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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 is a budget-friendly, lightweight option with a smaller screen size, making it more portable. It has an Intel i5 processor suitable for general use and solid battery life. Alternatively, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a larger, higher-resolution screen which makes it better for tasks that benefit from more screen real estate, such as engineering or creative work. It also features a faster Intel i7 processor, though it's heavier and has slightly shorter battery life. Both have touchscreens and equivalent storage and memory, but the Lenovo's bigger screen and performance may suit demanding tasks better, at the expense of portability and battery life. 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 portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 16
- Good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 likely have screens with sufficient resolution and brightness, making them suitable for general use such as web browsing or document work. For engineering and design, their displays may cover a decent range of color gamuts, offering good color accuracy for tasks like photo editing or CAD work. However, both models may have lower refresh rates, which means they aren't ideal for gaming or 3D modeling where smoother visuals are crucial.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$594
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Lenovo Flex 5 16 costs $594.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a balance of performance and portability with a decent CPU, enough RAM for multitasking, a quality screen, and a relatively light build, making it easy to carry around with good battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo Flex 5 16, while also featuring a capable CPU and ample RAM, provides a superior screen resolution and a larger display, which may be advantageous for media consumption and productivity, but it is heavier and has a slightly shorter battery life, which could affect its portability.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both fair for gaming and 3D applications due to their integrated GPUs which offer moderate gaming capabilities, while neither provide high-refresh displays as they are both locked at standard refresh rates, less optimal for fast-paced games. Additionally, although both machines have capable CPUs and quality screens, they may not offer the most fluid gaming or 3D experiences when compared to laptops with dedicated high-performance GPUs and higher refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.2
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
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Acer Swift 3 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 is outfitted with a capable Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics suitable for engineering and design, with 16GB of RAM supporting multitasking and smooth operation, along with a 1080p screen that provides good clarity and color accuracy for detailed work.
Content Creation
7.6
7.6
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 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
7.5
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
Battery
12.0 Hours
11.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Lenovo Flex 5 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $594 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 9.99" | |
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 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 11.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 52.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | 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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
Lenovo Flex 5 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | April 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the Lenovo Flex 5 16
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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