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日本Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) review – A 14-Inch Gaming Beast with a Few Trade-Offs
We were quite impressed by the Nitro 14 (AN14-41) since it offers tons of power for a 14-incher. Now, it’s time to test the more premium sibling of this machine which is called Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51). This time around, the Helios version is powered by Intel Meteor Lake-H CPUs. These chips are efficient but they aren’t as punchy as the Raptor Lake-H / HX CPUs which are a better complement to GPUs as fast as the GeForce RTX 4070 which is the most powerful graphics card for this Acer series. Still, considering the device’s limited internal space, a 28W processor offers an optimal balance of performance and heat dissipation.
The device is full of gamer-centric features such as G-SYNC, Nvidia Advanced Optimus, and a MUX switch for optimal GPU performance when using the machine as a desktop replacement. You can choose between three 14.5″ IPS displays. The base one is a 1200p 120Hz model and you can also opt for a 1600p variant with the same refresh rate. We decided to pick a laptop with the 3072x1920p 165Hz top screen model. We can hint that this panel is bright and color-accurate.
The connectivity options aren’t the best ones money can buy but they are okay (ergo, Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3). However, the port selection looks more modern thanks to the four USB connectors plus a MicroSD card reader. Also, Acer has fitted a hefty cooling inside the chassis that has to tame the internals during gaming.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-predator-helios-neo-14-phn14-51/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 4000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x 2280 PCIe NVMe 4.0 x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 32GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Home, Chrome OS, Windows 11, Linux
- Battery
- 76Wh
- Body material
- Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 325.12 x 256.54 x 19.52 – 20.90 mm (12.80" x 10.10" x 0.77")
- Weight
- 1.90 kg (4.2 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 2x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- 2x USB Type-C
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
- HDMI
- Card reader
- microSD (microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC)
- Ethernet LAN
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- Web camera
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- Microphone with Acer Purified Voice and AI Noise Reduction
- Speakers
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
- Kensington Lock
All Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://www.acer.com/us-en/support/product-support/Predator_PHN14-51/downloads?suggest=PHN14-51;1
What’s in the box?
The sturdy box contains a bit of paperwork and a 230W barrel plug adapter.
Design and construction
The similarities between the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) and the Nitro 14 (AN14-41) are visible to the naked eye. The Helios version looks more mature thanks to the absence of the shiny glossy logo on the lid and the orange back exhaust caps. The machine is made of metal except for the hinge cover and the mentioned shrouds for the vents on the rear. This small fella weighs 1.90 kilos and the profile thickness is 19.52 – 20.90 mm. Not bad given the big thermal system and the optional RTX 4070 under the hood.
The lid opens easily with just one hand but the unit feels average in terms of rigidity. The base is solid. As always, you can slightly bend the zone below the keyboard if you push it hard but that’s fine the keyboard deck doesn’t wobble during harsh typing.
The top bezels and the ones on the sides of the 14.5″ panel are thin but the bottom one is notably thicker. The Web camera is normally positioned above the display. The unit lacks privacy or an E-shutter. The base camera is a dual-mic 720p@30FPS variant but you can get the optional 1080p@60FPS model for more crisper video quality during video calls. The Temporal Noise Reduction tech is a standard feature.
The main body houses a top-placed ventilation grill and a “Mode” key to the left of it. With the latter, you can quickly choose a Power mode or set the fans to their max speed.
The matte surface of the base looks good in dark color but the finish is prone to fingerprints.
The PredatorSense app controls all the RGBs including the illumination of the logo on the lid.
Interestingly, we think that the keyboard of the Nitro 14 (AN14-41) is better compared to the FineTip RGB unit in front of us. Its keys have nice feedback but the travel is kind of short. Still, this board feels relatively nice for typing or gaming. It also offers big Arrow keys and dedicated shortcuts for the PredatorSense app and MS Copilot.
The touchpad is moisture-resistant. The surface isn’t among the smoothest we’ve seen but the tracking is very good.
