Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) Review – Contemporary, Compact and Robust in One Package

Acer Malaysia has introduced the Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) which features high-end components and a great display in a rather compact 14-inch chassis.

Design

The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (model PHN14-51) is more compact than its 16-inch and 18-inch counterparts in the series, yet it maintains a sleek design, exceptional portability, and powerful performance. It features a unique gaming laptop aesthetic, with a black color scheme and a Predator logo on the back, enhancing the gaming vibe. However, the surface is susceptible to fingerprints and smudges, necessitating regular cleaning to keep it looking pristine. Additionally, the front groove design allows for easy one-handed opening of the lid.

Weighing at 1.9 kg, it is slightly heavier than typical laptops, but is still considered lightweight in the gaming laptop category, making it suitable for use in various settings. The Predator logo on the back is highlighted by six LED light bars when the laptop is powered on, and it displays the classic Predator logo when off.

I/O Ports

The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 offers a rich array of ports to meet diverse connectivity needs. The laptop is equipped with two USB ports, a MicroSD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, a power input, an HDMI 2.1 video port, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. These comprehensive port options ensure users have ample expansion and connectivity capabilities for various peripherals and external devices. Additionally, the laptop supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 technologies, providing fast and stable wireless connections.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 is equipped with a three-zone RGB backlit keyboard, offering a personalised gaming experience. The keyboard feels excellent, with low actuation force keys, making it suitable for long typing and gaming sessions. 

The Copilot shortcut key in the bottom right corner swiftly opens the Copilot dialog box for AI features. The touchpad, positioned just to the right beneath the spacebar, is large, smooth, and highly responsive. There’s also a dedicated key for launching Acer’s PredatorSense application, which lets users oversee and tweak gaming performance and cooling settings. The PredatorSense control center makes it simple to adjust fan speeds, monitor system temperatures, and customize RGB keyboard lighting effects.

Display and Audio

The laptop features a 14-inch QHD display with a resolution of 3072 x 1920. The screen not only offers high resolution but also supports 100% sRGB colour gamut, delivering more realistic colours. The 165Hz refresh rate delivers fluid and smooth game visuals. The integrated stereo speakers produce clear audio and rich sound effects, boosting the overall immersive gaming experience.

Battery Life

 

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The built-in 76Wh battery can provide about 6 hours of usage under normal circumstances, depending on the usage scenario. To ensure stable operation under heavy loads, the Helios Neo 14 employs Acer’s exclusive 5th generation AeroBlade 3D fans and liquid metal thermal technology. However, the body can become quite hot during gaming, especially in areas frequently touched by hands on both sides.

Performance Testing

The Predator Helios Neo 14 is powered by the robust Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, coupled with up to 32GB of DDR5 memory and up to 1TB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage, significantly enhancing system operation speed and data read speeds.

3DMARK: 5,135 (Peak – 5,498, Average – 4,883)

Graphics Load: 4,978

CPU: 6,261

PCMARK 10: 7,578

Cinebench (multi-core): 19,238

Cinebench (single-core): 584

Gaming Performance

The Predator Helios Neo 14 performs excellently in medium graphics settings. 

Elden Ring

Elden Ring runs smoothly in combat scenes, with frame rates stable at 60-70 FPS.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Granblue Fantasy: Relink delivers an excellent performance at medium graphics settings, maintaining smooth 120 FPS frame rates during exploration and combat, providing a good gaming experience.

Call of Duty

For Call Of Duty, the game mainly runs at 100-120 FPS in medium settings, offering a smooth gaming experience with almost no lag.

Verdict

Overall, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14, with its powerful hardware configuration and high-quality display, has become a highly regarded gaming laptop on the market. Whether for gaming or work, it offers exceptional performance and user experience. If you are looking for a laptop that meets both gaming and creative work needs, the Predator Helios Neo 14 is definitely a choice not to be missed. However, the cooling issue should be addressed with attention. The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) laptop is priced at MYR 7,799.

Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51-9793) Specs

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