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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 offers better performance for intensive tasks such as gaming or engineering, with its powerful GPU and high refresh rate screen, but it's heavier and bulkier, which means it's less portable. In contrast, the Acer Swift X (2023) is lighter and more portable with a very high-quality screen and is also less expensive, but it has a less powerful GPU which might not be suitable for the most demanding tasks or for intensive gaming. If portability and a balance of price and performance are key for you, the Swift X might be more appealing, while the Nitro 16 is more geared towards heavy-duty use and gaming at the expense of portability and price. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Nitro 16
- Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Acer Swift X (2023)
- Very good for content creation
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 excels in gaming and 3D due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 165, providing smoother and more visually engaging experiences. In comparison, the Acer Swift X (2023) still performs well with its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a solid refresh rate of 120, making it suitable for gaming and 3D applications but not as high-performing as the Nitro 16.
Screen Quality
8.3
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
14.5in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
390.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Acer Nitro 16 and the Acer Swift X (2023) laptops have displays with a resolution and brightness that make for crisp, clear images and comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions, which is why they are great for general use. The color gamut coverage of these laptops ensures that colors are accurately reproduced, which is critical for professionals in engineering and design who need precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, a high refresh rate is crucial to avoid motion blur and provide a smooth visual experience, and the screens on these devices do not prioritize this feature, making them less ideal for these purposes.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.5in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
390.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 and the Acer Swift X (2023) are both equipped with substantial CPU power and RAM, making them well-suited for handling a variety of general tasks with ease; they also boast high-quality screens with solid resolution and color coverage for a pleasing visual experience. However, the Swift X gains an edge in portability thanks to its lighter weight and slightly longer battery life, while the Nitro 16 offers better gaming capabilities with a higher-tier GPU and therefore might handle heat and noise differently when under load.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Nitro 16 boasts a powerful GPU and a high refresh rate screen which is ideal for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is lighter and more portable with still capable specs that are good for similar tasks, albeit a tad less powerful in terms of GPU performance. Additionally, the Nitro 16's larger screen and higher brightness make it more suited for intricate visual work, but the Swift X scores higher in keyboard quality, making it comfortable for prolonged use.
Content Creation
7.8
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Battery
9.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Build Quality
7.4
7.6
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Acer Nitro 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,050
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Acer Swift X (2023) costs $1,100.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Acer Swift X (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Acer Swift X (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.31 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 12.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 9" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-13500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 76 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 390 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
Acer Swift X (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Acer Swift X (2023)
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
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