Flipping the device upside down puts on view a pair of two-row small ventilation grills above the fans, four rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts. The heat is being pushed via two vents on the back and two on the sides.
Ports
On the left side, there is a Kensington lock slot, a power plug, a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) port, a 10 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 port, and an Audio combo jack. On the right, we can spot an HDMI 2.1, one more USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) port that supports the power-off charging function, another 10 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 port, and a MicroSD card slot. The two Type-Cs support DisplayPort and charging (65W DC-in).
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) is equipped with an IPS panel, model number BOE NE145F8M-NY (BOE0C65). It comes with a 165Hz refresh rate. Its diagonal is 14.5″ (36.8 cm), and the resolution – 3072 х 1920p. Additionally, the screen ratio is 16:10, the pixel density – 250 ppi, and their pitch – 0.1 x 0.1 mm. The screen can be considered Retina when viewed from at least 36 cm (this is based on the pixel density and the typical viewing distance at which individual pixels cannot be distinguished by the human eye).
Viewing angles are good. We offer images at different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
The maximum measured brightness is 452 nits (cd/m2) in the middle of the screen and 439 nits (cd/m2) average across the surface with a maximum deviation of 8%. The Correlated Color Temperature on a white screen and at maximum brightness is 6180K.
In the illustration below you can see how the display performs from a uniformity perspective. The illustration below shows how matters are for operational brightness levels (approximately 180 nits) – in this particular case at 34% Brightness (White level = 183 cd/m2, Black level = 0.16 cd/m2).
Values of dE2000 over 4.0 should not occur, and this parameter is one of the first you should check if you intend to use the laptop for color-sensitive work (a maximum tolerance of 2.0 ). The contrast ratio is good – 1120:1.
To make sure we are on the same page, we would like to give you a little introduction to the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. To start, there’s the CIE 1976 Uniform Chromaticity Diagram that represents the visible specter of colors by the human eye, giving you a better perception of the color gamut coverage and the color accuracy.
Inside the black triangle, you will see the standard color gamut (sRGB) that is being used by millions of people on HDTV and on the web. As for the Adobe RGB, this is used in professional cameras, monitors, etc for printing. Basically, colors inside the black triangle are used by everyone and this is the essential part of the color quality and color accuracy of a mainstream notebook.
Still, we’ve included other color spaces like the famous DCI-P3 standard used by movie studios, as well as the digital UHD Rec.2020 standard. Rec.2020, however, is still a thing of the future and it’s difficult for today’s displays to cover that well. We’ve also included the so-called Michael Pointer gamut, or Pointer’s gamut, which represents the colors that naturally occur around us every day.
The yellow dotted line shows Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51)’s color gamut coverage.
Its display covers 94% of the sRGB/ITU-R BT.709 (web/HDTV standard) in CIE1976, and 77% of DCI-P3.
Our “Design and Gaming” profile delivers optimal color temperature at 180 cd/m2 luminance (Illuminant white point – D65), sRGB encoding curve.
We tested the accuracy of the display with 24 commonly used colors like light and dark human skin, blue sky, green grass, orange, etc.
Below you can compare the scores of the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) with the default settings (left), and with the “Gaming and Web design” profile (right).
The next figure shows how well the display is able to reproduce really dark parts of an image, which is essential when watching movies or playing games in low ambient light.
The left side of the image represents the display with stock settings, while the right one is enhanced with the “Gaming and Web Design” profile activated. On the horizontal axis, you will find the grayscale, and on the vertical axis – the luminance of the display. On the two graphs below you can easily check for yourself how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display, the calibration, the viewing angle, and the surrounding light conditions.
Response time (Gaming capabilities)
We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa (these terms refer to the time it takes for pixels to change from one color to another (black to white and back to black in this case), a shorter time reduces picture blur with fast moving images).
We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 7.9 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes. Gamers should be happy.
