The Acer Swift Go 14 offers better portability due to its smaller size and lighter weight, alongside a higher battery capacity which could translate to longer usage times between charges. This model boasts a higher screen resolution and better color coverage, which might be ideal for tasks involving graphics or media. With more RAM, it's also better suited for multitasking. Alternatively, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a larger screen which could be preferable for productivity or entertainment purposes, but it's heavier and might have a shorter battery life. If you require a number pad or want to spend a little less, the Lenovo could be the better option for you. 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
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift Go 14.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
6.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift Go 14 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a more powerful CPU and GPU, twice the RAM, and a higher resolution, higher quality display compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17", making it better suited for demanding engineering and design tasks. However, the IdeaPad offers larger screen real estate and potentially superior operating noise management, which may appeal to users prioritizing a quiet work environment and a larger display over top performance.
Screen Quality
6.8/10
6.7/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, making text and images clear and easy to view. Engineering and design professionals will find both laptops' screens display a broad range of colors, but they may lack some precision in color representation which is crucial for detailed work. However, gamers and 3D designers will be less satisfied with these models as their screens have lower refresh rates, meaning less smooth motion and lower responsiveness in fast-paced visual tasks.
Portability
Excellent
Good
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift Go 14 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
6.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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.
Cost
$793
$784
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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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About the laptop team
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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Laptops Expert
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