Take a have a look at the specs of any of as we speak’s gaming laptops and there’s a 99.9% likelihood it’s obtained an Intel CPU and Nvidia graphics chip inside it. That’s principally as a result of AMD haven’t actually bothered with gaming laptops for the final couple of years, however that’s slowly beginning to change. Case in level: Acer’s Predator Helios 500 laptop computer, which is obtainable in each AMD and Nvidia graphics flavours. The former has one in all AMD’s Radeon RX Vega 56 chips whereas the latter comes with a full-fat GTX 1070.
But fairly than evaluate each individually, I believed I’d do one thing a bit completely different this time and get each fashions in and pit them towards one another to see which one it’s best to really purchase. After all, each laptops are roughly the identical value within the US proper now ($1898 for the Nvidia one and $1829 for the AMD), whereas the AMD model within the UK is round £300 cheaper, going for £1499 versus £1769 for the Nvidia jobber. Which one will triumph? Let’s discover out.
First, let’s have a look at what every laptop computer has in widespread. Both are 17.3in behemoths when it comes to dimension and total weight, and are very a lot supposed as desktop substitute laptops fairly than one thing svelte and transportable just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus S. Each one additionally has a 1920×1080 decision and a 144Hz refresh fee, and so they every assist their very own variable refresh fee tech (G-Sync on the Nvidia mannequin and FreeSync on the AMD one) for super-smooth gaming and minimal display screen tearing.
In phrases of picture high quality, nevertheless, they’re removed from similar. The AMD one is definitely a smidge extra correct than the Nvidia mannequin, masking 87% of the sRGB color gamut versus 85%. Not an enormous distinction, all advised – and one I actually wasn’t capable of choose aside when wanting on the identical photographs on them facet by facet – however I used to be shocked it wasn’t the opposite method round, to be sincere, given how strict Nvidia are usually in relation to the standard of each single G-Sync panel.
That stated, the Nvidia Helios 500 did, in actual fact, have the next total brightness degree, peaking at 316cd/m2 in comparison with the AMD Helios 500’s 287cd/m2. You most likely received’t want anyplace close to both of those figures for normal, on a regular basis use, to be sincere – the AMD display screen felt completely advantageous on 75% brightness, for instance – however having that additional little bit of leeway will be helpful should you ever find yourself taking it exterior, or work close to a very vibrant, sunlit window, for instance.
The Nvidia Helios additionally had a superior black degree in comparison with its AMD sibling, coming in a fraction deeper at 0.24cd/m2 versus the AMD’s 0.29cd/m2 – the latter of which, I ought to observe continues to be glorious, however the nearer it might probably get to 0.00cd/m2 (true black), the higher. I additionally measured the next distinction ratio on the Nvidia Helios 500 (1342:1 versus 969:1 on the AMD), however as soon as once more, there wasn’t actually a lot in it once I checked out them facet by facet.
The RGB keyboard is, after all, similar throughout each Helios 500 laptops, and affords a great deal of journey and wonderful tactile suggestions. I used to be capable of rise up to my common typing pace in completely no time in any respect once I first began utilizing it, and the smart font Acer’s picked out for it isn’t overly ‘gamery’ both (though that’s a reasonably small comfort when the relaxation of the laptop computer positively is very gamery).
Still, it’s full-sized, so that you get a correct quantity pad over on the fitting hand facet of the keyboard, and Acer have additionally included 5 programmable buttons above the principle Fn keys. These will be configured in Acer’s Predator Sense software program for issues like one-click overclocking of your GPU, macro controls, or launching sure apps or games to call only a few choices, and the adjoining P button permits you to swap between three completely different profiles, providing you with a complete of 15 programmable controls altogether. That’s fairly beneficiant as these items go, and it’s by far one of many higher laptop computer keyboards I’ve utilized in a while.
They additionally include precisely the identical ports and connections, too. These embrace HDMI and DisplayPort inputs on the rear of the laptop computer subsequent to the ability connector, a full-sized Ethernet port, a complete of 4 USB ports (together with three USB3 ports one USB-C) and one Thunderbolt three port, plus devoted headphone and microphone jacks. The solely factor it’s lacking is an SD card reader.
But let’s speak games. Over in desktop graphics card land, AMD’s Radeon RX Vega 56 and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 are just about neck and neck in relation to total efficiency, which is why I used to be so eager to learn the way their laptop computer counterparts fared after they have been caught inside the identical machine. And for essentially the most half, it was the GTX 1070 that had the higher hand – simply.
