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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Swift 14 offers superior performance with a higher end processor, which is better for demanding tasks like video editing or gaming. Its display is also sharper and it has a better battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use without frequent charging. However, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while less powerful with a lower end processor, is significantly cheaper. It has a larger screen for comfortable viewing but is heavier, which could be a downside if you travel often. Ultimately, if budget is a constraint and your tasks are mostly general use, the Dell could suffice; for higher performance and portability despite a higher price, the Acer is the better choice. 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 Swift 14
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift 14.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is good.
The Acer Swift 14 outshines the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 with a more powerful CPU and higher resolution screen, contributing to its excellence for general use; it also boasts greater portability facilitated by a lighter build and longer battery life, making it very good for on-the-go use. While both have similar RAM and solid-state storage for efficient multitasking and quick data access, the Dell Inspiron offers a larger screen, which may appeal to those needing a bigger display, albeit with lower resolution and portability due to its heavier weight and shorter battery life, hence considered merely good for general use.
Engineering and Design
7.9
6.9
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 14 is suitable for engineering and design due to its higher-resolution screen, more powerful main processor, and better graphics capabilities, making it a strong performer for tasks that demand substantial processing power and visual detail. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while more modest in performance, offers a larger screen and a numeric keypad which might be advantageous for some design tasks, but it compensates with less screen resolution and a less powerful processor.
Content Creation
8.2
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
8.2
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
7.6
6.6
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a display that provides clear and sharp images with vibrant colors, making it suitable for engineering and design due to its wide color gamut coverage which ensures accurate color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate may not give as smooth an experience as desired. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530's screen strikes a balance suitable for everyday tasks and engineering applications, but like the Acer, its modest refresh rate and average color reproduction may not provide the most immersive experience for gaming and 3D work.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 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
Excellent
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift 14 has excellent portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Swift 14 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$699
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $699.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.3
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift 14 and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a better gaming and 3D performance with a superior GPU and higher screen quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 although having a higher screen refresh rate, is equipped with a less powerful GPU and lower screen quality. This makes the Swift 14 more suited for more demanding graphics tasks despite having a lower refresh rate, and the Inspiron 15, while offering smoother visuals, may not perform as well due to its limitations.
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | Dell Inspiron 15 3530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 3.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.1/10 | 8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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Acer Swift 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Acer Swift 14 is good for school use. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts easily through a typical school day. You can configure the laptop with an FHD+ or QHD+ display; both look sharp and get bright enough to combat glare. The keyboard feels tactile but can be a little tiring to type on over an extended period, and while the touchpad is small, it's responsive to all movements and gestures. Its Intel 13th Gen. CPU can handle nearly every type of workload; however, its integrated graphics perform poorly, so it isn't ideal for students in technical fields like 3D graphics."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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.
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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