A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 is a budget-friendly choice that offers more storage, memory, and a larger screen size. It's slightly less portable but has longer battery life, making it suitable for intensive tasks like engineering or 3D work. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more portable, has a higher-quality display, and a better build quality, making it an attractive option for general use and travel, but with less storage and memory, it might struggle with demanding tasks. If portability and display quality are your priority, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is better, but for better performance in demanding workflows, the Acer Swift 3 is more appropriate. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.7
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift 3 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift 3 offers solid performance for general use with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a larger SSD than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, which may make it better suited for multitasking and storage-heavy applications. However, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is slightly more portable and has a higher battery life rating, making it more suitable for on-the-go users who prioritize a light machine and longer unplugged usage.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.5
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift 3 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 3 is better for engineering and design because it has more RAM and a more powerful CPU, which are crucial for performance in demanding applications, and a larger, higher resolution screen that provides more workspace and detail. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, offers less power and screen real estate, making it less ideal for engineering and design tasks.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift 3 is somewhat better.
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
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Swift 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 offer screens with suitable resolution, clarity and brightness levels, making them pleasant for daily tasks such as browsing the web and document editing. When it comes to engineering and design work, these laptops provide decent color accuracy and range, which is important for tasks requiring color fidelity like graphic design and photo editing. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short because they lack high refresh rates, limiting the smoothness and responsiveness during fast-paced scenes or complex 3D modeling.
Battery
12.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are fair for gaming and 3D tasks primarily because neither laptop has a dedicated high-performance graphics card, which is very important for these activities; they both utilize integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. In addition, they share similar refresh rates, which, while adequate, do not excel for fast-paced gaming; also, the CPUs and screen quality, which affect performance and visual experience, respectively, are somewhat important and are sufficient but not top tier for intensive gaming and 3D applications in these models.
Content Creation
7.6
7.1
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 3 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 to have excellent portability, while the Acer Swift 3 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
$519
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $519.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift 3 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $519 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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
See more
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Acer Swift 3 vs. Dell Inspiron 16 5620
VS
Compare Acer Swift 3 vs. Dell Inspiron 14 5425
VS
Compare Acer Swift 3 vs. LG Ultra 13
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 vs. Acer Swift 3
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 vs. ASUS Vivobook 15X
VS
Compare Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 vs. MSI Modern 14
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
114,195
Recommendations made
24,743
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
