming laptop that it has sold in the last few years. The company has given the software a blue and black skin to match the colour scheme of this year's Helios 300, which is a nice touch. Predator Sense now not only allows you to monitor the CPU and GPU but also overclock them slightly. You can change the keyboard's RGB backlighting in Predator Sense too.

Accessories

Acer only includes a 180 W power supply in the box, along with various pieces of documentation. The Helios 300 comes with Windows 10 Home 64-bit too, in case you were wondering.

Maintenance

The Helios 300 does not have a maintenance cover, but that is no bad thing as removing the bottom plate is a simple process. Doing so reveals the three drive bays, battery, Wi-Fi card and socketed RAM, among other components. Acer also includes the cable needed to add a 2.5-inch drive, which is handy.

A look at the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 with its bottom plate removed.
A look at the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 with its bottom plate removed.

Warranty

The Helios 300 comes with 24 months' warranty. The coverage extends to a pick-up and returns service. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices - RGB galore

Keyboard

A look at the keyboard on the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
A look at the keyboard on the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
and with its backlighting enabled
and with its backlighting enabled

Acer equips the Helios 300 with a 6-row chiclet keyboard that is slightly recessed into the chassis. All the keys sit firmly in their housings, and nothing rattles. The main keys measure 15 mm², which should be large enough for most hands, while all have a pleasantly short travel and noticeable pressure points. They also all have a dampened stop, which ensures that the keyboard remains quiet even when typing quickly. As the photo to the right reveals, Acer accents a few keys with a blue trim, but all keys support RGB backlighting. There is a Predator button too that opens the Predator Sense tool.

Trackpad

A look at the trackpad on the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315
A look at the trackpad on the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315

Below the keyboard sits the trackpad, which measures 10.7 x 7.8 cm. The trackpad is large enough to perform multi-finger gestures and fits the overall look of the device. The one in our review unit remains responsive and accurate even into its corners, which is not always the case with modern laptops. Acer has integrated two mouse buttons too, which deliver a soft clicking sound when pressed. In short, the Helios 300 has a decent trackpad.

Display - A colour-accurate 144 Hz panel with no PWM

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Our review unit suffers from noticeable backlight bleeding
Our review unit suffers from noticeable backlight bleeding

The Helios 300 has a 15.6-inch IPS display that resolves at 1920x1080. The 144 Hz panel is the only one that Acer offers with the device, but 1080p is roughly the limits of what its hardware offers.

Our review unit has an AU Optronics display, which achieved an average maximum brightness of 310 cd/m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2. While not the darkest display in our comparison table, it is much dimmer than the one in the Lenovo Legion Y740. The display in the Helios 300 is not that evenly lit either, but its 0.255 cd/m² is relatively low. It also has a respectable 1,275:1 contrast ratio.

The panel does not use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to control brightness levels, which is a positive for those who are PWM sensitive. However, the one in our review unit suffers from significant backlight bleeding, as the photo to the right demonstrates.

284
cd/m²
304
cd/m²
287
cd/m²
314
cd/m²
325
cd/m²
311
cd/m²
309
cd/m²
345
cd/m²
313
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO, B156HAN08.2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 345 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 310.2 cd/m² Minimum: 18.4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 326 cd/m²
Contrast: 1275:1 (Black: 0.255 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.28 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.45
ΔE Greyscale 5.01 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
93% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
93% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.6
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
AUO, B156HAN08.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
LG Philips LGD05FE, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
BOE 084D, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G5 15 5590
AU Optronics B156HAN, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
BOE NV156FHM-N4J, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
LG Philips LP173WF4-SPF5 (LGD056D), IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
1%
-1%
-38%
2%
-2%
Display P3 Coverage
64.1
64.2
0%
63.6
-1%
39.26
-39%
67.7
6%
67.1
5%
sRGB Coverage
93
95.1
2%
91.7
-1%
59.1
-36%
91.6
-2%
86.1
-7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.7
65.8
0%
65.2
-1%
40.56
-38%
67.1
2%
63
-4%
Response Times
-13%
4%
-217%
-19%
-142%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
15 ?(8, 7)
16.4 ?(8.4, 8)
-9%
8.8 ?(4, 4.4)
41%
45 ?(22, 23)
-200%
19 ?(9, 10)
-27%
36 ?(18.8, 17.2)
-140%
Response Time Black / White *
9 ?(5, 4)
10.4 ?(5.2, 5.2)
-16%
12 ?(6.8, 5.2)
-33%
30 ?(17, 13)
-233%
10 ?(6, 4)
-11%
22 ?(10.4, 11.6)
-144%
PWM Frequency
122000 ?(95)
Screen
14%
-3%
-50%
19%
-25%
Brightness middle
325
345
6%
299
-8%
234
-28%
477
47%
365
12%
Brightness
310
324
5%
290
-6%
219
-29%
431
39%
341
10%
Brightness Distribution
82
86
5%
89
9%
82
0%
84
2%
89
9%
Black Level *
0.255
0.42
-65%
0.29
-14%
0.17
33%
0.175
31%
0.32
-25%
Contrast
1275
821
-36%
1031
-19%
1376
8%
2726
114%
1141
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.28
1.3
70%
3.7
14%
8.6
-101%
4.17
3%
6.51
-52%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.42
2.8
67%
7
17%
17.49
-108%
6.97
17%
12.32
-46%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.45
1.1
24%
2
-38%
4.06
-180%
2.51
-73%
2.9
-100%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.01
1.2
76%
4.1
18%
8.55
-71%
3.49
30%
7.65
-53%
Gamma
2.6 85%
2.31 95%
2.19 100%
3.02 73%
2.5 88%
2.64 83%
CCT
7678 85%
6476 100%
7166 91%
7802 83%
7076 92%
8066 81%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60
60.5
1%
59.3
-1%
37
-38%
60
0%
56
-7%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
93
94.9
2%
91.5
-2%
59
-37%
91
-2%
86
-8%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
1% / 8%
0% / -2%
-102% / -69%
1% / 11%
-56% / -35%

