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Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability is crucial and you often work with photo editing or content creation, the Acer Swift Edge 16 is lighter, has an OLED screen with higher resolution, and vibrant color accuracy which excels for these tasks. However, for gaming or engineering software that demands graphics power, the Acer Nitro 17 has a dedicated Nvidia GPU and a larger 17-inch display, although it's heavier and has lower battery life. The Nitro usually costs more but offers superior performance for intensive tasks. Meanwhile, if cost is a concern, the Swift Edge generally comes at a somewhat lower price point along with the benefit of a sleeker design. 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
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Acer Swift Edge 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.7
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Software Development
7.4
7.9
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Acer Nitro 17 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.4
8.8
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
383.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 boasts a superior display with high resolution and brightness that enhances visuals for general use and professional tasks like engineering and design, while its wider color gamut ensures accurate color representation crucial for detailed work. Conversely, the Acer Nitro 17, while offering a good display for general tasks and engineering, falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its lower refresh rate, which can lead to less fluid graphics during fast-paced action. Even though both laptops have quality screens, gamers and 3D enthusiasts may find the Acer Nitro 17's performance lackluster compared to displays with higher refresh rates that provide smoother motion visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 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
16.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$970
$820
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Acer Swift Edge 16 costs $820.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
383.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Acer Nitro 17 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers robust processing and graphics power suitable for various tasks, along with a large screen and substantial battery capacity, which adds to its weight, reducing portability. Meanwhile, the Acer Swift Edge 16 boasts a high-resolution OLED screen with excellent color coverage, a lightweight and thin design that enhances portability, but has a smaller battery, which could limit usage time away from power sources.
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Edge 16 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The Acer Nitro 17 features a powerful CPU, abundant RAM, and a capable NVIDIA GPU, making it well-suited for engineering tasks and design applications that demand graphics processing, though it is heavier and less portable. Conversely, the Acer Swift Edge 16 boasts a superior OLED screen with higher resolution and color accuracy, which is beneficial for design work; however, its integrated AMD GPU is less powerful than the Nitro's, meaning it won't perform as well with highly demanding 3D tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
8.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Edge 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 17 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.2
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift Edge 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 17 and the Acer Swift Edge 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Acer Swift Edge 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $820 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 2.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 9.68" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 383 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 Edge 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | October 2023
"The Acer Swift Edge 16 is a solid super thin-and-light that pairs a large, gorgeous 16-inch display with portable design that rivals the weight of LG’s superlight Gram 16. Remarkably, Acer achieves this at a lower price point without sacrificing performance. Boring design and disappointing battery life hold the laptop back from stardom, but its rivals frequently suffer in these areas, too. That makes the Swift Edge 16 an alluring value pick."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the Acer Swift Edge 16
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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