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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3, usually carrying a higher price tag than the HP Pavilion 15, offers a premium metal chassis and tends to be lighter and more portable, making it a solid choice for those who travel frequently or commute with their laptop. However, if your work involves resource-intensive applications, the HP Pavilion 15 may provide better performance owing to its typically more powerful processors and graphics capabilities, which also makes it suitable for casual gaming. The Pavilion's larger size can translate to a more comfortable keyboard and a potentially more vibrant display. Battery life often leans in favor of the Swift 3, catering to users needing their device to last longer on a single charge. Ultimately, if portability and battery life are your priorities, the Swift 3 is the way to go; if you're after more power for applications like video editing or gaming and don't mind a bit of extra weight, the Pavilion 15 may better suit your needs. 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
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Pavilion 15
- The HP Pavilion 15 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift 3.
Key differences
General Use
7.7
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Swift 3 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift 3 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a more powerful CPU, better screen quality with a higher resolution and IPS panel, and superior portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size, benefitting general use with both performance and ease of mobility.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.2
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift 3 is good for engineering and design, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 3 outperforms the HP Pavilion 15 for engineering and design due to its more capable CPU and GPU, which are crucial for demanding tasks and software typical in these fields. Despite both having the same amount of RAM, the Swift 3 additionally offers better screen quality, contributing to more precise visual work, whereas the Pavilion 15 benefits from a quieter operation and could be somewhat more portable due to its larger screen size.
Content Creation
7.6
7.1
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Swift 3 and HP Pavilion 15 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Swift 3 is somewhat better.
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
6.6
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Acer Swift 3 is good for software development, while the HP Pavilion 15 is only fair.
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
5.3
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the HP Pavilion 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 3's screen provides clear visuals and adequate brightness for daily tasks, but its color range may fall short for detailed engineering work and its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for gaming or 3D applications. On the other hand, the HP Pavilion 15's display might disappoint across all use cases due to lower resolution and lackluster brightness that compromises general viewing, color accuracy crucial for engineering and design, and the smoothness necessary for high-speed 3D scenes. When choosing between the two, prioritize your specific needs: the Swift 3 for general use and some professional applications, or consider looking beyond the Pavilion 15 if display quality is a key concern for any purpose.
Battery
12.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The HP Pavilion 15 has 3 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the HP Pavilion 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.2
The Acer Swift 3 has good build quality, while the HP Pavilion 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$600
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the HP Pavilion 15 costs $600.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift 3 and HP Pavilion 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 is equipped with a mid-range Intel Iris Xe integrated GPU and an IPS display with a standard refresh rate, which provides a decent visual experience but may struggle with demanding games and graphics. The HP Pavilion 15, on the other hand, comes with a lower-end Intel UHD graphics and a TN panel, which offers less impressive color and viewing angles, making it less suitable for immersive gaming and 3D applications, despite having the same refresh rate.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the HP Pavilion 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | HP Pavilion 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 9.53" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i3-1115G4 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | TN | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
HP Pavilion 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Alex Cox | August 2022
"The HP Pavilion 15 carries a fair amount of power and a sharp display in its handsome slimline shell. It's not perfect, but it's a hard worker. This is wonderfully designed and totes a heck of a lot of desktop power, with the added benefit of a decent webcam and a full-sized keyboard. If you're getting down to business on a budget, it's a great fit."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the HP Pavilion 15
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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