The cheapest expensive laptop - Acer Helios Neo 14 (2024)
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Description
Get a special deal on Private Internet Access VPN today at piavpn.com 14-inch laptops—are they the perfect size? They offer a more portable body with gaming chutzpah, yet they are still pretty expensive. That is, until today! (Well, kinda.) With a more accessible pricetag, will Alex think this is the new 14-inch gaming laptop to beat?
Promos
Check out the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14: lmg.gg Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Want us to unbox something? Make a suggestion at lmg.gg ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► GET A VPN: piavpn.com ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg ► PRODUCTS WE USE ON THE SHORTCIRCUIT SET: lmg.gg FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Instagram: @shortcircuityt TikTok: @linustech Facebook: @ShortCircuitYT CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 14 (expensive) inches 0:27 Unboxing, port walkthrough, and design 3:46 Sponsor - PIA 4:25 Specs 5:33 Display impressions and LABS test results 6:33 Keyboard and trackpad impressions 9:11 Gaming impressions and LABS performance test results 10:37 Speaker and webcam impressions 12:08 Teardown and LABS battery test results 13:27 Pricing and overall thoughts 13:56 Outro
The video provides a detailed first look at the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (2024), focusing on the balance between portability, performance, and price in a compact 14-inch gaming laptop. The host starts with unboxing and a thorough port walkthrough, noting the physical design, material feel, weight around 4.29 pounds, and the large power brick with a traditional barrel connector. Despite a premium look, the laptop carries compromises such as a soldered RAM, a single SSD slot in the Walmart config, and a chassis that shows fingerprints easily. The review moves into specs, highlighting a Core Ultra 7 155H class processor, 16 GB RAM, a 1 TB Samsung NVMe SSD, and an RTX 4070 with 8 GB VRAM, delivering strong 1080p and 1440p gaming potential. Display quality is examined with a 16:10 1600p panel at 120 Hz, G-Sync, and no HDR support, where color accuracy is reported as solid but not perfect, and brightness falls short for true HDR. The host measures color accuracy (Delta E ~1.78) and discusses panel brightness, noting that the display is usable outdoors only at higher brightness settings. In addition to gaming benchmarks, the reviewer criticizes the keyboard for mushy travel and key inconsistencies, while praising the trackpad given its size and usability. Battery life is a standout, with Acer achieving about 9 hours and 40 minutes in a real-world mixed usage test, attributed to a 76 Wh battery and ECO mode optimization, a notable win for this performance-oriented class. Finally, the host concludes that at the Walmart-configured price of around $1,600, the Helios Neo 14 offers competitive performance for gaming and general use, but warns that higher-end configurations with more RAM and a better display push the price well beyond this model, with significant improvements in speakers and OLED displays available elsewhere. The video closes with a balanced verdict: solid gaming performance and portability at a lower price point, but not without compromises that potential buyers should weigh, especially regarding upgradeability and overall value.
Topics · technology · gaming laptops · hardware reviews · performance · display · battery life · upgradability · price value
Questions answered
- What is the core GPU and its VRAM on the Helios Neo 14 2024 model reviewed?
- The laptop uses an RTX 4070 GPU with 8 GB of VRAM.
- What are the notable trade-offs in the Walmart configured variant?
- It has soldered RAM, a single SSD slot, and can feel limited for upgradeability, which affects future-proofing and value.
- How does the display perform in terms of color accuracy and brightness?
- Color accuracy is decent with a Delta E around 1.78, but HDR is not supported and brightness is not enough for true HDR use or very bright outdoor lighting.