Acer Predator Helios 300: 2019 vs 2020

August 20, 2020198

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2019) was arguably the best mid-range gaming laptop in terms of performance and overall sales. How does the new Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020) fare with its predecessor? We will be comparing 2019’s PH315-52-710B model and the 2020’s PH315-53-72XD model. Let’s find out the differences!

Table Of Contents hide

1. Specifications

2. Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020)

3. Processor (CPU)

4. Graphics Card (GPU)

5. RAM, Display, Storage

6. Other Notable Changes

7. Should you upgrade?

8. Which should you buy?

9. Conclusion

Specifications

	Helios 2019	Helios 2020
Model	Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-78VL	Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-53-72XD
Processor	Intel Core i7 9750H 6 Core (up to 4.5GHz), (Undervolt -0.125 V)	Intel Core i7-10750H 6Core Processor (up to 5. 0GHz)
Graphics Card	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6)	NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)
RAM	16GB DDR4 2666MHz	16GB DDR4 2933MHz
Display	Full HD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 3ms	Full HD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz, 3ms
Weight	5.07 lbs.	5.07 lbs.
Default Backlight Accent	RGB	RGB

Acer Predator Helios 300 (2020)

Processor (CPU)

CPU technology is getting better and better every year. The last year chips are being destroyed by current AMD offerings and Intel is improving itself too. The old model featured the old gen i7-9750H whereas the new model features the newer gen i7-10750H.

Both of the processors come with 6 cores (12 threads). The 10th Gen comes with an increase in base and boost clock speed of 2.6 GHz and 5.0 GHz whereas the 9th Gen comes with 2.6 GHz and 4.5 GHz. The cache size remains the same with 12MB on both processors.

Graphics Card (GPU)

The new model features a RTX 2060 instead of GTX 1660ti which was in the older model. 2060 offers significantly better performance than the 1660ti although it is based on the same Turing architecture. The RTX card supports DLSS 2.0 which is very cool as it significantly increases FPS in games without the need to lower video quality or resolution.

The 2060 also supports Ray Tracing which brings extra realism to games. The overall FPS change is about 10-15% which may give you a major competitive edge on first person shooters and other fast paced games!

Check out our detailed comparison between the 1660ti and 2060!

RAM, Display, Storage

The Helios 300 2020 model comes with a few changes in terms of RAM, display and storage. The default model contains the same amount of RAM of 16 GB but the newer version has faster RAM speed with 2933 MHz from 2666 MHz.

The storage options are the same on both models. The display is the same as last year’s model with 144Hz 3ms full HD 300-nits IPS panel, however, if you are willing to buy the premium version of this laptop, it supports up to 240Hz refresh rate screen for competitive gaming.

Other Notable Changes

Addition of air intakes above the keyboard for better cooling.
The charge port found to the left side of the laptop in 2019 has changed to the back in 2020 model.
Battery Lights shifted to the top of the laptop for better access.
The WiFi adapter card has been upgraded to WiFi 6 which makes quite a big difference. Check to learn the differences about WiFi 6 vs WiFi 5 here!
Switched to DTS audio.
The “Predator” text has been removed from the top and logo has been enlarged which gives a cleaner look.
Silver accent colored equipment near the exhausts at the back.

Should you upgrade?

In 2019, Helios 300 was one of the best valued gaming laptops with better cooling and performance than most other laptops. The same can be said for the new model. Let’s say you have the 2019 model and are considering the new model, worry not!

The main notable differences are the upgrade of GPU, CPU, Wifi Card, RAM speed and display options. Apart from these almost everything is similar. These are certainly upgrades but it doesn’t make enough difference in your performance nor day to day activity. It is certainly good to have the best but the money spent to buy this new laptop is not worth it, considering you have the previous model.

The only main reason for upgrading should be for the 240Hz display but there are cheaper alternatives for you like buying a desktop monitor. We certainly do not recommend an upgrade from last year’s model as there is not enough value for money spent!

If you are looking to buy a new laptop then we recommend the articles below!

Best Gaming and Work Laptops!

Best Budget Programming Laptops!

Which should you buy?

If you’re not getting a killer offer on the 2019 version, buy the 2020 model without any hesitation! It is superior in almost all the categories and provides much more for the price. If the 2019 model is $200+ cheaper than the 2020 then we suggest you to buy the 2019 model as it gives you more value for your money.

Check out the latest prices of the Helios 300 2019 models here!

Check out the latest prices of the Helios 300 2020 models here!

Conclusion

With the introduction of the new Helios 300 model, the market will certainly shift making the competition higher and the previous models cheaper. Both the 2019 and 2020 model are beasts in terms of value for money and performance. You certainly can’t go wrong with them!