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Updated January 12, 2024·
If price is a major factor for you, the Acer Swift Go 14 provides good value and can handle everyday tasks effectively. However, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" typically offers a more premium build quality, a better screen, and potentially better performance for more demanding applications. The Surface is also generally seen as more portable and stylish, with a higher resolution screen that might be preferable if you often work on graphics or enjoy multimedia content. In contrast, the Acer will usually give you longer battery life so it can be a more practical choice if you're frequently on the move and far from power outlets. If you lean towards gaming, 3D applications, or heavier engineering software, the higher priced Surface might be better equipped to meet those needs, assuming it has superior specifications. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provide crisp images and bright displays, ensuring that daily tasks like browsing and video streaming are visually pleasing. For engineering and design, they both cover a wide range of colors, making them suitable for professionals who work with graphic design or video editing where color accuracy is key. However, both laptops have lower refresh rates, which means they are less ideal for gaming and 3D rendering tasks that require smooth motion and quick screen updates.
Cost
$794
$1,200
$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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers a good balance of power and portability with its capable CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality IPS screen, the battery is also sizable for extended use. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" features a similarly powerful CPU and amount of RAM, a slightly more portable design, and a high-resolution touchscreen with greater pixel density for sharper image quality, but it has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are deemed fair for gaming and 3D because both have integrated Iris Xe graphics, sufficient for casual gaming but not ideal for demanding titles or high-end 3D work. Each laptop has similar screen refresh rates, not optimized for gaming that benefits from higher rates; however, the Surface Laptop offers a slightly higher screen resolution and pixel density than the Swift Go, potentially offering a marginally better visual experience in games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift Go 14 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-quality CPU and GPU that handle demanding software smoothly, and its excellent portability and keyboard quality, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" boasts a superior screen with higher resolution and aspect ratio, favorable for detailed design work, but has less ideal keyboard and portability characteristics compared to the Acer.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.5in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$794 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift Go 14
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | May 2023
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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