* ... smaller is better

93% sRGB colour-space coverage
93% sRGB colour-space coverage
60% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage
60% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage

The Helios 300 is reasonably colour accurate despite this flaw, though. Acer did not factory calibrate the display in our review unit according to our tests, but its DeltaE deviations are still close to ideal values out of the box. Calibrating the display significantly improves colour accuracy and minimised the blue tint that affected our review unit, the ICC profile for which you can find in the box above our comparison table.

The display also covers 93% of the sRGB colour space and 60% of AdobeRGB. While neither is high enough for professional image and video-editing, they are both respectable coverages.

CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: Grayscale
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Colour saturation
CalMAN: Colour saturation
CalMAN: Grayscale - calibrated
CalMAN: Grayscale - calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker - calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker - calibrated
CalMAN: Colour saturation - calibrated
CalMAN: Colour saturation - calibrated

The matte display also gets bright enough to use the Helios 300 outdoors. We would still recommend using a shady spot where possible though as bright sunlight will make the display look washed-out.

Using the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 outdoors in the sunshine
Using the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 outdoors in the sunshine
Using the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 outdoors in the shade
Using the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 outdoors in the shade

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 19 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
15 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 8 ms rise
↘ 7 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 23 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The display also has stable viewing angles, in part because it is an IPS panel. While some clouding is visible at certain angles, the display always remains readable.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - Enough for all occasions

The Core i7-9750H is an excellent choice for gaming laptops, but it is the only CPU that Acer offers with this year's Helios 300. By contrast, you can choose between the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and RTX 20 GPUs. While the former is powerful enough for 1080p gaming, RTX 20 GPUs support ray tracing and DLSS.

The hardware in our review unit proved powerful enough for all tasks during our tests. We encountered no driver instability or compatibility issues either.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWiNFO
DPC latencies
Intel Extreme Utility
Intel Extreme Utility (Benchmark)
 

Processor

A look at the heatsink covering the Intel Core i7-9750H
A look at the heatsink covering the Intel Core i7-9750H

The Core i7-9750H has a 2.6 GHz base clock that it can achieve across all its six cores. The Coffee Lake series chip can also Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz on two cores or 4 GHz on six. The length of time that the CPU can maintain its Turbo Boost for depends on the effectiveness of the cooling system with which it is paired, though.

We subjected our review unit to a looped Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit benchmark to discover how well the system fared under sustained load. While performance dropped slightly after the first run-through, this is no worse than the behaviour of our comparison devices. The Helios 300 averaged 1,113 points during this test, which puts it in the midfield of our comparison devices. The device throttles CPU performance by around 30% when running on battery power, though.

Please see our CPU comparison page for more information about the Core i7-9750H and how it fares against other processors.

