For a while, gaming laptops have only grown larger and larger, with the 14-inch form factor seemingly being supplanted by the 15-inchers as the default for the smaller end size. The good news is that 14-inch models are making a comeback, even if it is bringing the current 16:10 trend in tow. One recent example is the Predator Helios Neo 14, which Acer Malaysia announced is available in the local market starting today.
The company had the laptop on display during the announcement, which allowed us to give it a short try. And for the few minutes of use, it’s safe to say that it’s a strong contender if you’re looking for an alternative to the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14.
Overall, thanks to the 14.5-inch form factor, the Predator Helios Neo 14 feels light in hand, and has a small enough physical footprint. This makes it so that it’s not too intrusive if you need it out in tight spaces, particularly for non-gaming related work. At first glance, the extended exhaust vents give the impression that they may get in the way a little on a cocktail table, but in practice it’s not quite the case since you have to tilt the screen back to use it comfortably anyway.
Most of the keys on the Predator Helios Neo 14 keyboard are just about the right size. This means that the keys themselves are large enough to make typing comfortable. The keys themselves also have a very shallow travel distance, but they do feel a tad stiff for what is still ultimately a membrane keyboard. This is also one of the earlier examples of a keyboard with a dedicated key for Microsoft’s Copilot, making it an AI PC by the Windows maker’s definition.
The speaker grille sits above the keyboard of the Predator Helios Neo 14, with two speakers underneath. While they are serviceable, with the presence of the 3.5mm audio jack chances are you’ll be making use of that instead. The two USB-C ports also means that one of them can be used for the dongles of wireless headphones.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have too much time to test out the gaming chops of the Predator Helios Neo 14. But with what little we had to work with, the laptop runs Valorant well enough. Gameplay was smooth, loading times were minimal, and there was no screen tearing. For context, the laptop has an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, and 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and the display is a 14.5-inch WQXGA+ (3072 x 1920) 16:10 display with a 165Hz refresh rate, with G-Sync.
As mentioned in the initial report, the Predator Helios Neo 14 is available starting today for RM7,799. You can find out more about the laptop, or even place an order for one yourself, by visiting its official product page on Acer Malaysia’s website, linked here.
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