Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) vs. MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) and MSI Katana GF66 (12UC). Compare sizes, performance, storage capacities, batteries and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right laptop for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the laptop that will best fit your needs.

MSI Katana GF66 (12UC) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of MSI Katana GF66 (12UC) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

powerful gaming performance

affordable price point

high refresh rate display

robust build quality

decent thermal management

average battery life

dim display brightness

limited storage capacity

noisy under load

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) and MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
75 % - Design
72 % - Display
85 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
65 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) vs. MSI Katana GF66 (12UC) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 42.8 cm x 29.8 cm x 3.87 cm 35.9 cm x 25.9 cm x 2.49 cm
Weight 4 kg 2.25 kg
Case Material Polycarbonate, ABS plastic -
Colour Obsidian black -
DISPLAY Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Screen Size (Type) 17.3" - IPS 15.6"
LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight LED backlight
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
V-Sync Rate at Max Res. 144 Hz 144 Hz
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:9 -
Image Brightness 300 cd/m² -
Colour Gamut - 45% NTSC
Features Anti-glare, ComfyView, Slim Design, Mercury free, FreeSync Technology, 9 ms response rate Thin bezel design, IPS-level
PROCESSOR Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
CPU AMD Ryzen 7 2700 / 3.2 GHz Intel Core i7 (12th Gen) 12700H / 2.3 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.1 GHz 4.7 GHz
Number of Cores 8-core 14-core
Cache L3 - 16 MB 24 MB
64-bit Computing Yes -
Chipset AMD B450 -
Features - Intel Smart Cache
MEMORY Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
RAM 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) 8 GB (1 x 8 GB)
Max RAM Supported 64 GB 64 GB
RAM Type DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 SDRAM
Speed - 3200 MHz
Rated Speed - 3200 MHz
Form Factor SO-DIMM 260-pin SO-DIMM 260-pin
Slots Qty 4 2
Empty Slots 2 1
STORAGE Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 256 GB SSD M.2 2280 - Micron 512 GB SSD M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 - NVM Express (NVMe)
Secondary Storage 1 TB HDD SATA / 5400 rpm - HGST -
AUDIO & VIDEO Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Multi-GPU Configuration - 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) AMD Radeon RX Vega 10 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 / Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Video Memory 8 GB GDDR5 SDRAM 4 GB GDDR6 SDRAM
Video System Features - Dynamic Boost
Gaming - Yes
Camera Yes - HD Yes - 720p
Frame Rate - 30 frames per second
Sound Stereo speakers, subwoofer, microphone Stereo speakers, microphone
Compliant Standards Wave MAXX -
Audio Features MaxxAudio, Acer TrueHarmony technology Nahimic audio
COMMUNICATIONS Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wave 2, Bluetooth 5.0 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2
Wireless Controller Killer Wireless-AC 1550 - M.2 Card Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX 201
Network Interface Gigabit Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet
Ethernet Controller Killer Ethernet E2500 -
Features - Dual stream (2x2)
BATTERY Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Technology 4-cell lithium polymer 3-cell
Battery Capacity (Size) 74 Wh 53.5 Wh
AC ADAPTER Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Input AC 120/230 V (50/60 Hz) AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Output 330 Watt, 19.5 V 180 Watt, 19.5 V, 9.23 A
INPUT Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Type Keyboard, touchpad Keyboard, touchpad
Numeric Keypad Yes Yes
Keyboard Backlight Yes (RGB) Yes
Features Multi-gesture touch pad, Acer FineTip keyboard, precision touchpad, Acer PredatorSense Red backlighting
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Interfaces LAN
HDMI
DisplayPort
USB 3.0 (with power off charging)
2 x USB 3.0
Audio line-out
Audio line-in
2 x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2
Headphone/microphone combo jack
LAN
HDMI
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1
USB 2.0
USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
SOFTWARE Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Operating System (OS) Windows 10 Home 64-bit Edition Windows 11 Home
Software Included - MSI APP Player, MSI Center
MISCELLANEOUS Acer Predator Helios 500 (PH517-61) MSI Katana GF66 (12UC)
Included Accessories Power adapter Power adapter
Security Slot Type Kensington security slot -
Theft/Intrusion Protection Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately) -
Features Acer CoolBoost technology, Dual Acer AeroBlade 3D Fans, WMR compatible Cooler Boost 5 technology
Manufacturer Warranty - Limited warranty - 2 years
Model Number R3D7 070UK
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