0651301952603253904555205856507157808459109751040110511701235Tooltip
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1113 (1102.29-1169.32)
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1035 (1020.33-1139.99)
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1157 (1151.34-1211.72)
Dell G5 15 5590 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1144 (1121.11-1191.01)
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1132 (1125.75-1244.28)
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6 Intel Core i5-8300H, Intel Core i5-8300H: Ø767 (738.02-807.05)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
190 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
187 Points -2%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
186 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points -3%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
183 Points -4%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Intel Core i5-8300H
173 Points -9%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
165 Points -13%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
1191 Points +2%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
1188 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points +1%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
1170 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
1155 (899.54min - 1211.72max) Points -1%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
1140 Points -3%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Intel Core i5-8300H
807 Points -31%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
459 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
458 Points 0%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
448 Points -2%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
447 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (416 - 486, n=55)
443 Points -3%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
403 Points -12%
CPU (Multi Core)
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
2707 Points +4%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
2694 Points +4%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
2599 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
2595 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (2017 - 3133, n=55)
2564 Points -1%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
2415 Points -7%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance Physics
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
13214 Points +19%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
13016 Points +17%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
12984 Points +17%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (9704 - 14337, n=80)
12766 Points +15%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
11119 Points
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
9979 Points -10%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Intel Core i5-8300H
9092 Points -18%
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
476.1 Seconds *
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (342 - 495, n=21)
433 Seconds * +9%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
410 Seconds * +14%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
403.2 Seconds * +15%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
5423 Points +9%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
5409 Points +9%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (4440 - 5511, n=27)
5238 Points +5%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
4977 Points
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
4977 Points 0%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
4723 Points -5%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
4440 Points -11%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H
23928 Points +30%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
23223 Points +26%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (17054 - 25043, n=27)
22076 Points +20%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H
20450 Points +11%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
18433 Points
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
18433 Points 0%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
17054 Points -7%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
34458 MIPS +21%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
33363 MIPS +17%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (28512 - 35174, n=21)
32357 MIPS +13%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
28512 MIPS
7z b 4 -mmt1
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H
5023 MIPS +6%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Intel Core i7-9750H
4962 MIPS +5%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (4580 - 5090, n=21)
4846 MIPS +3%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H
4719 MIPS

* ... smaller is better

Mozilla Kraken 1.1
 
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
190 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1170 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
120.3 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

The Helios 300 has solid system performance too. While we also encountered no performance issues during our tests, synthetic benchmarks did not reflect our impressions. In PCMark 10, for example, the Helios 300 finished towards the bottom of the pack, and it was up to 30% behind some of our comparison devices.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9852, n=206, last 2 years)
7540 Points +43%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
5938 Points +12%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
5716 Points +8%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5583 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4807 - 5829, n=15)
5531 Points +5%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
5279 Points
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
5069 Points -4%
Essentials
Average of class Gaming
  (7334 - 12334, n=205, last 2 years)
10673 Points +24%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
9450 Points +10%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
9364 Points +9%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (8621 - 10098, n=15)
9360 Points +9%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
9020 Points +5%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
8621 Points
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
8308 Points -4%
Productivity
Average of class Gaming
  (6282 - 11833, n=205, last 2 years)
9687 Points +32%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7687 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (7241 - 8136, n=15)
7519 Points +3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
7430 Points +2%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
7381 Points +1%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
7312 Points
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
6808 Points -7%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Gaming
  (5288 - 18475, n=205, last 2 years)
11338 Points +79%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
8220 Points +30%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
7564 Points +19%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4426 - 7638, n=15)
6558 Points +4%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
6502 Points +3%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
6335 Points
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
6252 Points -1%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
5661 Points +21%
Average of class Gaming
  (3570 - 6657, n=37, last 2 years)
5218 Points +11%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4688 Points
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (4074 - 5217, n=11)
4518 Points -4%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4507 Points -4%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4362 Points -7%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Hynix HFS128G39TND
4253 Points -9%
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
4165 Points -11%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=36, last 2 years)
6071 Points +11%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
5870 Points +7%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5608 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5041 - 5913, n=12)
5540 Points +1%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
5483 Points
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Hynix HFS128G39TND
5347 Points -2%
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
5291 Points -4%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
5041 Points -8%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4688 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
7682 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5483 points
PCMark 10 Score
5279 points
Help

Storage Devices

A look at the 512 GB M.2 2280 SSD in our review unit
A look at the 512 GB M.2 2280 SSD in our review unit

Acer has equipped our review unit with a 512 GB SSD, specifically the WDC PC SN720. The NVMe drive achieved excellent transfer speeds in AS SSD and CrystalDiskMark, blowing away all but the equally equipped Legion Y540 of our comparison devices. We particularly like that the drive offers 4K read speeds of over 40 MB/s.

