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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Swift 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 will depend on your priorities. If a more vibrant, higher resolution display and a stronger performance for generalized use are important to you, along with a somewhat higher price, the Acer Swift 14 may be more suitable. For tasks related to 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers solid performance at a lower price, but you'll compromise on storage space and screen resolution. Both are quite portable, though the Lenovo has a slight edge in battery life and portability. The choice also comes down to design preferences: the Acer is more expensive and performs better in most areas, while the Lenovo is more budget-friendly with a premium business laptop appearance and additional features like a fingerprint reader and facial recognition. 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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Swift 14 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Software Development
8.2
7.7
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
7.0
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Swift 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offer panels with sufficient resolution and brightness, providing clear and vibrant visuals suitable for everyday tasks. Engineers and designers may prefer the Acer Swift 14's display since it covers a broader range of colors, essential for precise color work, but the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 also delivers good color fidelity. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop excels because their screens do not have high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and quick response times in fast-paced visual environments.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 14 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Acer Swift 14 offers higher screen resolution and brightness which enhances its screen quality for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, despite lower storage, excels with slightly better battery life and is noted for its superior keyboard and speaker quality. Both laptops are equally portable and equipped with the same amount of RAM and high-quality CPUs, making them both capable performers for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.3
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Acer Swift 14 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
8.2
7.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 14 to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
9.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
13.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Acer Swift 14 both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 2.78 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 11.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 51.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 379 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Swift 14
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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."
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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PCMag
Brian Westover | September 2022
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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