INTRODUCTION
What happens when you put a second-generation Ryzen desktop CPU and Vega 56 graphics in a mostly well-designed laptop like Acer's Predator Helios 500, which we tested earlier this year with an Intel Core i9-8950HK CPU and Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics?
Both gaming and work chores run very well on the AMD version of the Helios 500 (model PH517-61-R0GX). Even though the $2,199 (£1,699.99) laptop is big, Acer has done a good job of keeping fan noise down, which is especially impressive given that it has desktop-class parts.
Design
The AMD-powered Acer Predator Helios has the same chassis as the Core i9/GTX 1070-powered Helios 500 we looked at a few months ago, right down to the blue trim around the Pr...
INTRODUCTION
What happens when you put a second-generation Ryzen desktop CPU and Vega 56 graphics in a mostly well-designed laptop like Acer's Predator Helios 500, which we tested earlier this year with an Intel Core i9-8950HK CPU and Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics?
Both gaming and work chores run very well on the AMD version of the Helios 500 (model PH517-61-R0GX). Even though the $2,199 (£1,699.99) laptop is big, Acer has done a good job of keeping fan noise down, which is especially impressive given that it has desktop-class parts.
Design
The AMD-powered Acer Predator Helios has the same chassis as the Core i9/GTX 1070-powered Helios 500 we looked at a few months ago, right down to the blue trim around the Predator logo on the lid and the blue accents on the back cooling fins. At 8.8 pounds (4kg), it is heavier than the Intel/Nvidia-based version, which weighed 8.3 pounds (3.8kg). The port selection is also very similar to the previous model, with two USB 3.0 Type A ports and separate headphone and mic jacks on the right side, HDMI and DisplayPort on Ethernet and a second USB 3.0 Type A port can be found on the left side, while the power port can be found in the rear.
VR, Graphics, and Gaming
With a powerful desktop-class CPU (AMD's Ryzen 7 2700) and GPU (AMD's Radeon Vega 56), this model of Acer's Predator is ready to beat out similar-priced models with mobile Intel CPUs and Nvidia GTX 1070 graphics. (Identical to the prior Predator Helios 500 model we evaluated).. Most of the time, this machine doesn't let me down.
The AMD-powered Helios can easily run modern games, including VR titles, at High quality settings with ease. 2016's Doom operated smoothly at between 68 and 110 frames per second in 1080p and Ultra settings for me. (fps).
Performance
The Predator is more than just a gaming rig; it can be used for serious work thanks to its eight-core, sixteen-thread Ryzen 7 2700 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB PCIe/NVMe SSD.
On the Geekbench 4 overall speed test, the AMD-powered Predator didn't beat the nearly $4,000 Aorus X9 with a GTX 1080. But with a score of 21,804, it beat the group average of 20,265 and all the other competitors.
When we transferred 4.97 GB of various video files for our data transmission assessment, the AMD-powered Predator performed admirably. The SK Hynix 256 GB PCIe/NVMe SSD may be small, but it's lightning quick. Its result of 565 MBps was considerably faster than the category average of 508.6 MBps and almost as fast as the Alienware 17 R5's score of 565.5 MBps..
Display
The 17.3-inch, 1080p, IPS panel screen is amazing because it has a high refresh rate of 144 Hz and comes with AMD's screen-smoothing FreeSync technology. The panel also has a wide speed range of 60-144 Hz, which means that as long as your frame rate is above 60 fps, you shouldn't see any screen tearing or stuttering. And both our scores and our own tests showed that the performance on screen was silky smooth.
When I played the 2016 version of Doom, I didn't have any big problems with the screen. Even though a brighter screen would be better, the contrast was good enough that I never felt lost in the UAC building's notoriously dark halls.
Configurations
Even though Acer sells the Helios 500 in different ways with hardware from other companies, this AMD Ryzen/Vega 56 model is the only one we tried. And that's a shame because, even though the 256 GB NVMe SSD is fast, it's almost too small for a gaming laptop these days, when AAA games can take up to 100 GB to install. We couldn't even test without constantly installing games and programmes at the same time.
We've already said that it's not hard to put in your own 2.5-inch hard drive. And they are pretty cheap. Starts at about $40 for a 1 TB drive, and goes up to about $70 and more for a 2 TB drive.
Bottom Line
As long as battery life isn't a worry, this AMD-powered Helios 500 has a lot going for it. It's very good at gaming, and its 16-thread Ryzen 7 CPU makes it the best in its class for multi-threaded work. It's also surprisingly quiet for all the computing power it has under the hood. High frame rates and AMD's FreeSync technology make the screen pretty good as well. We never saw a broken frame or anything else that hurt the game's performance.
But even if you have to be plugged in every time you play a game, you can still use a laptop for other things and expect it to work without being plugged in. Since this Helios had trouble lasting more than 90 minutes away from its power brick, we would only suggest it to gamers and media creators who plan to be plugged in all the time.