The Helios 300 has two M.2 2280 slots and one 2.5-inch drive bay, which is handy. However, we would have preferred a larger drive, especially considering how much storage some games take up nowadays. You could configure or retrofit the device with a larger SSD if you plan to have several games installed simultaneously, though.

Please see our HDD/SSD comparison page for more information and benchmarks.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 3
CDM 3
CDM 5
CDM 5
CDM 6
CDM 6
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Dell G5 15 5590
KBG30ZMS128G
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Hynix HFS128G39TND
Average WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-23%
0%
-65%
-45%
-70%
-14%
Write 4K
108.7
100
-8%
158.8
46%
64.3
-41%
134.2
23%
61.9
-43%
110 ?(37.4 - 194.3, n=9)
1%
Read 4K
44.91
31.39
-30%
29.11
-35%
29.3
-35%
37.72
-16%
22.78
-49%
36.9 ?(25.2 - 51.2, n=9)
-18%
Write Seq
2424
1308
-46%
1584
-35%
131.1
-95%
389.2
-84%
136.1
-94%
1976 ?(1010 - 2540, n=9)
-18%
Read Seq
1617
1083
-33%
1694
5%
776
-52%
1030
-36%
490.1
-70%
1710 ?(1051 - 2512, n=9)
6%
Write 4K Q32T1
356.9
362.9
2%
536
50%
96.8
-73%
238.9
-33%
136.2
-62%
339 ?(119.1 - 536, n=9)
-5%
Read 4K Q32T1
557
425.7
-24%
363.9
-35%
198.6
-64%
343.9
-38%
208.4
-63%
417 ?(242 - 603, n=9)
-25%
Write Seq Q32T1
2542
1411
-44%
2536
0%
127.8
-95%
789
-69%
136
-95%
2218 ?(1078 - 2553, n=9)
-13%
Read Seq Q32T1
3218
3240
1%
3458
7%
1044
-68%
1502
-53%
553
-83%
2940 ?(1421 - 3489, n=9)
-9%
Write 4K Q8T8
1138
293.4
-74%
721 ?(308 - 1138, n=4)
-37%
Read 4K Q8T8
1346
405.8
-70%
993 ?(452 - 1346, n=4)
-26%
AS SSD
-33%
10%
-227%
-46%
-128%
-9%
Seq Read
2841
2088
-27%
2927
3%
1036
-64%
1372
-52%
513
-82%
2544 ?(1348 - 2973, n=9)
-10%
Seq Write
2009
1347
-33%
2149
7%
115.1
-94%
746
-63%
128.2
-94%
2034 ?(1126 - 2429, n=9)
1%
4K Read
39.34
36.14
-8%
42.43
8%
29.6
-25%
35.42
-10%
26.5
-33%
36.5 ?(21.4 - 47, n=9)
-7%
4K Write
102.8
96.5
-6%
147.1
43%
67.8
-34%
99.9
-3%
62.7
-39%
110.8 ?(38.2 - 162.4, n=9)
8%
4K-64 Read
1257
565
-55%
1286
2%
184.5
-85%
302.1
-76%
336.6
-73%
1112 ?(431 - 1286, n=9)
-12%
4K-64 Write
1522
588
-61%
1432
-6%
95.2
-94%
191.4
-87%
120.1
-92%
1222 ?(576 - 1562, n=9)
-20%
Access Time Read *
0.086
0.093
-8%
0.065
24%
1.519
-1666%
0.132
-53%
0.0965 ?(0.065 - 0.143, n=6)
-12%
Access Time Write *
0.036
0.038
-6%
0.026
28%
0.255
-608%
0.037
-3%
0.259
-619%
0.04213 ?(0.023 - 0.096, n=8)
-17%
Score Read
1581
810
-49%
1621
3%
318
-80%
475
-70%
414
-74%
1403 ?(588 - 1621, n=9)
-11%
Score Write
1825
819
-55%
1794
-2%
174
-90%
366
-80%
196
-89%
1536 ?(728 - 1942, n=9)
-16%
Score Total
4175
2014
-52%
4208
1%
620
-85%
1065
-74%
811
-81%
3633 ?(1610 - 4368, n=9)
-13%
Copy ISO MB/s
1446
1043
-28%
159.2
-89%
1062
-27%
1506 ?(955 - 2136, n=6)
4%
Copy Program MB/s
473.4
371.7
-21%
94.4
-80%
426
-10%
410 ?(245 - 498, n=6)
-13%
Copy Game MB/s
971
399.9
-59%
106.3
-89%
650
-33%
894 ?(512 - 1163, n=6)
-8%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-28% / -30%
5% / 6%
-146% / -168%
-46% / -45%
-99% / -102%
-12% / -11%

