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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a larger screen, higher resolution, and better performance for engineering and 3D/machine learning tasks, making it suitable for intensive work, but it is less portable due to its size and weight. The ASUS Zenbook 13 is more portable and offers good performance for general use, but its smaller screen and lower performance hardware mean it's not as well-suited for demanding tasks. You'll need to balance the need for screen size and performance against portability and the suitability for the tasks you will be performing. Battery life is comparable, so focus on performance and portability when deciding. 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 Edge 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
- Excellent portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.4
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, with a larger, high-resolution OLED screen, more RAM, and a robust CPU, is ideal for multitasking and enjoying media, though this plus generous storage comes at the cost of slightly less battery life compared to the ASUS Zenbook 13, which offers a smaller, lighter form factor with great battery life and a high-quality OLED display for on-the-go use, albeit with less power under the hood and half the storage capacity.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.2
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its AMD Radeon 780M graphics unit and a screen that refreshes 120 times per second, which can render fast-moving images more smoothly. In comparison, the ASUS Zenbook 13's integrated AMD Ryzen graphics and lower screen refresh rate of 60 times per second aren't as adept for these activities.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is favored for engineering and design due to its higher RAM, more capable CPU, and stronger GPU, catering well to software and tasks that demand significant processing and graphical power, coupled with a high-resolution screen that's essential for detailed work. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 13, while more portable and with a high-quality screen, has less RAM and a less powerful CPU and integrated graphics, making it less suited for the most intensive engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.1
7.6
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.9
7.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 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
8.8
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the ASUS Zenbook 13, for general use and engineering tasks, both offer high-resolution displays with bright, vibrant screens, ensuring clear and sharp images. The Acer stands out in engineering and design with its wider color gamuts, which provide more accurate colors crucial for detailed design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops may fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which result in less fluid motion and could detract from fast-paced visual experiences.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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.
Cost
$820
$890
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 costs $890.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook 13 to have excellent portability, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.4
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Acer Swift Edge 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 Edge 16 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | ASUS Zenbook 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $890 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 2.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 7.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 67 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 378 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift Edge 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | October 2023
"The Acer Swift Edge 16 is a solid super thin-and-light that pairs a large, gorgeous 16-inch display with portable design that rivals the weight of LG’s superlight Gram 16. Remarkably, Acer achieves this at a lower price point without sacrificing performance. Boring design and disappointing battery life hold the laptop back from stardom, but its rivals frequently suffer in these areas, too. That makes the Swift Edge 16 an alluring value pick."
ASUS Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the ASUS Zenbook 13
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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