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Updated January 12, 2024·
To decide on which laptop is more suitable for you, consider your primary activities. The Acer Swift X focuses on a balance of performance and mobility for everyday work and moderate creative tasks. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers higher performance suitable for more demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, but it comes with some added weight which makes it less portable. Both have strong battery life but expect the Acer to generally last longer due to less power-intensive components. If mobility is key for everyday productivity and you're not routinely running intensive applications, the Acer Swift X could be the better fit. If maximum performance for graphics-heavy tasks is a priority and you're less concerned about carrying a heavier device, the ASUS is likely the better choice. 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 software development
- Good battery life
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X16
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0
7.6
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Acer Swift X 16 are both good for gaming and AI, though the ASUS ROG Flow X16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16, equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, offers solid gaming and 3D performance, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 steps it up with a more powerful RTX 3060 GPU, plus a similar 165 Hz screen refresh rate and the added benefit of a touchscreen, enhancing its capability for gaming and 3D applications.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.5
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
502.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Flow X16 for software development, and content creation, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a vibrant, sharp display for activities such as browsing or watching videos, both the Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 offer crisp and bright visuals suitable for such tasks. For those into engineering and design, the accurate color representation and wide color gamuts on these laptops ensure that your creative work is displayed with precision and fidelity. However, if gaming or working with 3D content is a priority, the lower refresh rates on these laptops mean less smooth motion, which can be a drawback for fast-paced games or fluidly navigating 3D spaces.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
502.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 are both very good for general use.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers better battery life and is lighter, enhancing its portability for general use, whereas the ASUS ROG Flow X16, although slightly heavier, has a more potent CPU and higher-quality speakers, making it suitable for both general use and more demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X 16 and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 both excel in engineering and design due to robust CPUs, ample RAM for multitasking, and quality GPUs capable of handling demanding software; both also feature high-resolution screens delivering sharp visuals. While the Swift X 16 is slightly lighter and thinner, enhancing portability, the ROG Flow X16 offers a higher screen brightness and color accuracy, which may be preferable for design work, at the expense of being slightly heavier and producing more operating noise.
Content Creation
8.3
8.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 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
8.0
7.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS ROG Flow X16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,250
$1,300
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 costs $1,300.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | ASUS ROG Flow X16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.6'' x 0.76'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.57" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 502 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2023
"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."
ASUS ROG Flow X16
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NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | June 2023
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the ASUS ROG Flow X16
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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