* ... smaller is better

WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Sequential Read: 1931 MB/s
Sequential Write: 2385 MB/s
512K Read: 1332 MB/s
512K Write: 1206 MB/s
4K Read: 32.2 MB/s
4K Write: 94.9 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 405.1 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 261.2 MB/s

Graphics Card

A look at the heatsink covering the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
A look at the heatsink covering the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti

The graphics card is one of the most important components in a gaming laptop, and the new Helios 300 does not disappoint. Our review unit has a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, a Turing architecture GPU that has 6 GB of VRAM. The card is powerful enough to play modern triple-A titles at 1080p, so you will need to step up to a GeForce RTX 2060 or GeForce RTX 2070 if you fancy gaming at 1440p or beyond on an external monitor.

The Helios 300 also has an Intel UHD Graphics 630 onboard courtesy of its Core i7-9750H processor. This integrated GPU takes over from the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti during undemanding tasks, allowing the Helios 300 to consume less power and achieve better battery life.

Please see our GPU comparison page for more information about the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and how it compares against other graphics cards.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=244, last 2 years)
39642 Points +104%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
21959 Points +13%
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
20196 Points +4%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (18610 - 22670, n=24)
20096 Points +3%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
19553 Points +1%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
19435 Points
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
17264 Points -11%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-8300H
9147 Points -53%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (15902 - 193851, n=155, last 2 years)
134902 Points +38%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
109479 Points +12%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
97919 Points
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
95292 Points -3%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (59839 - 104780, n=18)
94171 Points -4%
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
92951 Points -5%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
88271 Points -10%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-8300H
51038 Points -48%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=248, last 2 years)
29013 Points +102%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
16968 Points +18%
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
15415 Points +7%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (14186 - 16488, n=24)
14867 Points +4%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
14358 Points
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
14288 Points 0%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
12903 Points -10%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i5-8300H
7610 Points -47%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=246, last 2 years)
11809 Points +110%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
6831 Points +22%
Dell G5 15 5590
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8750H
5977 Points +6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (5335 - 6123, n=22)
5653 Points +1%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
5616 Points
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
4925 Points -12%
3DMark 11 Performance
16344 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
106089 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
35033 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
12903 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
6532 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
5615 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Helios 300 performed well in all our gaming tests, although it cannot get quite as much performance from its GPU as the equally equipped HP Gaming Pavilion 15 can. The difference only equates to a few frames per second, though. Only our GeForce RTX 2060 and GeForce RTX 2070-powered comparison devices perform noticeably better than our review unit does.

Our review unit breezed through longer gaming sessions too. We verified this by letting The Witcher 3 run for an hour on the ultra preset at 1080p, during which the device achieved between 47 and 58 FPS. Hence, you should encounter no throttling when gaming for prolonged periods.

The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Gaming
  (54.1 - 718, n=136, last 2 years)
413 fps +102%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
300 (259min - 330max) fps +47%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (177.3 - 298, n=14)
254 fps +25%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
243 fps +19%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
235.1 fps +15%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
204 (158min - 234max) fps
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Gaming
  (34.2 - 617, n=146, last 2 years)
320 fps +112%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
213 (188min - 239max) fps +41%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (148 - 200, n=14)
176.1 fps +17%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
173.7 fps +15%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
162.6 fps +8%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
151 (126min - 166max) fps
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Gaming
  (17.5 - 449, n=175, last 2 years)
214 fps +130%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
123 (105min - 142max) fps +32%
Dell G5 15 5590
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
105.2 fps +13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
  (93 - 120.4, n=17)
104.7 fps +13%
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
95.2 fps +2%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
93 (84min - 103max) fps
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
46.7 fps -50%
0510152025303540455055Tooltip
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G: Ø51.9 (47-58)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 283 241 237 128
The Witcher 3 (2015) 204 151 93 54.6
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 119.4 110.4 103.3 94.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 118 116 86 74
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 83 76 64

Emissions - Quiet, slightly too warm and underwhelming speakers

Fan Noise

Pretty much all gaming laptops have loud fans, and the new Helios 300 is no different. The two fans in our review unit reach a maximum of 31 dB(A) at idle but peak at 46.9 dB(A) under sustained load. You can typically expect fan noise to reach 41.5 dB(A) when gaming, though.

