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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers more storage and memory, which might be better for heavier workloads and multitasking. Its larger screen and battery could be beneficial for extended use, but it's slightly heavier, which might impact portability. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter with a smaller screen, potentially making it more portable and comfortable for on-the-go use, but it has less storage and memory, so it might not handle intensive tasks as well as the Acer. Both share similar processors and graphics capabilities, suitable for general use and light productivity tasks. Choose the Acer for performance or the Surface for portability. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift Go 14 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Go 14 comes with higher RAM and a more powerful CPU, and has a larger and higher resolution screen, which contributes to its better performance for general use compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which despite being lighter and having a higher screen brightness, offers less RAM, a less powerful CPU, and a smaller, lower resolution display. The longer battery life of the Swift Go 14 also makes it more suitable for extended use without charging, whereas the Surface Laptop Go 3, while highly portable due to its compact size and lighter weight, may require more frequent charging.
Software Development
7.6
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Go 14 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
6.8
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for software development, and content creation.
Both the Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 have panels with resolutions and brightness levels that provide clear and vivid images, making them suitable for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, which are common in general use. For engineering and design, their screens cover a wide range of colors, ensuring that professionals who work with visual content can see accurate reproductions, but they lack the high refresh rates that gaming and 3D applications require for smooth motion and reduced lag. Hence, while they offer quality visuals for general productivity and professional design tasks, their refresh rates may not be high enough to satisfy the demands of gaming or creating and interacting with 3D content.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.1
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
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 Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are considered fair for gaming and 3D because they share integrated graphics, the Intel Iris Xe, and boast standard screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which can handle some gaming but not at the highest level. Although the Acer has a better CPU and a larger, higher resolution screen, enhancing gaming and 3D experiences, both laptops' capabilities in these areas are limited by the modest GPU power and screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Go 14 to be good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.6
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Go 14 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Portability
Excellent
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Acer Swift Go 14 both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Cost
$793
$788
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
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How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$793 | $788 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 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 | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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 Go 3
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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