After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is an easy way to control monitor brightness. When you lower the brightness, the light intensity of the display is not lowered, but instead turned off and on by the electronics with a frequency indistinguishable to the human eye. In these light impulses, the light/no-light time ratio varies, while brightness remains unchanged, which is harmful to your eyes. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51)’s display doesn’t use PWM for brightness adjustment. This makes the screen pretty comfortable for long periods of use.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates PWM but also reduces the harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate. If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays can be inconvenient in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the screen reflection level for each laptop when the display is turned off and the measurement angle is set at 60°.
The reflectance of the Predator’s screen is 52.1 GU.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Sound
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51)’s speakers produce a sound of very good quality. Its low, mid, and high tones are clear of deviations.
Buy our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) configuration with 14.5″ BOE NE145F8M-NY (BOE0C65) (3072 х 1920) IPS.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Office Work
Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.
Design and Gaming
This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.
Health-Guard
Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.
Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Turbo” and “NVIDIA GPU-only” modes activated in the PredatorSense app. Also, the “Best Performance” mode is applied in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu.
CPU options
These are the CPU options – Intel Core Ultra 5 125H, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, or Intel Core Ultra 9 185H.
Our laptop has a 155H chip.
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
GPU options
This machine is offered with a GeForce RTX 4050, a GeForce RTX 4060, and a 125W GeForce RTX 4070.
The notebook that we picked is equipped with an RTX 4070.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) GPU variants
Here you can see an approximate comparison between the GPUs that can be found in the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) models on the market. This way you can decide for yourself which Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) model is the best bang for your buck.
Note: The chart shows the cheapest different GPU configurations so you should check what the other specifications of these laptops are by clicking on the laptop’s name / GPU.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
Results are from the 3DMark: Fire Strike (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the 3DMark: Wild Life (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the Unigine Superposition benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Gaming tests
| Metro Exodus | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Extreme (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 172 fps | 113 fps | 38 fps |
| Borderlands 3 | Full HD, V.Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Badass (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 162 fps | 143 fps | 122 fps | 103 fps |
| Far Cry 6 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 153 fps | 122 fps | 112 fps |
| Gears 5 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 229 fps | 185 fps | 166 fps | 143 fps |
The 125W RTX 4070 delivers good performance in the four tested titles.
Storage performance
Our device is equipped with a 1TB SK Hynyx HFS001TEJ9X125N. The SSD seems well-cooled and fast.
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
You can make your laptop Faster. LaptopMedia has tested thousands of models in the last 15 years, and we have yet to see a notebook that couldn't be made more powerful through modifications.
That's why we decided to bundle everything we know about how to achieve this in an Easy-to-Follow, Step-by-Step, and Laboratory-Tested, all in one project.
Read more about it here:
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
🛠️ GPU Modifications: vBIOS, Overclocking, Undervolting
⚙️ Building Fast/Reliable RAID configuration
💻 Hardware upgrade tips for best results
🖼 Display enhancing
💾 OS Optimization for best performance
Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life, Performance presets comparison
Max CPU load
In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.
Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; Average LP E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power
| Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (28W Base Power) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) | 4.19 GHz @ 2.59 GHz @ 2.23 GHz @ 77°C @ 113W | 4.19 GHz @ 2.67 GHz @ 2.28 GHz @ 88°C @ 115W | 3.67 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 95°C @ 97W |
| Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i 14 | 3.12 GHz @ 2.64 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 71°C @ 70W | 3.09 GHz @ 2.61 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 83°C @ 70W | 2.81 GHz @ 2.44 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 83°C @ 58W |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 | 2.90 GHz @ 2.74 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 101°C @ 89W | 2.67 GHz @ 2.77 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 100°C @ 83W | 2.52 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 1.85 GHz @ 101°C @ 60W |
| Dell Precision 14 3490 | 3.07 GHz @ 2.45 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 71°C @ 64W | 3.04 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 83°C @ 64W | 1.89 GHz @ 1.56 GHz @ 1.14 GHz @ 75°C @ 33W |
| MSI Prestige 14 AI Studio C1U | 2.74 GHz @ 2.16 GHz @ 1.58 GHz @ 67°C @ 60W | 2.74 GHz @ 2.16 GHz @ 1.57 GHz @ 73°C @ 60W | 1.78 GHz @ 1.11 GHz @ 1.02 GHz @ 66°C @ 30W |
| Dell Precision 15 3590 | 2.84 GHz @ 2.33 GHz @ 1.63 GHz @ 66°C @ 63W | 2.82 GHz @ 2.32 GHz @ 1.60 GHz @ 79°C @ 64W | 2.15 GHz @ 1.66 GHz @ 1.27 GHz @ 75°C @ 42W |
| Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (14″, Gen 9) | 2.85 GHz @ 2.31 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 70°C @ 53W | 2.73 GHz @ 2.25 GHz @ 1.62 GHz @ 90°C @ 53W | 1.14 GHz @ 0.99 GHz @ 0.93 GHz @ 63°C @ 22W |
| MSI Summit E13 AI Evo A1M | 2.24 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 1.32 GHz @ 73°C @ 40W | 2.15 GHz @ 1.79 GHz @ 1.29 GHz @ 83°C @ 40W | 1.74 GHz @ 1.00 GHz @ 1.00 GHz @ 77°C @ 28W |
| Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i (14″, Gen 9) | 2.41 GHz @ 2.07 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 70°C @ 47W | 2.34 GHz @ 2.02 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 83°C @ 47W | 2.00 GHz @ 1.59 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 78°C @ 35W |
| Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 | 3.50 GHz @ 2.70 GHz @ 1.90 GHz @ 80°C @ 80W | 2.82 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 2.42 GHz @ 99°C @ 77W | 2.74 GHz @ 2.28 GHz @ 1.69 GHz @ 90°C @ 55W |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 | 3.22 GHz @ 2.62 GHz @ 1.74 GHz @ 89°C @ 80W | 2.64 GHz @ 2.61 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 100°C @ 73W | 2.50 GHz @ 1.99 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 83°C @ 45W |
| HP OMEN Transcend 14 (14-fb0000) | 3.38 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 2.29 GHz @ 65°C @ 85W | 3.22 GHz @ 2.67 GHz @ 2.43 GHz @ 73°C @ 80W | 2.87 GHz @ 2.45 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 76°C @ 61W |
| Dell XPS 16 9640 | 3.58 GHz @ 2.72 GHz @ 2.27 GHz @ 86°C @ 97W | 3.39 GHz @ 2.73 GHz @ 1.92 GHz @ 90°C @ 80W | 3.02 GHz @ 2.37 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 84°C @ 60W |
| Dell XPS 14 9440 | 3.01 GHz @ 2.55 GHz @ 1.81 GHz @ 88°C @ 64W | 1.96 GHz @ 2.53 GHz @ 2.22 GHz @ 96°C @ 58W | 2.17 GHz @ 1.88 GHz @ 1.33 GHz @ 83°C @ 38W |
| Dell XPS 13 9340 | 2.26 GHz @ 2.43 GHz @ 2.19 GHz @ 100°C @ 59W | 1.21 GHz @ 1.34 GHz @ 2.48 GHz @ 96°C @ 38W | 1.52 GHz @ 1.25 GHz @ 1.67 GHz @ 96°C @ 32W |
| HP Spectre x360 16 (16-aa0000) | 3.02 GHz @ 2.41 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 72°C @ 64W | 2.93 GHz @ 2.41 GHz @ 1.93 GHz @ 85°C @ 64W | 2.39 GHz @ 1.98 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 80°C @ 45W |
| Lenovo Yoga 9i (14, Gen 9) | 2.95 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 1.63 GHz @ 61°C @ 68W | 2.59 GHz @ 2.23 GHz @ 1.47 GHz @ 83°C @ 52W | 2.31 GHz @ 1.98 GHz @ 1.32 GHz @ 75°C @ 37W |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405) | 2.91 GHz @ 2.40 GHz @ 1.60 GHz @ 86°C @ 64W | 2.20 GHz @ 2.00 GHz @ 1.69 GHz @ 102°C @ 60W | 1.12 GHz @ 1.52 GHz @ 0.84 GHz @ 78°C @ 28W |
The Predator Helios Neo 14 is the only laptop with Core Ultra 7 155H that is able to boost to around 3.70 GHz and 2.65 GHz for the P and E cores in longer loads (across all devices that we have tested with this chip up to date). The downside here is the 95°C temperature. In addition, the frequencies in short and medium loads are ~ 4.20 GHz / 2.60 GHz which is mindblowing for such a compact notebook.
