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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, consider the following: The Acer Swift X offers a better GPU, which is ideal for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, plus higher screen refresh rates for smoother visuals, but it has a somewhat lower portability score. The Dell Inspiron, while slightly more expensive, includes Windows 11 Pro and offers business-oriented features, though with a less powerful GPU. Both have similar battery life for typical use and comparable performance for general tasks, so if GPU performance and a better screen are priorities, the Acer might be a good choice; conversely, if you value business features, the Dell could be preferable. Both laptops are suitable for gaming to some extent. 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 for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2023).
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.4
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift X (2023) is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is well-suited for engineering and design due to its Intel i5-13500H processor, 16 GB of RAM, Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which suggest strong performance and graphic capabilities alongside very good screen quality with a high pixel density and brightness, and full coverage of DCI-P3 and sRGB color spaces which is essential for design accuracy. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's high-performance Intel i7-1255U CPU and similar memory complement its Nvidia MX570 GPU but it falls short on screen quality with lower pixel density and brightness, and significantly less coverage of critical color spaces, despite its strengths in portability and a high-quality keyboard.
Content Creation
8.0
7.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
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
7.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift X (2023) 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
8.0
6.5
14.5in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X boasts a high-resolution display that's bright and vibrant, which is crucial for general use and seeing fine details in engineering applications, but it suffers in gaming due to a lower refresh rate, affecting smoothness in fast-paced scenes. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420's screen offers adequate clarity and brightness for day-to-day tasks and engineering software, but its color range falls short for professional design work where color accuracy is critical. Both laptops struggle for gaming and 3D applications, as neither has a high enough refresh rate to provide the seamless visuals that gamers and 3D designers seek.
Build Quality
7.6
7.0
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality, though the Acer Swift X (2023) has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$971
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2023) offers a potent combination with a powerful CPU, high screen quality with a high refresh rate, and a solid battery life, making it a well-rounded laptop for general use; it's also quite portable and manages heat effectively, enhancing user comfort. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 also presents a strong case for general use with a solid CPU and RAM setup, it has a relatively good screen, and while it has a somewhat lower battery capacity, it compensates with excellent build quality and heat management, which is beneficial for extended use.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has 10 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
Very Good
14.5in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 and Acer Swift X (2023) both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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."
Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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Smarthouse
Nick Ross | March 2023
"If laptops were food, then the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is arguably a Big Mac. There are cheaper and more expensive options, but this arguably represents the baseline of quality and value in the world of mobile computing… something that’s underlined by the attractive $1,279 price tag."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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.
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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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