Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD Review: Acer’s Ace In Gaming
As a gamer, finding the best gaming laptop within our limited budget is pretty essential. Since laptops are meant to be an investment that you will use for years to come, nothing is more regrettable than buying the wrong one. In 2023, you can buy the Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD if you want if you have a budget of $2,000.
But how well does this laptop compare to its competitors? In addition, how powerful is it? You will get all the answers that you wish to know by reading this review that explains most of what this laptop has to offer.
Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD Specifications
Here are the primary Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD specifications:
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home (Upgradeable to Windows 11 Home) |
| Display | 17.3” screen (1920 x 1080 resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate) |
| Processor | 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen 7 2700 (3.2 GHz) |
| Graphics Card | AMD Radeon RX 560X 8GB DDR5 |
| Memory | 16 GB DDR4 RAM (2x 8GB) |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD 5400 RPM |
| I/O Ports | 2x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C Port1x DisplayPort 1.11x HDMI 2.0 Port |
| Dimensions | 16.85” x 11.73” x 1.52” |
| Weight | 9.37 lbs (4.25 kgs) |
| Release Date | 27th May 2021 |
| Price (2023) | $1999 |
Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD Features
The primary Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD features are:
1. Design
The Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD differs from other gaming laptops by featuring a black chassis with blue paint. In addition, it also supports AeroBlade 3D fans for cooling. Apart from the blue hue, it appears to be a conventional gaming laptop.
Competing laptops like the Asus ROG GL753 and the Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL704GM have metal bodies. However, this laptop has a plastic chassis – which is pretty unusual for a high-end gaming laptop. I assumed that anything that costs more than $1,000 has an aluminum body. However, regrettably, this is neither a bargain beaker nor that is the case here.
This is a somewhat large laptop with 1.5” x 16.9” x 11.7” (HWD) dimensions. This is comparable to the Nware 17inch laptop when you look at their sizes.
2. Display
Gaming laptops seldom have distinctive displays. Here, you will get a 17-inch matte IPS display, which has a 1080p FHD (1,920 by 1,080) resolution.
The screen features a 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync – the only significant upgrades here. Both are great for proper gaming. Due to higher refresh rates, the panel can smoothen the visuals of your games – up to 144Hz fps. In addition, turning on AMD FreeSync will negate all screen tearing issues.
3. Keyboard & Touchpad
WASD and arrow keys are differentiated from the other keys due to the blue paint found on their edges. You may program a row of dedicated hotkeys, next to the hinges, to do multiple tasks. This also includes auto-overclocking and other functions as well, which can all be done in one click.
The whole keyboard and the touchpad have blue lights, which also cover the power button and the six hotkeys. This also includes per-key backlighting, which allows you to make custom lighting colors using the preloaded PredatorSense program.
In addition, the keyboard has four zones of RGB illumination that you may tune using 16.8 million colors. However, it does not feature individual keys with customizable lighting.
4. Connectivity Ports
2x USB 3.0 Type-A ports, separate dual channel microphones and headphone jacks, and a Kensington lock slot are all located on the right side of the device.
2x USB Type-C 3.1 connectors, an Ethernet jack, and a USB 3.0 Type-A port are all located on the left side of the device. You may connect up to three additional monitors to the machine’s video outputs, which are located around the rear. This includes an HDMI, DisplayPort, and a USB Type-C connector.
Surprisingly, there isn’t an SD-card port, which media workers who frequently use cameras and expensive camcorders want. In addition to a conventional Ethernet connection, Bluetooth 5.0, and 802.11ac Wi-Fi are available for wireless networking.
5. Battery Life
Because of its low battery life, the Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD is clearly intended to replace desktop computers. Its time is around 3 hours, significantly less than the Dell Alienware 15 R4. Imagine attempting to use this monstrosity to work from public spaces, and only to find that there are no power outlets available.
Any laptop with a battery life of four hours or less is difficult to accept at this high price range. However, the worst part is that Acer advertises the Acer Predator Helios 500 as having a “long battery life.”
6. Performance
The Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD is a superb laptop with a beefy CPU and graphics cards. It’s great for multitasking complicated productivity activities like media production, Photoshop, and more simultaneously.
Coming to the essentials, its performance in games is pretty good. Despite its strength, the Acer Predator 17 performs better in contemporary games than some of its more powerful rivals. Most competing gaming laptops use the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards.
It averages 122 fps when playing Fortnite at 1080p, high settings. However, it drops to 109 fps when playing at Ultra settings. I got average fps of 103 fps at Medium settings, compared to 82 fps with High graphics in GTA V.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Gamers have various queries related to the Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD. Here are my answers to their queries.
Ans: If you ask laptop gamers, they will all say that Asus TUF laptops are better than Acer Predator laptops. This is because Asus TUF laptops are hardier, along with having better value for money for their specifications
Ans: In most scenarios, the Acer Predator Helios laptops are better than Acer Aspire Nitro laptops. This is because Predator laptops are higher-end gaming laptops, while the Nitro laptops are mid-end.
Ans: Yes, gaming laptops with AMD Ryzen processors are pretty good in 2023. This is because they provide great multitasking performance compared to Intel laptops.
Final Verdict: Is The Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD Good For Gaming In 2023?
All in all, the Acer Predator Helios 500 17 AMD is a pretty good gaming laptop to buy in 2023. It has great specifications, in addition to a big 17.3” screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate.
However, the only drawback comes in the form of its build quality, which is made of plastic instead of metal. In addition, it has a pretty high price of $1,999 compared to the specifications it offers. I would suggest waiting for a sale or discount to get your hands on this gaming laptop.
| PROS | CONS |
| ➡ Great specifications ➡ Good gaming performance. ➡ Pretty quiet for a gaming laptop. ➡ Pretty good 17.3” screen with AMD FreeSync and 144 Hz refresh rate. ➡ The keyboard feels similar to mechanical keyboards, which is pretty good. | ➡ The battery life is pretty short (4 hours max). ➡ Full plastic finish instead of metal. ➡ Pretty expensive ($1,999) in 2023. |
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