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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Swift 3 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i involves priorities of portability and screen aspect. The Acer Swift 3 is lighter and more portable, making it easier to carry around, and also offers better battery life, which is ideal for on-the-go usage. It has a touchscreen with a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio, suitable for general media consumption. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a larger 16:10 screen which can be better for productivity due to more vertical space but is heavier and has a shorter battery life. Both feature similar performance specs and are on a similar price level, so your choice should be based on whether greater portability or a larger screen better suits 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
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a screen that provides clear and vibrant images suitable for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, making it a solid choice for general use and detailed work required in engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate may detract from the smooth visuals required for gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a screen that meets the necessary criteria for day-to-day activities and technical work, but, like the Swift 3, falls short for gaming and 3D content due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 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
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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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
315.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3's smaller size and lighter weight make it more portable than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while both laptops have a similar central processing unit (CPU) and 16GB of RAM for smooth performance in general use tasks. While the Swift 3 offers a touchscreen and high screen-to-body ratio, the IdeaPad Slim 5i has a higher screen resolution and aspect ratio, which could be preferable for users who prioritize display quality over portability.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.3
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both described as fair for gaming and 3D because they carry integrated GPUs which lack the power of dedicated gaming GPUs and have standard screen refresh rates suitable for general use but not high-end gaming. While their CPUs can handle general tasks, for gaming and 3D models, which require higher performance, both laptops might not deliver the most fluid visual experience due to their limited GPU capabilities and screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.0
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 Acer Swift 3 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 provides a powerful Intel i5 processor with integrated graphics suitable for engineering tasks and features a touchscreen with high color accuracy, although it's lighter and has a smaller screen compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.4
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 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Acer Swift 3 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$499
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i costs $499.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 4.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 56.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
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 | 315 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 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."
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
HT Tech
Robin Sinha | February 2021
"The device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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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