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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is more expensive than the Gateway 15.6" but offers better performance across general use, 3D/machine learning, and engineering tasks, with higher-quality screen colors and suitability for intensive gaming. It's also lighter and thinner, making it more portable, although its battery life is average. On the other hand, the Gateway, while less expensive and with lower performance, has a higher portability score, potentially due to its longer battery life. 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
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
- The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Edge 16.
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.0
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is well-suited for general use due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, ample RAM, high-quality OLED screen, and lightweight design, which enhance performance while offering a crisp display and portability, though its battery life is moderate. The Gateway 15.6" also caters to general use with sufficient RAM and a decent Intel i5 CPU, but it has a lower storage capacity and an IPS screen with lower color coverage, and while heavier, it has good heat management and a comparable keyboard quality.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.0
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
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is equipped with a more powerful GPU, the AMD Radeon 780M, and offers a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz, enhancing the gaming and 3D experience through smoother graphics and better response times. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" uses the Intel Iris Xe graphics integrated with its CPU and has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which provides a fair performance for gaming and 3D but falls short when compared to the more game-centric features of the Acer Swift Edge 16.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.2
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is superior for engineering and design because it boasts an advanced AMD CPU and GPU with higher screen resolution and quality, advantages that are crucial for demanding tasks. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" has an older Intel CPU and integrated graphics, which are less powerful, and its screen quality is lower, making it less ideal for intensive engineering and design work.
Content Creation
8.1
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a crisp, clear display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the Acer Swift Edge 16 provides superior resolution and brightness, enhancing your viewing experience. However, for engineering and design work, this same laptop stands out because it covers a wider range of colors, ensuring your projects look accurate and vibrant. On the other hand, the Gateway's fair quality in both general and engineering use means it's adequate but won't offer the same level of detail or color fidelity, and for gaming or working with 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth motion.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Gateway 15.6" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
5.1
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$600
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $600.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 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 | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 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 | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Gateway 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Gateway 15.6"
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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