Real-life gaming
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 | GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min) | GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min) |
|---|---|---|
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) | 2595 MHz @ 79°C @ 124W | 2514 MHz @ 84°C @ 124W |
| Acer Predator Triton Neo 16 (PTN16-51) | 2383 MHz @ 73°C @ 110W | 2363 MHz @ 78°C @ 110W |
| Acer Nitro 16 (AN16-42) | 2640 MHz @ 70°C @ 125W | 2640 MHz @ 72°C @ 125W |
| Alienware m16 R2 | 2440 MHz @ 78°C @ 120W | 2427 MHz @ 84°C @ 119W |
| MSI Stealth 14 AI Studio A1V | 2048 MHz @ 78°C @ 90W | 1981 MHz @ 85°C @ 89W |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (PHN16-72) | 2535 MHz @ 80°C @ 139W | 2503 MHz @ 86°C @ 139W |
| MSI Sword 16 HX B14V | 2373 MHz @ 73°C @ 115W | 2372 MHz @ 73°C @ 115W |
| MSI Sword 17 HX B14V | 2395 MHz @ 73°C @ 114W | 2388 MHz @ 75°C @ 114W |
| Alienware m18 R2 | 2550 MHz @ 68°C @ 132W | 2550 MHz @ 72°C @ 133W |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5 (16″, Gen 9) | 2580 MHz @ 81°C @ 130W | 2580 MHz @ 86°C @ 132W |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 (PHN18-71) | 2610 MHz @ 77°C @ 131W | 2610 MHz @ 82°C @ 134W |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (16″, Gen 9) | 2535 MHz @ 74°C @ 129W | 2535 MHz @ 75°C @ 130W |
| Acer Nitro 17 (AN17-41) “Turbo” preset | 2535 MHz @ 66°C @ 121W | 2535 MHz @ 67°C @ 122W |
| Acer Nitro 17 (AN17-41) “Performance” preset | 2475 MHz @ 72°C @ 123W | 2475 MHz @ 73°C @ 123W |
The 125W power limit of the RTX 4070 is enough for more than 2500 MHz during gaming which leads to high FPS.
Gaming comfort
To tune the notebook’s power, you have to use the Predator Sence app which offers four performance presets and fan control. In idle, the fans are rotating with around ~2100 RPM and you can manually ramp them to ~6670 / 5900 RPM.
Presets
Max fan speed
Idle “Turbo”During gaming, the hotspot on the keyboard is on the right and it reaches ~59°C. It feels hot to the touch but not in a scorching way. The WASD zone is perfectly fine with its 45°C. The top ventilation grill on the base is heated up to 60°C and the display’s bottom bezel hits 46°C which is fine.
During heavy CPU stress in “Turbo” mode, the fan speed is around 5000 / 4500 RPM which sounds noisy but not too extreme (ergo, normal for a gaming laptop). In the “Performance” mode, the fans aren’t that aggressively spinning and the processor clocks are still high enough for snappy work.
Max CPU load “Turbo”
Max CPU load “Performance”The noise levels during heavy CPU loads and gaming are almost the same. The “Turbo” boasts a 125W TGP and the “Performance” ~ 99W.
