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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16, being more expensive, offers higher performance suitable for intensive tasks with its advanced processor and better graphics. The screen has higher resolution and OLED technology, which is excellent for visual clarity. It also has more storage and memory, crucial for demanding applications and multitasking. On the other hand, the Gateway 11.6" is much more budget-friendly, with basic performance adequate for everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing. It is lighter and may be more portable, but it has a lower resolution display and less powerful components, making it less suitable for high-end gaming or professional graphic work. If you need a workhorse and can invest more, the Acer would serve you well; if you're looking for something for basic use without a heftier price tag, the Gateway could suffice. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
5.6
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers robust performance for general use with its higher RAM and advanced CPU, alongside a superior OLED screen for a clearer and more vivid viewing experience; its solid battery life and sizable storage also contribute to its overall utility. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" lags behind with a basic CPU, less RAM, and a lower-resolution IPS screen, which diminishes its effectiveness for everyday tasks despite its excellent portability and good battery endurance.
Gaming and AI
6.7
5.4
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is equipped with a more powerful AMD Radeon 780M GPU and has a higher screen refresh rate of 120, which makes it better for gaming and 3D applications, while the Gateway 11.6" only has an Intel UHD Graphics 600 (N4020) GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 60, which leads to poorer performance in those tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
5.4
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is suitable for engineering and design due to its high-performance CPU, ample RAM and dedicated GPU, and a high-resolution OLED screen that produces sharp images. In comparison, the Gateway 11.6" has a lower-tier CPU, less RAM, less powerful integrated graphics, and a lower-resolution screen, making it less capable of handling the demands of engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.1
5.7
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
16.0in
SIZE
11.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 delivers vibrant, detailed visuals fit for general tasks and professional design work due to its high-resolution display and color accuracy, ensuring that images are sharp and colors are true to life. However, its lower refresh rate can be a drawback for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is crucial. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" offers a more basic experience across the board, with lower resolution and color fidelity that may not satisfy users looking for clarity and precision in any context, significantly impacting the experience for general use, engineering, and gaming.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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.
Build Quality
7.2
5.1
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$89
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
11.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 11.6" to have excellent portability, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Gateway 11.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Gateway 11.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $89 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 7.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 11.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 200 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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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