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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2023) offers higher performance suitable for engineering tasks, 3D work, machine learning, and gaming, thanks to its powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. Its higher price reflects this capability. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more affordable, lighter, and smaller, making it highly portable and ideal for general use. However, its performance is more modest compared to the Acer, with less storage and a less powerful integrated graphics card, which may not be suitable for intensive tasks. You'll also find better battery life in the Acer, which can be crucial for on-the-go productivity without frequent charging. 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 battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift X (2023) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is considered better for general use because it offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, superior screen quality with a higher resolution and color accuracy, and a dedicated GPU which enhances performance in a variety of tasks. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while more portable due to its lighter weight and smaller size, has a less powerful CPU, half the RAM, and relies on integrated graphics, which along with a lower resolution screen and shorter battery life, makes it just fair for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.0
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Acer Swift X (2023) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X is better suited for gaming and 3D applications thanks to its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and higher screen refresh rate, which deliver a more immersive and smooth visual experience. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a less powerful integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, making it adequate for less demanding games and 3D work.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is better suited for engineering and design due to its high-end CPU, ample RAM, dedicated GPU, and superior screen quality, all of which are very important for such tasks, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with its modest CPU, lower RAM, integrated GPU, and average screen quality, offers just fair performance for engineering and design but is more portable and has better speaker quality.
Content Creation
8.0
7.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.0
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
6.9
14.5in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When choosing between the Acer Swift X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, consider that the Acer Swift X offers vivid colors and sharp images due to a higher resolution and brightness, providing a more engaging experience when browsing or watching videos. For engineering and design tasks, the Acer Swift X stands out with its wider color gamut, enabling more accurate color representation for tasks like photo editing or CAD work. However, if gaming or working with 3D applications is a priority, the lower refresh rate on both laptops may lead to less fluid motion and slower response times compared to models specifically tailored for these uses.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.5in
SIZE
12.4in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,100
$774
$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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $774.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Acer Swift X (2023) both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $774 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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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