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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priorities are performance and multitasking for tasks like engineering, 3D modeling, or machine learning, and you don't mind spending more, the Acer Swift X (2023) with its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card is well-suited for these needs. It also boasts a high-resolution display and longer battery life, which can be significant for productivity. However, it may be less portable due to its slightly higher weight compared to the Gateway 14.1", which is more budget-friendly. The Gateway 14.1" could be considered if the price is a major factor, and your tasks are less demanding, such as general web browsing, simple office applications, and media consumption. 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)
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 14.1"
- The Gateway 14.1" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9
5.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X (2023) outperforms the Gateway 14.1" for general use due to its significantly more powerful CPU, extra RAM, higher quality screen, and better graphics card, which contribute to faster and more efficient performance, crisp image quality, and a higher level of detail in visuals. Additionally, the Acer has a more robust build and thermal management, ensuring a comfortable experience during extended use, whereas the Gateway, despite being slightly lighter, falls short in build quality, screen color, and overall performance, making it less suitable for multitasking and demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
6.9
5.4
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X features a Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 120Hz, essential for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D experiences. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" has a significantly weaker Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, which are not suited for demanding graphic tasks and will result in lower performance in gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.0
5.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
8.0
5.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
6.0
14.5in
SIZE
14.1in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X offers a higher resolution and brightness, making it more suitable for general tasks and detail-oriented work such as engineering and design, where crisp, clear visuals are essential. This laptop also features panels reflecting a wider range of colors, which is crucial for professionals needing accurate color representation in their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, which demand fluid motion, it falls short because it has a lower refresh rate compared to laptops specifically tailored for those activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" 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.
Build Quality
7.6
5.1
The Acer Swift X (2023) has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$99
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.5in
SIZE
14.1in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Gateway 14.1" 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 Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 14.1" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the Gateway 14.1"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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