Earlier today Acer announced its new lineup of Nitro gaming laptops, and now it’s introducing its new lineup of Predator Helios options as part of CES 2025, with the Predator Helios 16 AI as one of the stars of the show. The Nitro line is aimed at users looking for an affordable entry-level gaming laptop, but the tradeoff is that they all come with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPUs. For those seeking a lot more power, the Predator Helios line is powered by NVIDIA’s 50-series GPUs.
So you can expect top-end performance with the latest tech NVIDIA has to offer. And of course, they’re all sporting the latest Intel CPUs with AI-powered features and Neural Processing Units. So users should expect improved battery life and battery efficiency thanks to the NPUs.
In addition to the new Predator Helios laptops, Acer is announcing a new Predator monitor as well. The Predator XB323QX is a 31.5-inch display with 5K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. It supports technology features like NVIDIA G-Sync Pulsar, and it has a 0.5ms response time. For connectivity, it has two HDMI 2.1 ports which means you can easily hook up your PS5 to it. Sadly, it only has one DisplayPort connection and it’s DisplayPort 1.4.
While it does come with a swivel and til-compatible stand, it can be wall-mounted too. This is definitely the way to go if your desk space is more limited.
The Acer Predator Helios 16 AI is joined by two other laptops
16-inch gaming laptops are kind of the sweet spot for many gamers these days. They’re big enough for comfortable and enjoyable gaming but still portable enough to carry around. That being said, the Predator Helios 16 AI isn’t Acer’s only new Predator gaming laptop. It also has the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI. This is a slightly slimmer model, featuring a less powerful GPU. It’s likely to be a great middle-ground pick if you don’t want to spend top dollar.
For those who want the biggest option, there’s the Predator Helios 18 AI. It will no doubt be a hefty beast. However, it has more room for cooling, a larger display, and the option for NVIDIA’s most powerful laptop graphics card.
For the most part, the Predator Helios 16 AI and 18 AI are comparable. They both come with either an RTX 5080 or an RTX 5090. Not to mention Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX. Where they really differ, other than the screen size, is the RAM and storage. Those going for the 16-inch model can opt for up to 4TB of space and up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM. The 18-inch model pushes storage to 6TB. The RAM is where it gets wild. Because Acer says it can come with up to a whopping 192GB of DDR5 RAM.
We’re not even sure why you would need that much, but it’s possible to get it. If you want something that will undoubtedly be more affordable, the Predator Helios Neo 16S AI will come with an RTX 5070Ti. Plus, you get a decent amount of RAM and storage with up to 32GB and up to 2TB. Refresh rates vary as well, ranging from as low as 120Hz all the way up to 240Hz depending on the model.
Acer’s new Predator laptops start shipping in April
If you like what Acer has to offer with these, it won’t be too long of a wait to pick them up. Acer says they’ll start shipping in April, with prices starting at $1,699.99. The first model to launch will be the Helios Neo 16S AI. This will be available in April starting at $1,699.99. Next will be the Helios 18 AI in May starting at $2,999.99, then the Helios 16 AI in June starting at $2,299.99. Acer hasn’t mentioned a price for the monitor but says it will launch sometime in Q3 2025.
