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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 typically costs less and comes with more RAM, which is beneficial for multitasking and more demanding tasks. However, the ASUS Zenbook 13, while generally pricier, boasts an OLED screen known for its superior color range and contrast, which makes it ideal for activities where screen quality is paramount, such as photo editing or media consumption. The Zenbook is slightly lighter and thinner, enhancing its portability, but it has less RAM which might slow you down during heavy multitasking or complex operations. The Swift 3 also has a touchscreen which could be useful for hands-on interaction, while the Zenbook does not. If battery life is a concern, the Zenbook falls short with less usage time between charges. When it comes to performance, although both laptops are competent for general use, neither is designed for heavy gaming or intensive engineering software, but the Swift's additional RAM could give it an edge in handling more demanding 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 Swift 3
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
- Good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
- Good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
7.8
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize screen detail and clarity for everyday tasks or detailed engineering work, the ASUS Zenbook 13, with its superior resolution and brightness, provides a crisper and more vibrant display. For those involved in engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial, the Zenbook's wider color gamuts ensure that colors are reproduced more faithfully. However, for gaming or 3D applications where fast motion is common, both of these laptops may fall short due to lower refresh rates, which could result in less fluid on-screen action.
Battery
12.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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.
Cost
$500
$890
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 costs $890.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift 3 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3 with its ample RAM and solid CPU handles everyday tasks smoothly, offers adequate screen quality, is lightweight for better portability, and has a longer battery life for extended use without frequent charging. The ASUS Zenbook 13, although with less RAM, provides a superb screen with its OLED display for vibrant colors and high contrast, has a compact and lighter design making it highly portable, and also manages heat efficiently for comfortable use over long periods.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Swift 3 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 provides decent gaming and 3D capabilities due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, but its standard 60Hz screen refresh rate and decent screen quality limit its gaming potential. Conversely, the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers a similar gaming experience with its AMD Vega 8 graphics, while its OLED screen enhances visual quality despite also having a standard refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.1
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift 3 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 is better suited for engineering and design due to its higher amount of RAM, which is crucial for multitasking and handling complex tasks, and a capable CPU and integrated GPU, which are important for software used in these fields. Whereas the ASUS Zenbook 13, despite its superior screen quality with a high-resolution OLED display, has less RAM, which may limit performance with engineering applications, and its AMD Ryzen CPU and integrated Vega 8 GPU, while adequate, are less preferred for intensive engineering workloads.
Content Creation
7.6
7.6
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Swift 3 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 13 to have excellent portability, while the Acer Swift 3 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Swift 3 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | ASUS Zenbook 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $890 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 2.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 7.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 67 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 378 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 | N/A | |
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 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the ASUS Zenbook 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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