If you prioritize a lightweight laptop for everyday tasks, the Acer Swift Go 14 offers good general performance, a higher battery life for typical use, and greater portability due to its smaller size and weight. However, if your needs include intensive gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, the Dell Alienware m17 R5 provides superior graphics performance and a much higher screen refresh rate, which is beneficial for fast-paced visuals. Keep in mind that the Alienware is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Acer Swift Go 14
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m17 R5
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.7/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out for gaming and 3D due to its Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a high 480Hz screen refresh rate, essential for smooth, visually intensive experiences. In comparison, the Acer Swift Go 14, with its Intel i7 Iris Xe integrated graphics and lower 60Hz screen refresh rate, offers a more modest gaming and 3D performance suitable for less demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is good.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 stands out for engineering and design due to its high-performance AMD processor and a powerful Nvidia graphics card, along with a larger screen and higher refresh rate, facilitating demanding software tasks and precise visual work. In contrast, while the Acer Swift Go 14 offers commendable power with an Intel processor and integrated graphics, its smaller, more portable form factor and superior port-related capabilities make it a suitable but less potent option for engineering and design tasks.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
8.1/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
480Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m17 R5 for software development, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming, making it suitable for general use, while the color accuracy is beneficial for engineering and design work. The Dell Alienware m17 R5, while also providing a bright, high-resolution display for general activities and accurate color representation for professional design tasks, lacks a high refresh rate that 3D applications and gamers typically seek. Both laptops, despite good overall screen characteristics, fall short for gaming and 3D work, where smoother motion and faster on-screen updates are crucial.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m17 R5 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.3 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Swift Go 14 has excellent portability, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$794
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $794 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 costs $1,100.
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Acer Swift Go 14 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Go 14, with its lighter weight and smaller screen, is more portable for on-the-go use and offers a high-resolution display, which makes it suitable for everyday tasks, while the Dell Alienware m17 R5, although heavier and less battery-efficient, provides superior performance due to a more powerful CPU and dedicated graphics, catering well to users with demanding software needs.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Acer Swift Go 14 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
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Dell Alienware m17 R5 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.8/10
The Dell Alienware m17 R5 and Acer Swift Go 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Dell Alienware m17 R5 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."
"Overall, the all-AMD system in the Alienware m17 R5 is impressive, especially the graphics performance. However, various driver issues and unnecessary inconsistencies prevent us from truly enjoying such a potent gaming machine. In addition to strong 3D performance, we particularly like the build quality, the fairly bright UHD display with high color space coverage, and the fact that the gamer is often quiet when not under load and also rather quieter than some competitors under load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the Dell Alienware m17 R5
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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