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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 17 is slightly less expensive and may appeal to gamers or those needing powerful hardware for intensive tasks such as engineering software, with its high performance graphics, larger screen, and gaming-laptop appearance, but it is heavier and less portable. The Acer Swift X 16, while costing a bit more, boasts a higher resolution and more portable design with a lighter weight, making it suitable for general use and mobility, but it may not match the raw performance of the Nitro 17 for gaming or specialized applications. 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
- The Acer Nitro 17 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X 16.
Advantages of the Acer Swift X 16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good portability
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Software Development
7.4
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
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
8.2
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Swift X 16's higher resolution and brighter display make it more appealing, while the Acer Nitro 17 offers a satisfactory visual experience without these enhancements. The Swift X 16 excels in engineering and design due to its superior color gamut, accurately representing a wider spectrum of colors necessary for precise work. However, both models fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they lack high refresh rates essential for smooth motion rendering, which is a key aspect for immersive and responsive experiences in these areas.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$970
$1,250
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Nitro 17 has a price of $970 and the Acer Swift X 16 costs $1,250.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is ranked higher for general use because it offers better portability due to its lighter weight and a higher resolution screen with better color coverage for more vibrant visuals, whereas the Acer Nitro 17, while having similar CPU and RAM capabilities, falls short on portability and screen quality but offers a slightly larger screen and potentially longer battery life which may be more suited for stationary use rather than on-the-go tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.0
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Unknown
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 17 and Acer Swift X 16 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Nitro 17 offers robust gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, making it great for fast-paced action, although its screen resolution is standard at 1920 x 1080. Conversely, the Acer Swift X 16, though featuring a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, provides sharper screen quality with a higher resolution of 2560 x 1600, and also boasts a 165 Hz refresh rate for smooth visuals; it, however, reaches a balance between performance and portability with its lighter weight.
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Nitro 17 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 outperforms the Acer Nitro 17 in engineering and design primarily due to its higher resolution screen, which offers better clarity and color accuracy for detailed work, and its more powerful main processor, enhancing performance in demanding tasks. However, the Acer Nitro 17, with a dedicated numeric keypad and slightly better operating noise management, can still be a good fit for such tasks, with trade-offs being its larger size and weight impacting portability, and a lower screen resolution and quality compared to the Swift X 16.
Content Creation
7.8
8.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
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 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 17 has 8 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 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 16 and Acer Nitro 17 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 X 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 17 | Acer Swift X 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$970 | $1,250 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.6'' x 1.1'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.83 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.77" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.59" | 9.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | |
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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 76 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 280 nits | 402 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
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 X 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2023
"Acer’s Swift X 16 is an excellent choice for shoppers who want a 16-inch laptop and care more for performance than attractive design or long battery life. The Swift X 16’s gorgeous OLED display, spacious keyboard, and big touchpad make it pleasant to use in basic day-to-day tasks. It also has an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, which combine to deliver good performance in a wide variety of productivity applications and games. A few minor mistakes, like poorly-placed USB-C ports that lack DisplayPort, will turn off some shoppers, but those who can accept its shortcomings will find the Swift X 16 a versatile daily driver."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 17 or the Acer Swift X 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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