Noise Level

Idle
31 / 31 / 31 dB(A)
Load
41.5 / 46.9 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.2 dB(A)
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Hynix HFS128G39TND
Noise
12%
6%
-2%
1%
-1%
off / environment *
30.2
28.2
7%
29.3
3%
30.4
-1%
30
1%
29
4%
Idle Minimum *
31
29.3
5%
29.3
5%
30.4
2%
31.3
-1%
29
6%
Idle Average *
31
29.3
5%
29.3
5%
30.4
2%
31.3
-1%
31
-0%
Idle Maximum *
31
29.3
5%
29.3
5%
33.4
-8%
31.3
-1%
33
-6%
Load Average *
41.5
32.3
22%
35.7
14%
42
-1%
42
-1%
45
-8%
Witcher 3 ultra *
46.7
34
27%
44.2
5%
42.1
10%
45
4%
Load Maximum *
46.9
41.2
12%
45.6
3%
48.7
-4%
46.5
1%
51
-9%

* ... smaller is better

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.433.533.93433.42537.73635.532.937.73135.141.736.532.235.14037.73631.331.937.75031.530.73230.131.56328.729.231.829.528.78025.626.52827.825.610025.525.52525.825.512525.725.524.326.325.716025.925.124.32425.920025.124.322.523.825.125024.724.922.322.324.731527.326.121.421.727.340027.430.120.820.327.45003027.32019.53063027.624.218.818.527.680027.726.218.918.427.7100030.929.619.118.230.9125031.229.918.817.631.2160030.929.918.417.430.9200031.630.920.817.431.6250033.73318.417.533.7315034.333.718.117.634.3400032.429.818.117.732.4500027.725.217.817.927.7630024.82317.917.924.8800022.921.2181822.91000021.22017.917.921.21250019.318.917.817.819.31600018.218.417.917.918.2SPL42.741.63130.342.7N43.61.51.44median 27.4median 25.5median 18.8median 18median 27.4Delta3.93.82.11.43.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY

Temperature

3DMark 11 results after running our stress test
3DMark 11 results after running our stress test

While the Helios 300 stays cool to the touch when idling, most areas get hot under sustained load. Even though the palm rest averages around 30 °C when gaming, the 52 °C hotspot that we measured during our stress tests means that the Helios 3 runs much hotter than our comparison devices.

Please keep in mind that it is possible to reduce surface and internal temperatures by manually setting the fans to run at 100% constantly. Doing so reduced peak surface temperatures to just 46 °C, although you must endure the fans at their noisiest.

We also subjected our review unit to FurMark and Prime95 stress tests, during which CPU core temperatures reached 93 °C. The Helios 300 thermal throttled at this point, but we did not encounter this when we just ran Prime95.

The effects of our FurMark and Prime95 stress test did not last long, though. As the 3DMark 11 screenshot to the right demonstrates, the Helios 300 performed just as well as it did when we ran benchmarks from a cold start.

System information during a Prime95 stress test
System information during a Prime95 stress test
System information during a FurMark stress test
System information during a FurMark stress test
System information during a combined FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information during a combined FurMark and Prime95 stress test
Max. Load
 42.8 °C
109 F
52 °C
126 F
48.6 °C
119 F
 
 36 °C
97 F
48.4 °C
119 F
44 °C
111 F
 
 28.4 °C
83 F
33 °C
91 F
32.1 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 52 °C = 126 F
Average: 40.6 °C = 105 F
46.2 °C
115 F
45.2 °C
113 F
46.3 °C
115 F
37.3 °C
99 F
42.1 °C
108 F
34.5 °C
94 F
28.1 °C
83 F
27.2 °C
81 F
26.6 °C
80 F
Maximum: 46.3 °C = 115 F
Average: 37.1 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  54.4 °C = 130 F | Room Temperature 22.4 °C = 72 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.6 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 52 °C / 126 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.3 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.1 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 38 °C / 100 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33 °C / 91.4 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-4.1 °C / -7.4 F).
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Dell G5 15 5590
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-8750H, KBG30ZMS128G
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Hynix HFS128G39TND
Heat
1%
-23%
-5%
-26%
-15%
Maximum Upper Side *
52
46.7
10%
42.7
18%
51.5
1%
43.9
16%
50
4%
Maximum Bottom *
46.3
53.7
-16%
52.7
-14%
48.3
-4%
47.6
-3%
52
-12%
Idle Upper Side *
24.8
23.8
4%
33.1
-33%
27.2
-10%
38.6
-56%
33
-33%
Idle Bottom *
25.4
23.7
7%
41
-61%
27.4
-8%
40.8
-61%
30
-18%

