If you prioritize saving money and getting a larger screen for your tasks, the Acer Swift Edge 16 may suit you well, though it may not match the durability and premium build quality of the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, which tends to be preferred in business environments for its robustness and keyboard comfort. The ThinkPad may also offer more security features, which is a key consideration for professional use, but this often comes with a higher cost. Consider the importance of build quality, security, and your budget when making your decision. 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 overall display quality
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.8/10
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen for content creation.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 boasts a high-resolution and bright display, making it excellent for general use where clarity and visibility are key. Its coverage of wider color gamuts ensures precise color reproduction for engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is critical. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D work, where smoother motion and rapid screen updates are essential.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
7.2/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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
$1,241
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 costs $1,241.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is good.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, with a decent processor and sufficient RAM, offers a balance of performance and screen quality for everyday tasks, with the added benefit of being lightweight for portability, though it may compromise on battery life. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, known for its robust build and keyboard quality, provides reliable performance backed by a great CPU and ample RAM, along with a durable battery, making it a strong contender for prolonged general use, despite being slightly less portable.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.7/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while fair for gaming and 3D tasks, may not deliver the highest frame rates or graphics detail due to their GPUs and screen refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth and visually immersive experiences. They can handle moderate workloads appropriately given their CPUs and decent screen quality, but serious gamers or professionals in 3D fields will likely seek more specialized hardware.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.0/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, equipped with a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and a dedicated GPU, excels at handling complex engineering software, while its high-resolution display benefits design-oriented tasks. Contrastingly, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while still capable in performance, offers a more portable solution with robust keyboard quality, making it comfortable for long work sessions, even if its screen and speakers are less impressive.
Content Creation
8.1/10
8.2/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Acer Swift Edge 16 are both very good for content creation.
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
7.9/10
8.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 to be very good for software development, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Acer Swift Edge 16 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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