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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2023) is often less expensive and has a longer battery life, suitable for general use and more portable with a slightly larger screen. However, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13, while typically more expensive, offers a higher performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks, and is better for intensive gaming with a more powerful processor and graphics card. The ASUS is also lighter with a smaller screen that supports touch, a higher refresh rate, and better color accuracy, making it more suited for on-the-go professionals and gamers. Consider your needs and budget carefully to decide which tradeoffs are acceptable 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 X (2023)
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
- Very good for general use
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.9
7.5
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is suitable for gaming and 3D tasks thanks to its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, which provides fluid visuals, but its less powerful CPU compared to ASUS might make it slightly slower in heavy tasks. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, offering superior gaming and graphics performance, though its higher capabilities come with a reduction in battery capacity compared to the Acer.
Screen Quality
8.0
8.4
14.5in
SIZE
13.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, and content creation.
When considering the Acer Swift X and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 for general use, both provide crisp visuals and bright displays due to their high resolution and panel technology, offering comfortable viewing for everyday tasks. For engineering and design activities, both laptops cover a broad range of colors as indicated by their color gamut support, which ensures that designers see accurate and vibrant colors. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial, both the Acer Swift X and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 fall short because their screens do not refresh as quickly as dedicated gaming laptops, which may lead to less fluid visuals in fast-paced environments.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 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
Very Good
Excellent
14.5in
SIZE
13.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X (2023) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$1,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 costs $1,600.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is good.
The Acer Swift X (2023) offers a solid blend of a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality screen, making it good for general use, highlighted by its decent battery capacity and portability due to its lightweight. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is rated very good for general use because it boasts a superior CPU, a premium screen with touch capabilities, and greater portability thanks to its lighter weight and tablet mode, even though the battery life is shorter compared to the Acer.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 outshines the Acer Swift X (2023) for engineering and design use due to its higher-performing CPU and GPU, which are crucial for intensive tasks, alongside a superior touch-enabled screen which benefits design work. However, while the ASUS is lighter and more portable with a detachable keyboard, increasing its versatility, the Acer offers a quieter operating experience and a larger battery, potentially translating to longer usage times and less distraction in quiet environments.
Content Creation
8.0
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very 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
7.9
8.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Flow Z13 to be very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is good.
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 X (2023) and the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | ASUS ROG Flow Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 11.9'' x 8.1'' x 0.54'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 11.89" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.11" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 511 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 4K | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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
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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
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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