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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability and battery life are priorities, consider the Acer Swift 3 as it is lighter and has a longer battery life. However, if you require a laptop for more intensive gaming or engineering tasks, the Acer Nitro 17 with a dedicated graphics card, larger screen, and higher performance components would be the better option despite being heavier and having a shorter battery life. The Swift 3 is less expensive and also includes a touchscreen, which may be useful for general use, but it won't match the Nitro 17 in demanding applications that require stronger processing and graphics capabilities. 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 17
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Acer Swift 3
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.3
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 3 is only fair.
The Acer Nitro 17 is better for gaming and 3D applications because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, providing smoother visuals and better handling of graphically intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift 3 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Nitro 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Nitro 17 stands out for engineering and design use with its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, providing substantial performance for demanding tasks and a larger screen with high refresh rate for detailed work but trades portability due to its size and weight.
Screen Quality
7.4
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
309.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 17 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 3 has a better screen for content creation.
When considering general use, both the Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift 3 offer displays with suitable resolution and brightness, ensuring clear and vibrant images for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, these laptops provide good color accuracy covering a broad spectrum, which is crucial for tasks that require precise color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates can lead to less fluid visuals, which is less ideal for fast-paced or highly detailed visuals that benefit from smoother motion and quicker screen updates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift 3 has 12 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.
Portability
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$970
$500
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Acer Swift 3 costs $500.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
309.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 is favored for general use due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and ample RAM for multitasking, but its large screen size and heavy weight hamper portability, whereas the Acer Swift 3's Intel CPU and similar RAM offer strong performance for everyday tasks and its lighter, more compact design, paired with better battery life, makes it exceptionally portable. Both laptops have high-quality screens and sufficient storage, but the Nitro 17's larger display and Swift 3's touchscreen may appeal to different preferences; additionally, the Swift 3 edges out with higher screen brightness and slightly better color coverage, enhancing visual experiences.
Content Creation
7.8
7.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift 3 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
7.4
7.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Acer Nitro 17 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift 3 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 17 and the Acer Swift 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Acer Swift 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 2.76 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 12.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 309 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 17
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | October 2023
"The Acer Nitro 17 isn't an exceptional gaming laptop; it's kind of chunky even among 17.3-inch notebooks, with a lackluster keyboard, and it doesn't outperform comparably priced machines. But there's a lot to like about it, including a good array of ports, a screen that's sharp and bright for work and play alike, and battery life that soundly beats the competition. All this comes at an affordable price. If size and weight aren't big concerns, you'll find the Nitro 17 a dependable big-screen gaming rig. If you crave higher quality, consider a slight step down or up in screen size with the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 or Alienware m18 respectively."
Acer Swift 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | February 2022
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the Acer Swift 3
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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