The Acer Swift X (2023) offers more power for tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning due to its dedicated Nvidia GPU and better processor, making it suitable for more intensive applications. However, it comes at a higher price than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. The IdeaPad, on the other hand, is more affordable and can handle general use cases effectively with its integrated Vega graphics, but it has lower performance for specialized tasks. The Swift X also has a better battery life and a higher quality display, which can be important for long work sessions and detailed visual work. If portability is important, both laptops are relatively lightweight, though the Swift X is slightly lighter. 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 speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
6.9/10
5.9/10
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) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Acer Swift X (2023) outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in gaming and 3D tasks primarily because it boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 120Hz, which provides smoother visuals during fast-paced scenes.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
6.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2023) outshines the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in engineering and design due to its superior CPU, double the RAM, dedicated high-performance GPU, and a higher-resolution, high refresh rate screen, making it well-suited for computationally intensive tasks and detailed visual work.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 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
7.9/10
7.1/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.6/10
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 Slim 3 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
8.0/10
6.4/10
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X excels in general use and engineering tasks with its vibrant colors and crisp resolution that make for an excellent visual experience, but it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate which can make fast-paced images less smooth. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 provides a decent display for everyday activities and designing work, although its color reproduction may not be as precise as needed for more professional design tasks. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops aren't ideal as gamers often look for high refresh rates which neither of these laptops prioritize.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
$390
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 costs $390.
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
Good
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2023) to have very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 compare to other laptops
"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."
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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 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.
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
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.