* ... smaller is better

Heat map of the top of the device at idle
Heat map of the top of the device at idle
Heat map of the top of the device under load
Heat map of the top of the device under load
Heat map of the top of the device when playing The Witcher 3
Heat map of the top of the device when playing The Witcher 3
Heat map of the bottom of the device at idle
Heat map of the bottom of the device at idle
Heat map of the bottom of the device under load
Heat map of the bottom of the device under load
Heat map of the bottom of the device when playing The Witcher 3
Heat map of the bottom of the device when playing The Witcher 3

Speakers

Acer equips the Helios 300 with stereo speakers, although the absence of a subwoofer restricts our enjoyment somewhat. The speakers in our review unit are disappointingly quiet and struggle to reproduce any bass tones, although they have no problems with high and mid frequencies. The speakers fire downwards too, so audio will sound muffled if you place the Helios 300 on a soft surface, for example. There are a few predefined sound profiles in Predator Sense should you wish to tune how the speakers sound. While there is an audible difference between each profile, none can mitigate against the poor placement and underwhelming drivers that Acer has included in our review unit.

In short, we would recommend using external speakers or headphones when listening to music or gaming. These can be connected via the 3.5 mm jack, Bluetooth, or USB.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.93432.92534.832.934.83134.932.234.94032.431.932.45029.830.129.86332.829.532.88026.627.826.610026.125.826.112531.926.331.916039.62439.620036.823.836.825041.922.341.931551.621.751.640058.620.358.650055.419.555.463059.118.559.180066.318.466.3100069.218.269.2125063.817.663.8160061.617.461.6200063.317.463.3250057.217.557.2315061.217.661.2400062.817.762.8500060.417.960.4630063.417.963.480006418641000061.417.961.41250061.717.861.7160005417.954SPL75.230.375.2N35.41.435.4median 60.4median 18median 60.4Delta8.31.48.331.533.228.530.827.430.326.528.724.927.825.327.42328.52228.522.328.822.239.922.151.320.958.220.657.620.357.619.660.419.365.518.766.318.463.818.166.417.265.516.766.516.468.315.667.715.565.415.661.715.564.215.561.815.357.114.960.91560.429.377.41.240.7median 18.1median 61.72.57.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TYLenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 74% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 55% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 54% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 33% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 60% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - High power consumption and a 58 Wh battery equals short battery life

Power Consumption

Acer includes a 180 W power supply in the box.
Acer includes a 180 W power supply in the box.
Acer includes a 180 W power supply in the box.

The Helios 300 falls short of our expectations here. Simply, our review unit consistently consumes more power than it should, especially when idling or under medium load. Its peak draw of 177 W makes it more economical than the competition in at least one aspect, though.

Acer pairs the Helios 300 with a 180 W power supply. While our review unit never exceeded this wattage during our tests, we noticed that the power supply could not always keep the device at 100% charge.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.25 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 17.2 / 22.6 / 25.5 Watt
Load midlight 88 / 177 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G5 15 5590
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, KBG30ZMS128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-128G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Hynix HFS128G39TND, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile
 
Average of class Gaming
 
Power Consumption
31%
9%
34%
-16%
38%
7%
-7%
Idle Minimum *
17.2
6.8
60%
14.5
16%
3.5
80%
22.2
-29%
6
65%
12.4 ?(3.9 - 20, n=19)
28%
13.8 ?(2 - 64, n=189, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Average *
22.6
10.7
53%
18.5
18%
6.9
69%
24.9
-10%
9
60%
18 ?(8.9 - 30.7, n=19)
20%
19 ?(6.5 - 67, n=189, last 2 years)
16%
Idle Maximum *
25.5
12.5
51%
20
22%
8.5
67%
30.6
-20%
13
49%
25.3 ?(12.2 - 56.3, n=19)
1%
26.6 ?(9 - 101.1, n=189, last 2 years)
-4%
Load Average *
88
87.2
1%
81.6
7%
127
-44%
101
-15%
95
-8%
93.5 ?(79 - 122.7, n=19)
-6%
112 ?(32.1 - 202, n=189, last 2 years)
-27%
Load Maximum *
177
191.4
-8%
208.1
-18%
179
-1%
186
-5%
134
24%
191.9 ?(168 - 225, n=19)
-8%
250 ?(64.5 - 418, n=188, last 2 years)
-41%
Witcher 3 ultra *
121
132
143
102

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

3DMark 11 scores on battery
3DMark 11 scores on battery
CB R15 Multi 64Bit scores on battery
CB R15 Multi 64Bit scores on battery

Acer equips the Helios 300 with a 58 Wh battery, which achieved comparatively poor runtimes during our tests. Our review unit drains its battery in under five hours when idling, while it needed recharging after only 3.5 hours on Wi-Fi. We ran the latter test with the display set to around 150 cd/m² too, which is a level that should represent general conditions in our opinion.

