A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 is a budget-friendly option with good performance for general use, a touch screen, and substantial battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and portable enough for on-the-go users. It does not excel in tasks that demand high graphics performance, such as 3D rendering or intensive engineering software. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook S 13, while more expensive, offers a more powerful processor, double the storage and RAM, and an outstanding OLED screen, which provides vibrant colors and high contrast, beneficial for creative professionals or anyone who prioritizes display quality. It's also lighter and has a higher portability score, making it suitable for travel, but with slightly less battery life than the Acer. Both have similar ports and connectivity options, but the ASUS stands out with its premium build quality and is a better fit for more demanding applications, although neither is ideal for intensive gaming. 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 3
- The Acer Swift 3 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- 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
- Best in class portability
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
365.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 outshines the Acer Swift 3 in general use due to a higher-performing CPU, more RAM, superior screen quality with OLED technology, and a lighter, slimmer design for better portability, although with slightly shorter battery life. While the Swift 3 offers solid performance for general use with a decent CPU, sufficient RAM, and good battery life, it falls short in screen resolution and color accuracy compared to the Zenbook S 13 and is slightly heavier and thicker.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.2
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 surpasses the Acer Swift 3 in engineering and design use due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and superior OLED screen quality, which is essential for detailed visual tasks. While both laptops have solid portability and have similar integrated GPU capabilities, the premium processing power and screen of the Zenbook makes it more suited for resource-intensive engineering software and design work where high precision and color accuracy are crucial.
Content Creation
7.6
8.5
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift 3 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
7.6
8.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift 3 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
6.8
8.1
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
365.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering general use such as browsing the web or using office applications, the Acer Swift 3 offers a decent display with adequate resolution and brightness, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 takes it up a notch with a sharper and brighter display that enhances visibility and clarity. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial, both laptops have good screens, but the ASUS stands out with a wider color gamut which ensures more precise color representation for professional work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal because they lack fast refresh rates, which are essential to provide smooth motion and a more immersive experience.
Portability
Very Good
Best in Class
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Acer Swift 3 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.5
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Acer Swift 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 is less suited for gaming and 3D applications compared to the ASUS Zenbook S 13 because it has a less powerful processor and standard IPS screen which impacts performance and visual clarity. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a more powerful processor and an OLED display, providing sharper visuals and better overall performance suitable for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Battery
12.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 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 ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Acer Swift 3 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 Swift 3 and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | ASUS Zenbook S 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 2.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 11.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 8.52" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i7-1355U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 63 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 365 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | February 2022
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the ASUS Zenbook S 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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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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