That’s principally as a result of, whereas each laptops bottomed out at roughly the identical sort of speeds in loads of my check games, it was the GTX 1070 that managed to stretch its most body fee simply that little bit larger, thereby giving it barely taller common body fee socks than its Vega 56 counterpart.
In Monster Hunter: World, for instance, each laptops hit just about similar lows of 47/49fps on the Highest high quality setting once I was tussling with large dinos within the Ancient Forest, however the GTX 1070’s most body fee topped out at 65fps in comparison with the Vega 56’s peak of 60fps, elevating its total common to 57fps versus the Vega’s 54fps common.
The identical factor occurred in The Witcher III as properly. Both laptops by no means went beneath 61fps on Ultra high quality settings at 1080p, however whereas the Vega 56 solely managed a excessive of 78fps in among the barely emptier areas round White Orchard, the GTX 1070 shot as much as 84fps. Of course, a distinction of 6fps doesn’t sound like a lot on paper (and possibly isn’t one thing you’ll even be capable of see with out the help of a body fee counter) however whenever you’ve obtained a display screen with a 144Hz refresh fee, you’re going to need all the additional frames you may get in an effort to take advantage of it.
Elsewhere, the GTX 1070 had a a lot clearer lead. When I used to be gallivanting up and down the hills of Duscae in Final Fantasy XV, for instance, the GTX 1070 managed between 56-66fps with all of Nvidia’s additional results switched off on Highest, whereas the Vega 56 was visibly a contact choppier at 48-62fps. It additionally goes with out saying that the GTX 1070 is infinitely higher outfitted to take care of all these aforementioned Nvidia results as properly. The Vega 56 nonetheless put in exhibiting with TurfEffects turned on, to be honest, but it surely completely crumbled once I tried switching on HairWorks as properly, which isn’t actually that stunning given it’s not kitted out for any sort of particular Nvidia tech by any means.
The GTX 1070 additionally proved to be the superior companion for Shadow of the Tomb Raider, too, coming in with a mean of 56fps in its inner benchmark over the Vega 56’d 46fps common. The hole narrowed once I dropped the settings right down to High and solely had its fundamental SMAA switched on, nevertheless, as right here the Vega 56’s common of 72fps was solely 4 frames behind the GTX 1070. The GTX 1070 reclaimed its lead once I moved over to Total War: Warhammer II, although, providing a full 10fps greater than the Vega 56’s common of (appropriately) 56fps.
Overall, then, I’d say that’s a reasonably reduce and dry set of outcomes for potential US consumers. While some efficiency gaps are smaller than others, the GTX 1070 nonetheless comes out on prime in each game going, so it doesn’t actually make a lot sense to go for the Vega 56 Helios 500 after they’re so shut in value.
However, whereas the GTX 1070 is the quicker performer, I reckon the £300 value distinction within the UK is large sufficient to nonetheless make the AMD mannequin an honest purchase – particularly when (*drum roll for the massive, held again reveal*) each fashions produced nigh-on similar common body charges in Metro Exodus as properly. Here, the Vega 56 accomplished the game’s inner benchmark with a mean of 47fps on Ultra settings, which was simply 2fps behind the GTX 1070. That’s fairly respectable, all issues thought of, and arguably goes an extended approach to make up for its barely slower prime speeds elsewhere.
The Vega 56 mannequin additionally comes with the additional advantage of one in all AMD’s eight-core Ryzen 7 2700 processors inside it, too, which is a lot better suited to multi-tasking a lot of completely different purposes directly than the Intel Core i7-8750H CPU that comes with the GTX 1070 Helios 500. In Geekbench 4, for instance, the Ryzen chip returned a multicore rating of 21910, placing it miles in entrance of its Intel rival, which solely completed with a rating of 19051. Admittedly, the Intel chip clawed it again within the single core outcomes, coming in with a way more spectacular rating of 4654 over the Ryzen’s 3991, however I wouldn’t say I observed the Ryzen being noticeably slower in on a regular basis use.
Ultimately, then, it’s a little bit of a draw between these two gaming laptops, which I do know is a cop-out, however there you go. The GTX 1070 Helios 500 is unquestionably the one it’s best to go for should you’re shopping for it within the US, however I’d argue the Vega 56’s cheaper price within the UK greater than makes up for the shortfall in its total efficiency.
Although, contemplating you can too presently choose up the RTX 2070-powered Asus ROG Strix Scar II GL504 for $1878 within the US – which, at $20 much less, is unquestionably a a lot better purchase than both of those laptops – you might say the UK Vega 56 Helios 500 is the true winner right here, if solely as a result of it’s the one one low-cost sufficient to even think about shopping for within the first place. Case. Closed.
