Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 Comparison

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Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55

17.3 inches | January 2021

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Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022

17.3 inches | January 2022

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Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022, two laptops by Acer. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 was introduced to market in January 2021 and Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 was launched in January 2022. There is 12 months difference between Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 so it would still give an advantage to younger Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 are members of Acer's Predator Helios series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Acer Predator Helios Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 PHN14-51	April 2024	14.5"	324.12 x 255.35 x 19.52-20.9 mm	1.9 kg (4.19 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16	January 2024	16.0"	360 x 279.9 x 26.55-28.55 mm	2.6 kg (5.73 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios 18	January 2024	18.0"	404 x 311.6 x 26.9-28.9 mm	3.25 kg (7.17 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios Neo 18	January 2024	18.0"	404 x 311.6 x 26.9-28.9 mm	3.25 kg (7.17 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition	May 2023	15.6"	359.4 x 280.8 x 27.9 mm	2.98 kg (6.57 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-71	April 2023	16.0"	360.1 x 279.9 x 26.55-28.25 mm	2.8 kg (6.17 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios 16 PH16-71 2023	January 2023	16.0"	399.3 x 295.5 x 26.8-27.6 mm	2.7 kg (5.95 lbs)
Acer Predator Helios 18 PH18-71 2023	January 2023	18.0"	408 x 303 x 24.6-26.9 mm	3.25 kg (7.17 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 11400H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
398 x 275 x 26.5 mm (15.67 x 10.83 x 1.04 inches)
Weight: 2.9 kg (6.39 lbs)

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 Key Specs

Launched in January 2022
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 12700H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
399.3 x 295.5 x 26.9 mm (15.72 x 11.63 x 1.06 inches)
Weight: 3 kg (6.62 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 over Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022

Weight	2.90 kg vs 3.00 kg	0.1 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~75.4% vs ~69.9%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	7.5 mm vs 8.2 mm	0.7 mm thinner bezels
Max Total RAM	64 GB vs 32 GB	Higher RAM potential

Reasons to choose Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 over Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55

GPU FLOPS	13.8 TFLOPS vs 12.3 TFLOPS	Faster RAM Type
RAM Type	DDR5 vs DDR4	Faster RAM
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-A Ports	3x USB 3.2 vs 2x USB 3.2	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors
Display Port	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 and Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6E	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.2 vs v5.2	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Numeric Pad	Yes vs Yes	Fast way to input numbers
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 and Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.9 kg (6.39 lbs)	3 kg (6.62 lbs)
Surface Area	1095 cm2 (169.7 inches2)	1180 cm2 (182.8 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~75.4%	~69.9%
Side Bezel Thickness	~7.5 mm	~8.2 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.17 kg/inch	0.17 kg/inch
	0.374 lbs/inch	0.374 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black

Comparison of the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 External Dimensions

Weight

Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 weighs 2.9 kg (6.39 lbs), whereas the Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 weighs 3 kg (6.62 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. The weight difference between the two laptops is not significant.

Weight Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 2.90 kg

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 3.00 kg

Min 1.29 kg

Average 2.74 kg

Max 4.23 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 26.50 mm

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 26.90 mm

Min 8.60 mm

Average 24.26 mm

Max 38.00 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 is 0.17 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 is 0.17 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 11400H Intel Core i7 11800H	Intel Core i7 12700H
Base Frequency	2.2-2.7 GHz	2.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.5 GHz	4.7 GHz
Number of Cores	6	14
Number of Threads	12	20
L3 Cache	12 MB	24 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (16 EU)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1514	1750
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	6382	12242
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1478	1800
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	9375	16309

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 11400H

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 12700H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile 4GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 8GB
Base Clock Frequency	900 MHz	900 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1425 MHz	1425 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	80 W	80 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes	MUX
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	192 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	3840	3840
TMUs	120	120
ROPs	48	48

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 has a FLOPS value of 12.3 TFLOPS whereas the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 ' has a FLOPS value of 13.8 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	4800 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	DDR5
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	32 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and the Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH317-55)	Acer Predator Helios 300 (PH317-56, 2022)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	55 Wh	90 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Bottom
Charge Power	230 W	280 / 330 W

On the other hand, the Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 features a higher battery capacity of 90 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Predator Helios 300 PH317-55's 55 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 55 Wh

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 90 Wh

Min 37.00 Wh

Average 76.88 Wh

Max 100.00 Wh

STORAGE
The Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 offers a larger max storage capacity of 2 TB, providing more room for storing files and data compared to the Predator Helios 300 PH317-55's storage capacity of 1 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 screens have the same size of 17.3".The total usable screen area of the Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 is 825cm² / 128inch² whereas the Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022's total usable screen area is 825cm² / 128inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 feature the same pixel density with 127 pixels per inch (PPI).

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 127 ppi

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 127 ppi

Min 106 PPI

Average 141 PPI

Max 266.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 offer the same refresh rate of 144 Hz.

Brightness
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 offer the same maximum brightness of 300 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Displays size larger than 17.0 inches

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 300 nits

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 300 nits

Min

200 nits

Average 368 nits

Max 1200.00 nits

Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 vs Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 have USB-A ports. Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 feature 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Neither Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 nor Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Predator Helios 300 PH317-55 and Predator Helios 300 PH317-56 2022 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	1x v1.4
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	No	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes