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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16, being more expensive, offers better performance for intensive tasks like 3D design and machine learning, also comes with a more powerful graphics card suitable for gaming, has more RAM for multitasking, and a larger, higher-refresh-rate display which will be better for gaming and viewing fast-moving images. However, it is heavier and larger, making it less portable. The Acer Swift X (2021) is less expensive and lighter, making it highly portable, and it still provides satisfactory performance for general use and some engineering applications, but it has less RAM and a less powerful graphics card, which limits its ability for intensive tasks and gaming. Choose the Nitro 16 for high performance in demanding applications and gaming, or the Swift X (2021) for better portability and value for general use. 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 engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Acer Swift X (2021)
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.3
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 16 excels in gaming and 3D tasks because it has a more powerful GPU (Nvidia RTX 4070) and a higher screen refresh rate, making it ideal for fast-paced visuals. In contrast, the Acer Swift X (2021) has a less powerful GPU (Nvidia RTX 3050) and a lower refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU, more RAM, and superior GPU which are very important for such tasks, along with a high-quality, larger screen which aids in detailed work. The Acer Swift X (2021) is also suitable for engineering and design with a capable CPU and GPU, but comes with less RAM and a smaller, less sharp screen, though it compensates with greater portability and a higher quality keyboard.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Nitro 16's higher resolution and brighter display offer clearer and more vibrant visuals, whereas the Acer Swift X, while adequate, has a lesser display. When it comes to engineering and design, the Acer Nitro 16 shines with a wider color gamut providing precise color accuracy which is essential for professional creative work, whereas the Swift X, despite its competency, falls short in this aspect. For gaming and 3D applications, the Acer Nitro 16's lower refresh rate might result in less fluid motion compared to laptops designed for gaming, while the Acer Swift X also lacks a high refresh rate screen, limiting their performance in fast-paced visual environments.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$580
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the Acer Swift X (2021) costs $580.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) 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 (2021) 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.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Acer Swift X (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Acer Swift X (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $580 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 12.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 8.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
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 | 59 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 372 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 (2021)
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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 (2021)
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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