I'm often on the move with PC Gamer, attending trade shows around the world hunting for the best gear. As a result, I usually have to hot-foot it through the booths, keeping my beady eyes out for the most desirable PC gaming kit—and I distinctly remember the refreshed Acer Predator Helios Neo models stopping me in my tracks this year.
That's because of their crisp-edged, professional-looking designs, their lovely-looking OLED displays, and the distinct impression that I'd rather have one of them in my backpack than my ageing 2021 Razer lappy, which is starting to feel a touch behind the times. In short, they're gaming laptops I've been known to lust over on my travels, and this Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S for $1,200 at Best Buy right now has me rather smitten.
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For a start, although the chassis has a sizable rear lip, it's not the gigantic whale-tail you'll find on many desktop replacement models. The whole thing has a tasteful sleekness to it, which feels remarkably solid in the hands without being too hefty. The keyboard feels pretty grand, too, and it's easily a laptop you could whip out on the train or in an airport lounge without looking like a stereotypical gamer-on-the-go.
Sure, this one's only got a mobile RTX 5060, but at least it's the full 115 W spec, which we've found to be pretty performant in other lappys we've tested, like the Asus TUF A14 2025. Okay, so that one's 5 W off the pace, but the performance should be fairly similar nonetheless.
Plus, the CPU here is a bit of a barnstormer, too, being a 24-core (eight Performance, 16 Efficient) Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, which is remarkably beefy. Match that up with 16 GB of DDR5 (upgradeable despite the relative slimness, which is nice) and you've got a pretty powerful machine wrapped up in the sort of chassis you could use in a meeting without embarrassment, as well as gaming at home.
There are a couple of caveats to be aware of, though. Firstly, although it's got a "stop-you-in-your-tracks" 1600p 240 Hz OLED panel, that's a whole lot of pixels and refresh rate for the RTX 5060 to cope with, even at top wattage spec—so you'll need some DLSS and Multi Frame Generation help to make the most of it. Plus, given the high-spec CPU in such a tidy frame, I'd imagine it's pretty noisy under duress.
But otherwise, I reckon this is a very desirable gaming laptop for a super attractive price. Should I be a lesser man, I might have walked away with one tucked under my arm in the hope that no-one would notice, but alas, morals got in the way. Just kidding, Acer. Please don't bar me from the booth next year.
1. Best overall:
Razer Blade 16 (2025)
2. Best budget:
Gigabyte G6X
3. Best 14-inch:
Razer Blade 14 (2025)
4. Best mid-range:
MSI Vector 16 HX AI
5. Best high-performance:
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10
6. Best 17-inch:
Gigabyte Aorus 17X
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