A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge is less expensive and offers good general use with its light weight and long battery life, making it ideal for work and travel. On the other hand, the Dell Alienware provides high performance for gaming, 3D modeling, and intensive tasks, but it is heavier and typically has a shorter battery life, which may not be as suitable for frequent mobility. Consider the Acer if budget and portability are priorities, or the Dell if you require robust performance for demanding applications and are less concerned about cost and ease of transport. 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 content creation
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m16 R2
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.9
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 stands out for gaming and 3D tasks primarily due to its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, which deliver smoother visuals and better performance in demanding applications. In contrast, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 has a decent screen quality and capable CPU, its GPU and refresh rate aren't as optimized for the heavy graphics load that gaming and 3D modeling or rendering typically require.
Screen Quality
8.8
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m16 R2 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Edge 16's impressive resolution and brightness, along with its panel type, make it a good fit for general use and engineering tasks where clarity and color accuracy are crucial. Dell's Alienware m16 R2, similarly, offers a strong combination of these features, providing detailed and vibrant visuals suitable for both everyday tasks and demanding engineering and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which are essential for the smooth rendering of fast-paced visuals.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.5
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$1,650
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 costs $1,650.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
302.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, with its adequate processing power and memory, high-quality screen, and longer battery life, is well-suited for everyday tasks, offering a balance of performance and portability. The Dell Alienware m16 R2, on the other hand, delivers superior CPU and RAM capabilities, prioritizing high-end performance for demanding applications at the expense of heavier weight and shorter battery life, yet it still offers a robust screen and good general usability.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.4
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m16 R2 and Acer Swift Edge 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, with its capable CPU, ample RAM, and decent GPU, supports engineering tasks, while its screen quality is suitable for design work; however, the Dell Alienware m16 R2 goes further with a more powerful CPU and GPU, enhancing its ability to handle demanding engineering software and deliver exceptional screen clarity. The Alienware's tradeoff comes in the form of reduced portability due to its size and weight, despite its superior performance, whereas the Swift Edge offers more mobility, a comfortable keyboard, and quieter operation, though with slightly less raw power for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
8.1
7.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Edge 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
7.6
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Dell Alienware m16 R2 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
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m16 R2 has 6 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.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Dell Alienware m16 R2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Dell Alienware m16 R2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $1,650 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 14.3'' x 9.8'' x 0.93'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 5.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.33" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.81" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 302 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 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 | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Dell Alienware m16 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Momo Tabari | January 2024
"Alienware’s m16 R2 is a solid gaming laptop that leaves much to be desired, particularly in its quest to fulfill your needs as a product for productivity. Battery life under eight hours and a dim display are both vital issues for something that will accompany you through school projects or a workday. However, the Alienware m16 R2 is an exceedingly powerful gaming laptop, consistently being one of the best in our performance tests when compared against similar products. Even then, its display is lacking color, its fans get pretty darn loud, and its speakers aren’t punchy enough to rise above that noise."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Dell Alienware m16 R2
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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