Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) vs MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W
68.5chipPerformancechip70.1
55.5Display40
89.3Battery99.9
20Portability24
1 spec wins — Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71)4 spec wins — MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W
InnoReviews verdict
This one is close to a dead heat: Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) scores 61.1 against 60.8 for MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W. Pick by the categories that matter to you — Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) edges ahead in display, or by price.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71)
- Stronger display score: 56 vs 40
- 100% higher Refresh rate: 240 Hz vs 120 Hz
Reasons to pick the MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W
- Stronger battery score: 100 vs 89
- Stronger portability score: 24 vs 20
- 100% higher storage: 2,048 GB vs 1,024 GB
- 15% lower weight: 2.89 kg vs 3.4 kg
- 14% lower thickness: 24 mm vs 28 mm
Display
| Spec | Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) | MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 18 ″ | 18 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS (ACR anti-glare film) | Mini-LED |
| Resolution | 2560x1600 | 3840x2400 |
| Refresh rate | 240 Hz+100% | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | — |
Performance
| Spec | Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) | MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus | Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU (16GB GDDR7, up to 150W) |
| RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| RAM type | DDR5-6400 | DDR5-6400 (2 slots, up to 96GB) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB | 2,048 GB+100% |
| Storage type | PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD (2 slots) | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (1 M.2 slot) |
Battery
| Spec | Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) | MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 92 Wh | 100 Wh+9% |
| Charging | — | 280 W |
Design
| Spec | Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) | MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 3.4 kg | 2.89 kg+15% |
| Thickness | 28 mm | 24 mm+14% |
| Material | — | Magnesium-aluminum alloy |
Connectivity
| Spec | Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) | MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 1x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, RJ-45 Ethernet, microSD, 3.5mm combo jack | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (DisplayPort, Power Delivery 3.1), 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1, SD Express card reader, 2.5G Ethernet (RJ45), 3.5mm combo jack, Kensington lock |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E (Intel 1675i) | Wi-Fi 7 (Intel Killer BE1750) |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Webcam | FHD 1080p IR camera | 1080p IR with privacy shutter and HDR |
| Biometrics | — | Fingerprint reader, IR camera for Windows Hello |
Software
| Spec | Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) | MSI Stealth 18 HX A2W |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
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