Acer's Arrow Lake gaming laptops are heading our way this July, but it's going to take a lot to drag me away from last year's models

Acer has unveiled more details around its 2026 gaming laptop lineup, with Arrow Lake refreshes of its Predator Helios Neo 16S AI, Predator Helios Neo 16 AI, and Predator Helios Neo 18 AI slated to hit the shelves in July. That's a little later than we've seen new generation machines in previous years, but it's no secret as to why.

Just like the rest of the industry, even the best gaming laptops are facing uncertainty due to component shortages. RAM and SSDs are being hoovered up by AI manufacturers, squeezing demand and increasing costs for both brands and consumers. That's why it's a little quiet on the gaming laptop front this year.

It's March now, and Acer's announcement is one of the first tangible mentions I've received of new-gen hardware. In any other given year, I'd be snowed under with new releases, but in 2026? Nothing.

It certainly doesn't bode well for our wallets. Even Acer's comms are silent here as well, with no mention of an MSRP for any of its three new rigs. With the Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus models offering up to RTX 5080 GPUs and 240Hz OLED HDR displays, these machines aren't going to be easy on the bank balance.

I'll save you the marketing fluff. Like most of this year's gaming laptops, these are going to be incremental refreshes to the same Acer Predator Helios machines we've been enjoying all year.

That Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus CPU clocks slightly higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX headlining most of last year's gaming laptops (5,500MHz vs 5,400MHz) with the same 14 cores running at a slightly higher rate (5.4GHz vs 5.5GHz on P-Cores and 4.7GHz vs 4.6GHz on E-Cores). Both processors tap out at 160W of power.

All that to say, actual in-game performance upgrades are going to be minimal, but you're going to be paying a hell of a lot more for it.

I benched last year's RTX 5070 Ti Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI, and she's certainly going to hold her own in the years to come. While more demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 will need a helping hand to stay over 60fps in full QHD resolution, this slimline machine is batting with RTX 5080 rigs in titles like Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

That's from a machine currently on sale for $1,549.99. I can confidently bet we won't see that kind of pricing on 2026's new releases anytime soon.

Deal

Save $350

Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI (RTX 5070 Ti): was $1,899.99 now $1,549.99 at Best Buy

Last year's Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI is back down to a record-low $1,549.99 this week at Best Buy. That's cheaper than I often see base RTX 5070 configurations, and this rig can punch with GPUs in an entirely different power class.

Specs: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | RTX 5070 Ti | 32GB RAM | 240Hz QHD+ OLED display

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Last year's gaming laptops have already made it out of the factory; they're not subject to the same RAM shortages or SSD prices as their predecessors. While discounts like this are still around, it's going to take more than an incremental CPU update to convince me that new-generation rigs are going to be worth their inevitably high price tags.

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I'm also hunting down all the best Asus gaming laptops as well as the best Alienware laptops and the best Razer laptops for more options.