The Acer Swift Go 14 is typically more affordable and more portable with a longer battery life, which may suit you if you're often on the move and primarily perform general tasks or light productivity work. However, if you require top-notch performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, while more expensive and heavier with a shorter battery life, provides significantly better performance due to its powerful processor and advanced graphics card. The tradeoff here is between a more budget-friendly, travel-friendly laptop and a high-performance machine dedicated to more demanding applications. 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 Go 14
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers superior gaming and 3D performance over the Acer Swift Go 14 because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 240Hz compared to the Acer's Intel i7-1355U Iris Xe graphics and 60Hz refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is good.
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a decent processor and integrated graphics which are suitable for engineering and design, and its lightweight design enhances portability, but the Dell Alienware m15 R7 offers a more powerful CPU and high-end dedicated GPU, making it better for more demanding engineering and design tasks, although it is less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
8.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers a display that is suitable for tasks like browsing and document editing due to its adequate resolution and brightness, but it may lack the high refresh rates desired for smooth gaming and 3D rendering. The Dell Alienware m15 R7, with its superior resolution, brightness, and color accuracy, excels in presentations and detailed design work, catering well to engineering and professional editing needs. However, both screens underperform for gaming and 3D applications because they do not prioritize the high refresh rates that are critical for fluid motion and responsiveness in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 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.
Portability
Excellent
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift Go 14 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift Go 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$794
$2,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $794 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers a balance suitable for general use with its lightweight design and strong battery life, accommodating everyday portability and extended use without frequent charging. In contrast, the Dell Alienware m15 R7, while it showcases a higher resolution screen and powerful CPU and GPU suitable for gaming and heavy tasks, compromises on battery life and portability due to its larger size and heavier weight.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 are both 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
7.6/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Dell Alienware m15 R7 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.
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How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
"The Acer Swift Go 14 is a surprising machine. Its performance, display, and battery life leave little to be desired from a device at this price. You might think it’d be cheaper given the “Go” in the name, or thinner given its close competition with thin-and-light laptops, but it manages to strike a decent enough balance between its capabilities and hardware to really stand out as an exceptional value."
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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 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
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