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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Razer Blade 18, with its powerful processor and graphics card, excels in these areas. However, it's heavier, less portable, and significantly more expensive than the Acer Swift 3. The Swift 3 offers good general use performance, portability, and a much lower price point, making it suitable for everyday tasks and some light engineering work. The Razer also has a larger, higher resolution, and more responsive display, but the Swift 3's display is touch-enabled, lending itself well to interactive tasks and convenient navigation. Choose the Razer for top-tier performance and the Swift for affordability and mobility. 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 Razer Blade 18
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The Razer Blade 18 outshines the Acer Swift 3 for general use largely because of its superior CPU and RAM, providing faster performance for demanding tasks, alongside a high-quality larger screen with better resolution and color accuracy, though it is less portable and has significantly shorter battery life. In contrast, the Acer Swift 3, while offering solid performance for everyday tasks given its decent processor and RAM, emphasizes portability with its lighter build and longer battery life, along with a touchscreen feature, making it more suited for on-the-go users who prioritize ease of carrying and longer usage away from power outlets.
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.9
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 3 is only fair.
The Razer Blade 18 delivers a superior gaming and 3D experience over the Acer Swift 3 largely because it has a more powerful GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate, which are very important for such tasks. While both have quality CPUs and screen types, the Razer's top-tier components outclass the more modest offerings of the Acer Swift 3, which trades off some performance for better portability and battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and GPU, double the RAM, and superior screen quality compared to the Acer Swift 3, which, while still good with a capable CPU and sufficient RAM, has a less powerful integrated GPU and a lower resolution screen. However, the Acer Swift 3 offers better portability and longer battery life, likely trading off the top-tier performance that the Razer Blade 18 provides for users needing intensive processing and graphical capabilities for engineering tasks.
Content Creation
7.6
8.6
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
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
8.5
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
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
8.9
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Swift 3 offers a pleasing visual experience with adequate resolution and brightness, while the Razer Blade 18 provides an even sharper and brighter display, making it superior for everyday tasks and media consumption. Engineering and design professionals may find the Acer Swift 3 satisfactory due to its decent color accuracy, but the Razer Blade 18 excels with its wider color gamut coverage, ensuring more precise color representation for professional work. However, both laptops' screens may not be optimal for 3D applications since they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion in gaming and animation work.
Battery
12.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Razer Blade 18 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
$3,200
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $3,200.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the Razer Blade 18 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Razer Blade 18 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $3,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 6.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 10.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i9-13950HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 91.7 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 524 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
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 | 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."
Razer Blade 18
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | March 2023
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the Razer Blade 18
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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.
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