Worse still, the Helios 300 throttles its CPU and GPU performance when running on battery power. Benchmark results to the right demonstrate how drastically our review unit restricts performance on battery, which is doubly disappointing considering how poor its battery life is. Incidentally, the Helios 300 takes just over 90 minutes to recharge fully with the included power supply.

Battery life at idle
Battery life at idle
Battery life under sustained load
Battery life under sustained load
Battery life on Wi-Fi
Battery life on Wi-Fi
Battery life on Wi-Fi at maximum brightness
Battery life on Wi-Fi at maximum brightness
Battery life while looping an H.264 video
Battery life while looping an H.264 video
Charging time
Charging time
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
4h 58min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge: 44.18362.387.0)
3h 30min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge: 44.18362.387.0)
2h 56min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
3h 22min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 13min
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 58.75 Wh
HP Gaming Pavilion 15-dk0009ng
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q, 52.5 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH-81SX00B2GE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 57 Wh
Dell G5 15 5590
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 60 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 57 Wh
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, 48 Wh
Average of class Gaming
 
Battery Runtime
44%
-15%
150%
-15%
81%
67%
Reader / Idle
298
522
75%
240
-19%
890
199%
710
138%
548 ?(57 - 1290, n=90, last 2 years)
84%
H.264
202
317
57%
506
150%
392 ?(56 - 747, n=97, last 2 years)
94%
WiFi v1.3
210
290
38%
145
-31%
463
120%
179
-15%
354
69%
365 ?(57 - 745, n=190, last 2 years)
74%
Load
73
76
4%
76
4%
168
130%
100
37%
85.5 ?(36 - 173, n=153, last 2 years)
17%
Witcher 3 ultra
60
81.7 ?(47 - 155, n=23, last 2 years)

Pros

+ modern design
+ stable chassis
+ three drive bays
+ powerful enough for 1080p triple-A gaming
+ IPS display
+ 144 Hz refresh rate
+ no PWM
+ good Wi-Fi performance
+ Predator Sense with useful features
+ fast NVMe SSD

Cons

- unacceptably high power consumption when idling and under medium load
- short battery life
- no SD card reader
- only 512 GB of storage
- noticeable backlight bleeding

Verdict - A powerful 1080p gaming laptop with flaws

The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 laptop review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.
The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 laptop review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.

The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 is a modern gaming laptop with acceptable gaming performance. The entry-level model is not competitively priced at around 1,400 Euros (~$1,550), though. Nevertheless, the overhauled 15-inch laptop is well designed and features hardware that can handle all current triple-A games natively at 1080p.

While we always like seeing OEMs include 144 Hz panels on their gaming laptops, high refresh-rate displays have now become the norm. However, the one in our review unit left us with a bit of a sour aftertaste. On the one hand, it is bright and colour accurate, both laudable qualities. On the other, it suffers from obnoxious backlight bleeding, something that we would not have expected on such an expensive laptop. Separately, including 512 GB of storage on a gaming laptop feels rather stingy, so we would recommend choosing the 1 TB option if possible. Otherwise, you may find yourself quickly needing to add a second drive, especially with some games now requiring over 100 GB of space.

The Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315 is a solid entry-level gaming laptop in a new guise. Some shortcomings remain, though.

Retrofitting additional drives is relatively simple to do, with the drive bays hiding behind a bottom plate that is easy to remove. While we have hardly any criticisms about build quality, the Helios 300 PH315 consumes more power than it should in our opinion. Overall, while the device has some downsides, like short battery life and sub-par speakers, it is ultimately a decent gaming laptop.

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-79TY - 05/15/2020 v7
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
80 / 98 → 82%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
56 / 80 → 70%
Weight
61 / 10-66 → 91%
Battery
53 / 95 → 56%
Display
84%
Games Performance
89%
Application Performance
90%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 92%
Noise
82 / 90 → 91%
Audio
57%
Camera
43 / 85 → 50%
Average
74%
82%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Predator Helios 300 Laptop Review: A modern gaming laptop with a Turing GPU
Sebastian Bade, 2019-11- 6 (Update: 2021-03-12)