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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16, with a midrange price, offers a good balance between performance and portability, with its lighter weight suitable for carrying around. It is less expensive than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and provides solid performance for general and engineering use, plus it also has a better battery life for typical usage. However, if you're looking for higher performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive gaming, the ASUS with its premium price and more powerful CPU and GPU could be worthwhile despite its heavier weight and lower portability. Both have similar RAM and storage, but the ASUS excels in display refresh rates suitable for fast-paced gaming. Choose the Acer if you need a more portable, cost-effective option for everyday and professional tasks, or the ASUS if gaming and high performance are your priorities. 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 software development
- Good portability
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X 16 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 sports an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which makes it good for gaming and 3D tasks by providing smooth visuals, but the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 steps up with an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a superior refresh rate of 360Hz, delivering very good gaming and 3D performance with highly responsive and fluid graphics.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.1
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When choosing between the Acer Swift X 16 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 for general use, you'll find the Acer's display offers vibrant colors and clarity due to its higher resolution and brightness, which enhance everyday activities like web browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, the Acer Swift X might provide wider color gamuts, making it suitable for color-sensitive work, whereas the ASUS, despite being adequate, may not cover the color gamuts as extensively. However, for gaming and 3D work, the ASUS ROG Strix, with its focus on high refresh rates, would outperform the Acer Swift X, which has a lower refresh rate, making fast-paced visuals less smooth.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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.
Cost
$1,250
$2,499
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 costs $2,499.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
292.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is praised for general use due to its balance of performance from the AMD Ryzen processors, solid battery life, and good portability given its lower weight and smaller screen size, which also features high resolution and color accuracy for a pleasing visual experience. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers superior CPU performance with its Intel i9 processor and a higher-tier Nvidia GPU, which makes it great for more demanding tasks, but at the cost of heavier weight and reduced battery life, which impacts portability.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a solid CPU and GPU combination for engineering and design tasks, with a high-resolution screen that enhances visual clarity for detailed work, while being more portable and quieter than its counterpart. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 with its more powerful GPU and top-tier CPU is better suited for the most demanding engineering simulations and 3D work, notwithstanding it being less convenient to carry around due to larger size and heavier weight.
Content Creation
8.3
8.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 6.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.55" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 11.1" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i9-12900H | |
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 | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 292 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | No Webcam | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
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 Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Strix Scar 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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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