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 offers a more budget-friendly option with a solid all-round performance for everyday tasks and casual use, along with lighter weight and longer battery life, making it easy to carry around. However, the Dell Precision 5470, though significantly pricier, provides superior performance with a high-end processor and dedicated graphics, suitable for intensive engineering work, 3D design, machine learning or gaming. It also includes features beneficial for professional use such as a better display resolution and Windows Pro, but this comes with added weight and typically shorter battery life, so it's less portable than the Swift 3. 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 Dell Precision 5470
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.8
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Precision 5470 and Acer Swift 3 are both good for engineering and design, though the Dell Precision 5470 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift 3, with its Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics, offers good screen quality for design and a touch display, making it suitable for engineering tasks; however, the Dell Precision 5470 steps up with a more powerful Intel i7 processor and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which provides higher screen brightness and color coverage, essential for precision engineering and design work. While both are portable, the Swift 3 is lighter and may have better battery life, but the Precision 5470's superior performance components make it heavier and a bit bulkier, with tradeoffs in speaker and keyboard quality and operating noise to consider.
Screen Quality
6.8
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Dell Precision 5470 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Precision 5470 feature displays with resolutions and brightness levels that are satisfactory for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, which explains their adequacy for general use. For engineering and design work, their screens cover a broad range of colors, making them suitable for tasks that require precise color representation, but they don't prioritize the high refresh rates critical for smooth rendering in 3D environments and fast-paced gaming. Consequently, the moderate refresh rates and possibly lower-than-ideal resolutions of these models' screens may result in less fluid motion and detail in graphics-intensive applications.
Battery
12.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Dell Precision 5470 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.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Dell Precision 5470 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$1,669
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Dell Precision 5470 costs $1,669.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Acer Swift 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3, with its Intel i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a high-definition IPS screen, provides solid performance and a great visual experience for general use, along with good portability due to its lightweight frame and about 12 hours of battery life for extended use.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.7
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Acer Swift 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Dell Precision 5470 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the Acer Swift 3 because the Dell has a dedicated Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU which is more powerful for graphics tasks than the integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU in the Acer. Additionally, while both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, the Dell also features a higher resolution and superior screen quality which can enhance the visual experience during gaming and 3D rendering.
Content Creation
7.6
7.8
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Precision 5470 and Acer Swift 3 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
7.7
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell Precision 5470 and Acer Swift 3 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
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift 3 and Dell Precision 5470 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the Dell Precision 5470 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Dell Precision 5470 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,669 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 12.2'' x 8.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.26 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 12.22" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 72 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 | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 8.4/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 4 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
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."
Dell Precision 5470
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | August 2022
"The Dell Precision 5470 is a mobile workstation that's far more portable than most alternatives. Between its slim 14-inch design and top-quality MIL-STD 810H build, it's one of the best options around for taking professional-grade performance on the road or to the job site. There are tradeoffs for its portability, and users of the most demanding, graphics-intensive applications will need to carry something heavier. But the Dell's exceptional battery life underscores its desirability as the most portable workstation we've seen."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the Dell Precision 5470
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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