Gaming “Turbo”
Gaming “Performance”Battery
Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Best Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. This notebook’s 76Wh battery lasts for around 9 hours of video playback. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Best Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and select the “Eco” and “Optimus” modes in the Acer PredatorSense app.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To open this compact gaming beast, you have to undo 9 Torx-head screws. Turn over the laptop and pop the hinge cover. Now, you can pop the rear carefully step by step by inserting a thin plastic tool in between the plate and the base.
Flip the device upside down. Pry the sides and the front.
We found a metal shroud with a cooling pad for the NVMe on the inside of the bottom panel.
This machine has a 76Wh battery. To remove it, detach the connector from the motherboard and undo the two Phillips-head screws that secure the unit fixed to the base. The capacity is enough for around 9 hours of video playback.
You can rely on 16 or 32GB of LPDDR5x-6400MHz memory in dual-channel mode. For storage, you get just a single M.2 slot compatible with 2280 Gen 4 NVMe drives. Acer claims that the slot is for single-sided SSDs only.
The Wi-Fi card is positioned below the left fan.
The cooling seems potent. It has two fans, a pair of long thick vector heat pipes shared between the CPU and GPU plus another smaller pipe for the video card. The system is complemented by four heat sinks and two big heat spreaders.
Verdict
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) ticks the most important checkmarks when it comes to a gaming laptop. This includes very good CPU and GPU performance, a great display, and goodies such as MUX switch and G-SYNC. So, that’s a 14-incher, but the P and E cores of the Core Ultra 7 155H can boost to 3.70 GHz / 2.65 GHz in long processor stress such as 3D rendering which is a superb result. The GPU runs at ~2514 MHz / 124W during gaming which is enough for a high FPS alongside bumped visuals. Now, in “Turbo” mode, the fans are noisy but not too intrusive. If you apply the “Performance” preset, this will result in much less noise, a bit hindered CPU clocks, and ~100W GPU TGP which is still fine even for more demanding games. In this scenario, the right side of the board feels hot (but not too much) while the thermals of the WASD section are normal.
The 3072 х 1920 165Hz display (BOE NE145F8M-NY (BOE0C65)) is a true gem. It impresses with crisp image quality, 452 nit max brightness, snappy pixel response times for an IPS panel, and 94% sRGB coverage. Also, with the aid of our “Design and Gaming” profile, the color accuracy reaches an average dE value of 1.4 which is much better compared to the default 3.4 score.
The RGB keyboard is suitable for gaming but the key travel is a bit on the short side. The rest seems adequate – nice port selection with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a metal chassis, and a long battery life of around 9 hours. The Predator Helios Neo 14 is a well-built, 14-inch laptop that delivers powerful performance comparable to larger machines with similar hardware.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/acer-predator-helios-neo-14-phn14-51/
Pros
- Great performance for a 14-incher
- Covers 94% of the sRGB gamut and has accurate colors when our “Design and Gaming” profile is applied (BOE0C65)
- 165Hz refresh rate + 3072 х 1920 resolution (BOE0C65)
- No PWM (BOE0C65)
- High max brightness of 452 nits (BOE0C65)
- Snappy pixel response times (8 ms) (BOE0C65)
- MUX switch + Nvidia Advanced Optimus + G-SYNC
- Modern port selection – 2x Thunderbolt 4 plus 2x Gen 2 Type-A connectors
- Good keyboard and touchpad
- Long battery life given the powerful hardware (~9 hours of video playback)
- Solid base
- The CPU and the GPU can maintain high clocks during long full loads (3.70 GHz for the P-cores / 2514 MHz for the GPU core)
- The fans aren’t extremely aggressive in “Turbo” mode
- Great “Performance” mode – much less noise + 100W GPU TGP
- Fast and well-cooled SSD (1TB SK Hynyx HFS001TEJ9X125N)
Cons
- The CPU hits 95°C in long loads
- The right side of the keyboard feels hot during gaming
- A bit shorter key travel than expected
- Soldered RAM and just one M.2 Gen 4 slot
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