If you prioritize battery life and portability for general use, the Dell XPS 13, being lighter and offering longer battery life, may serve you well. However, if you require more storage and better performance for engineering tasks or 3D/machine learning, the Acer Swift 14 with more robust processing power could be more suitable. Both are similar in keyboard quality, but the Dell has slightly higher speaker quality and the Acer boasts a higher screen resolution which is beneficial for detailed work. Keep in mind that the Dell is generally less expensive, so if budget is a concern, that might also influence your decision. 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
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for general use, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.9/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 and Dell XPS 13 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Swift 14 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift 14 is equipped with a high-end Intel i7 CPU and ample RAM, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks, and it boasts a high-resolution screen that covers a wide range of colors for precise visual work. In contrast, the Dell XPS 13, while also featuring an Intel i7 CPU and plenty of RAM for performance, offers a more compact and lightweight design with higher portability and exceptional build quality, at the expense of some screen color accuracy compared to the Acer.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.7/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for content creation, while the Dell XPS 13 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
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for software development, while the Dell XPS 13 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
7.6/10
7.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
442.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 14's screen offers clarity and color accuracy that are beneficial for engineering and design tasks that require precision but lacks the high refresh rate needed for smooth 3D rendering and gaming. The Dell XPS 13 provides a balanced good screen for both general tasks and professional design work, with sufficient brightness and resolution for everyday use and color representation for creative projects. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications, where their screens don't support the high refresh rates that allow for fluid motion and fast-paced visuals.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Dell XPS 13 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$850
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the Dell XPS 13 costs $850.
The Acer Swift 14 and Dell XPS 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 14 offers better gaming and 3D capabilities, mainly due to its more powerful GPU as part of the Intel i7-13700H processor, compared to the less powerful GPU associated with the Dell XPS 13's Intel i7-1250U processor. Both have similar screen refresh rates and quality, but the superior GPU in the Acer Swift 14 provides a more robust performance for graphics-intensive tasks.
Battery
9.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.4in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Dell XPS 13 and Acer Swift 14 both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the Dell XPS 13 compare to other laptops
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."
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the Dell XPS 13
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.
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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