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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Acer Swift X with its dedicated Nvidia graphics is a better choice; however, it's also less affordable. Conversely, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is more budget-friendly and offers a larger screen, but it's heavier which affects portability and it uses integrated graphics that are less suited for intensive tasks. The Acer has a sturdier build, brighter display with higher resolution, and longer battery life, making it a good all-rounder if you can manage the extra cost and slightly smaller screen size. 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
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift X (2023) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.1
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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
9.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift X (2023) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2023) outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" in gaming and 3D applications mainly because it has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which is more powerful than the Lenovo's integrated Vega 7 graphics, and a higher screen refresh rate at 120 Hz compared to Lenovo's 60 Hz, providing a smoother visual experience.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.6
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i5 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, combined with a high-quality display that offers excellent color coverage and resolution. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a less powerful AMD Ryzen 5 CPU with integrated Vega 7 graphics, less RAM, and a lower-quality display, making it less capable of handling demanding engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.0
7.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
6.7
14.5in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
307.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the Acer Swift X for general use, its high resolution and brightness, coupled with the panel type, contribute to a sharp and clear display. For engineering and design tasks, the Swift X excels due to its wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation vital for precise work. However, its lower refresh rate holds it back for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion provided by a higher refresh rate is essential for an optimal experience.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.5in
SIZE
17.3in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
6.5
The Acer Swift X (2023) has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$784
$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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" costs $784.
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Key similarities
Battery
10.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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.
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How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $784 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 15.71" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 10.79" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 45 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 17.3" | |
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 | 307 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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."
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | December 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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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