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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X is less expensive and more portable, suitable for general use and lighter engineering tasks; however, it may not handle intensive engineering, 3D rendering, or machine learning as efficiently as the Lenovo ThinkPad P16. The ThinkPad P16, while more expensive and heavier, offers superior performance for demanding engineering applications and more robust build quality, but it is less convenient to carry around. 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 portability
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0
8.2
14.5in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Swift X and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offer high-resolution, bright displays with panel types that render sharp images and vibrant colors, making everyday activities like browsing and video streaming enjoyable. Engineering and design tasks, which require accurate color reproduction, are well-served by these laptops as they cover a wide range of color gamuts, ensuring that the designs you see on screen are true to life and print-ready. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lack of high refresh rates on both models means that fast-paced visuals may not appear as smooth, which could detract from an immersive gaming experience.
Portability
Very Good
Poor
14.5in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
$1,449
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is good.
The Acer Swift X (2023) boasts a solid CPU and GPU combo suitable for daily tasks, complemented by a high-quality, bright display, and exceptional portability due to its light weight and small form factor, ensuring long-lasting battery life for convenience on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.9
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a high refresh rate display, making it good for gaming and 3D tasks, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 includes a professional-grade Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU but a standard refresh rate screen. Deciding between them involves considering the Swift X's smoother visual experience for gaming due to its higher screen refresh rate against the ThinkPad P16's potentially better graphical performance in professional 3D work.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 outperforms the Acer Swift X (2023) in engineering and design due to its superior CPU, the Intel i7-12800HX compared to Swift X's i5-13500H, and a more powerful Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, providing better processing and graphical capabilities, essential for demanding engineering software. Additionally, the ThinkPad P16 has a higher resolution display, increasing screen clarity for detailed design work, although this contributes to its greater weight and less portability compared to the lighter Acer Swift X.
Content Creation
8.0
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
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Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
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Recommendations made
28,513
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
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