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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16, being somewhat more expensive than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, offers a larger screen, higher resolution, more storage, and better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its stronger processor and graphics. It also features an OLED display which is beneficial for intense color work, though it has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a bit lighter, smaller, and has a longer battery life, making it more portable and easier to carry around. It's less suited for intensive tasks but could serve well for general use. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.0
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, with a more powerful CPU, more RAM, and a high-quality OLED screen, excels in general use due to its better multitasking capabilities and superior display for various tasks. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, despite being highly portable with excellent battery life, is less suitable for demanding tasks because of its relatively less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a screen with lower resolution and color coverage.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.0
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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 AMD Radeon GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 120, enhancing gaming and 3D performance, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a less capable Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60, making it less suited for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is better suited for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, more RAM, and a higher quality OLED screen, which are very important for running complex software and viewing detailed designs. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while more portable and having quieter operating noise, has a less powerful CPU and GPU, less RAM, and an IPS screen with lower resolution, which may not perform as well with demanding engineering tasks and detailed design work.
Content Creation
8.1
7.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Edge 16 is somewhat better.
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
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you're primarily browsing the web, working on documents, or streaming video, the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its high resolution and bright display offers crisp and vibrant visuals, making it excellent for such daily tasks. In engineering and design work where accurate color representation is crucial, the Acer's coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures precise hues making it a strong option for professionals. However, for gaming or 3D rendering, its slower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops means motion might not be as smooth, detracting from the overall experience in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Acer Swift Edge 16 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$565
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $565 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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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