#2018 acer predator helios 300 review upgrade

To access the memory, you have to take out the metal bracket. Just unplug the connector, and undo two Phillips-head screws. Furthermore, it is pretty easy to remove. It lasts for about 7 hours of either Web browsing or video playback. The battery inside has a capacity of 90.6Wh. Then, lift the panel away from the chassis. After that, pry the bottom panel starting from the front. Here, you’ve got to undo 11 Phillips-head screws.

#2018 acer predator helios 300 review upgrade

2) ports, while the back houses the power plug, a Thunderbolt 4 port, an HDMI connector, and a Mini DisplayPort.ĭisassembly, upgrade options, and maintenance Then, on the right, there are two USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. On the left side, you can see a Kensington lock slot, a LAN port, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. Respectively, the heat is exhausted through four vents – two on the back and one on each side. A large portion of the bottom panel is taken by the ventilation grills, where the fans draw part of the cool air (the other part comes through the keyboard). If you turn the laptop upside down, you will find that the speaker cutouts are placed right next to the front feet of the device. However, it is not as good as the one on the ASUS TUF Dash F15 FX517. Above the keyboard, you will see a vent, which reveals parts of the cooling system.Īnd below it, there is a big touchpad with a glass surface and a shiny chamfered trim. Speaking of shortcuts, there is the dedicated “Turbo” button, that maxes out the fans. Plus, it comes with a Predator Sense shortcut button. There, we see a very clean design with a keyboard that features large Arrow keys, and a NumPad. Now, let’s take a quick look at the base. And above the matte display, you’re going to find an HD Web camera. Speaking of which, the logo on the back of the lid is illuminated. This action reveals thin top and side bezels, with a quite pronounced chin, home only to the Predator logo.

Unsurprisingly, the lid opens easily with a single hand. Ultimately, it is a bit thick (26.9mm), and a bit heavy (3 kilos), but it’s definitely nothing, considering what it offers. It’s worth noting that the laptop is made out of metal, and has great structural integrity with almost zero flex when twisted. The hinges now sit on a pedestal and make for a complete separation of the lid and base. The change is more than welcomed by everyone here at the office (and we suppose you’re going to like it as well). Well, it has finally happened! There is a minor redesign on a Helios. You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: The display options are also pretty impressive, with a 1440p IPS panel available with a 165Hz refresh rate, and support of NVIDIA’s G-Sync and Advanced Optimus. We expect it to make a huge difference not only in computational performance but also when it comes to gaming. However, Acer has finally implemented a liquid metal thermal compound on the CPU. Yes, the reason for this was improper cooling. We are really hopeful for this year’s unit since the last one had some issues, which led to unimpressive clock speeds. This, together with the Alder Lake CPU inside should make a difference. Now, the brand has made a jump to the RTX 3080, while our unit came with a 150W RTX 3070 Ti. On the other hand, the Helios 300 was equipped with a 140W RTX 3070. Acer for instance, was quite conservative in its approach, especially with its Nitro series. As the company ditched the “Max-Q” design, manufacturers all over the place were opting for different TGP values. NVIDIA’s RTX 3000 graphics card lineup was once again a game-changer in the laptop world.