Choosing between the Acer Swift X 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) involves weighing up price against features. The Swift X 16 is generally more expensive, offering more storage, more RAM, a larger and higher resolution 16-inch display with a higher refresh rate, and a more powerful main processor. This makes it well-suited for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering. In contrast, the Swift X (2021) is less expensive, lighter, and offers a longer battery life, making it more portable and suitable for general use or on-the-go productivity, but it may not be as capable in handling demanding applications. Select the Swift X 16 if enhanced performance and a larger screen for detailed tasks are your priorities despite its higher price and weight, or choose the Swift X (2021) if portability, longer battery life, and cost savings are more important, and your computing needs are moderate. 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 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Acer Swift X (2021)
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for general use with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a higher resolution and larger screen than the Acer Swift X (2021), which contributes to its very good rating. However, the Swift X (2021) offers a longer battery life and lighter weight, enhancing its portability and making it a good option for general use.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.3/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the Acer Swift X (2021) as it features a higher screen refresh rate, which ensures smoother visuals in fast-paced games, and a more powerful main processor for improved performance in complex tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is very suitable for engineering and design use because it has a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a higher resolution screen which enhance performance and visual clarity critical for such tasks, while the Acer Swift X (2021) offers good service with a capable yet less powerful CPU and RAM, and it is lighter therefore more portable, advantageous for users regularly on the move. Both laptops have the same GPU and good-quality IPS displays, but the Swift X 16's larger and sharper screen gives an edge for detailed work, though it makes it less compact than the Swift X (2021).
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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
8.0/10
7.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
372.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the Acer Swift X 16 and the Acer Swift X (2021) for general use, you'll find the X 16 offers a clearer and more vivid display due to its superior screen resolution and brightness, enhancing everyday tasks like web browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, the X 16's wider color gamuts provide more accurate color reproduction which is crucial for professional photo editing or CAD work. However, if you're into gaming or 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal since they lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion, although the Swift X 16's higher resolution and panel quality offer a somewhat better viewing experience for less demanding visual tasks.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift X 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
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,250
$580
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Acer Swift X (2021) costs $580.
"Acer’s Swift X 16 is an excellent choice for shoppers who want a 16-inch laptop and care more for performance than attractive design or long battery life. The Swift X 16’s gorgeous OLED display, spacious keyboard, and big touchpad make it pleasant to use in basic day-to-day tasks. It also has an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, which combine to deliver good performance in a wide variety of productivity applications and games. A few minor mistakes, like poorly-placed USB-C ports that lack DisplayPort, will turn off some shoppers, but those who can accept its shortcomings will find the Swift X 16 a versatile daily driver."
"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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Acer Swift X (2021)
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.
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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