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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3, which is slightly less expensive, offers solid performance with a strong battery life for general use and could serve well for typical day-to-day tasks and lighter engineering software. Its lighter weight makes it more portable and it comes with a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and good heat management. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, on the other hand, has a more powerful processor which could be better for more demanding engineering tasks and 3D rendering, but it is a bit heavier and has a shorter battery life. If you favor screen quality for tasks like photo editing, the Acer Swift 3 has better color coverage, while the Inspiron's taller screen could be better for productivity tasks. Both have touchscreens and are similar in storage and RAM. Consider the tradeoffs between performance, battery life, and portability when making 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 3
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
6.2
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 3, with its better screen resolution and brightness, offers a clearer and more vibrant display that's preferable for both everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, allowing for precise color work with wider color gamuts. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, while offering an acceptable visual experience, may not be as sharp or bright, which could matter for design accuracy and comfortable general use. However, both laptops lack the high refresh rates required for smooth 3D rendering, making them less suitable for high-end gaming or complex 3D modeling, where fluid motion is key.
Battery
12.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 both have very good portability, though the Acer Swift 3 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$801
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 both offer solid general use capabilities with their 16 GB of RAM and similarly specced Intel CPUs, providing smooth multitasking and application handling. However, the Swift 3 has a slight edge in portability and battery life, making it more convenient for on-the-go use, while the Inspiron 14 7420 has a slightly higher screen resolution and aspect ratio, which can enhance the viewing experience for certain tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
Both the Acer Swift 3 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 are labeled as fair for gaming and 3D tasks primarily because they possess integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics rather than dedicated gaming GPUs, which offer modest performance suitable for lighter gaming and some 3D applications. Additionally, both laptops have screens with a refresh rate limited to 60Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but not ideal for high-framerate competitive gaming where higher refresh rates can provide smoother visuals.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 3 to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
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.
Content Creation
7.6
7.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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 Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Dell Inspiron 14 7420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $801 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.61 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 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."
Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | June 2022
"Notable qualities of the Inspiron 7420 2-in-1 include the 16:10 aspect ratio, strong hinges, 12th gen Intel CPU with optional GeForce MX graphics, and easy serviceability. Such features would typically cost hundreds of dollars more on higher-end alternatives from competing manufacturers. The value proposition is therefore relatively high for users looking to maximize bang for the buck."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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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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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