Acer Predator Helios (16-inch, 2023)

13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor is smooth ; 240Hz refresh rate screen ; Fairly lightweight ; Excellent cooling

As is common in gaming laptops: battery life is impractical ; Case easily smudged by fingerprints ; Turbo mode is almost unusably loud

The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a powerhouse gaming machine that may dent your bank account but won't hurt your back - as it's lighter than many top other top-spec machines. If it weren't for the battery life and noise levels when at full steam it would...

Excellent performance at WQXGA resolution ; Lovely 240Hz Mini LED display ; Expansive I/O ; Handy performance mode button ; Reasonable pricing

Chunky and heavy ; Noisy fans in turbo mode

The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a chunky gaming laptop that puts performance above all else. It's sturdy and well-made and can handle all the latest triple-A games. The display is stunning, too.

2x SODIMMs + 2x M.2 Gen 4 slots ; 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage + accurate colors with our “Design and Gaming” profile (BOE0B17) ; 240Hz 1600p IPS display with snappy pixel response times of 7.5 ms (BOE0B17) ; PWM-free + high max brightness of 523...

Short battery life for a 90Wh capacity ; The gaming performance could be a bit better ; Noisy fans in “Turbo” mode

Holy graphical prowess Batman ; Full-size keyboard, somehow ; Can be used for self-defence

Mediocre battery life ; Ow, my back

The Acer Predator Helios 16 not only has the physical heft of a blunt assault weapon; it packs a punch like one too. Coming in at almost 3kg, and sporting a large screen and even larger body underneath it, being inconspicuous is a lost cause, but if...