Updated January 10, 2024·Prices updated 24 hours ago
If you prioritize screen quality and size for tasks like video editing or design work, the Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a larger and more vibrant OLED display which is also suitable for intensive gaming, though it is a bit more expensive and slightly less portable. However, if you prefer a laptop with better battery life, a higher-quality keyboard, and a more portable design for general use and travel, and you don't mind a smaller IPS touch screen, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 can be a more cost-effective option. Both have no hardware ray tracing or DLSS, indicating they aren't optimized for the highest-end gaming or 3D rendering experiences. 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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.3/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Acer Swift Edge 16's higher-resolution OLED screen and more powerful GPU make it well-suited for engineering and design, offering crisp visuals and solid graphics performance, while its lightweight design strikes a balance between screen size and portability. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, despite having a smaller and lower-resolution IPS screen, provides exceptional keyboard and build quality, making it a more portable and durable choice for professionals on the move who also prioritize typing comfort and device longevity.
Screen Quality
8.8/10
7.0/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
Given the importance of resolution, panel type, and brightness for general use, the Acer Swift Edge 16 stands out with its high-resolution display, superior panel technology that offers better viewing angles and color reproduction, and a bright screen that enhances visibility in various lighting conditions. For engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is crucial, the Acer's screen excels due to its wide color gamuts, ensuring more precise colors across different design applications. However, for gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rate of both the Acer and Lenovo screens may not deliver as smooth visuals as dedicated gaming laptops, where a higher refresh rate is essential for fast-paced action.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 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 Z13 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
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is ideal for general use due to its larger OLED screen with superior color coverage and higher resolution, ensuring sharp and vivid display quality, complemented by a powerful CPU and ample RAM for smooth multitasking. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers a more compact form factor for greater portability, an excellent keyboard, and a longer battery life that might appeal to users who prioritize mobility and usability throughout a longer workday, despite having a smaller IPS screen and less storage.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.3/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
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
9.1/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a higher screen refresh rate and a more powerful GPU, which makes it better for gaming and 3D applications compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, which has a lower refresh rate and less powerful GPU for these tasks. The Swift Edge also boasts a larger and more color-accurate screen, enhancing the visual experience in graphically intensive uses, whereas the ThinkPad Z13, with its smaller and less color-accurate display, is less suited for those applications.
Content Creation
8.1/10
7.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
7.9/10
7.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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 Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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."
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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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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