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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is a good option if you prefer a larger screen, more storage, and better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, thanks to its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life. Conversely, the ASUS Zenbook 13 is more portable, lighter, and offers longer battery life with an OLED screen that provides excellent color representation for general use, although it has less storage and lower performance due to integrated graphics, making it less suited for intensive tasks. Consider the Swift X if you need more power and the Zenbook 13 for portability and everyday tasks. 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
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for general use due to its larger screen with higher resolution, more RAM, and potent CPU, making for smoother multitasking and better visual experience, although it's heavier and therefore less portable. The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers great portability with lesser weight and a compact form, alongside a vivid OLED screen and longer battery life, but it has a less powerful integrated GPU and less RAM, which may be limiting for more demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.2
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU which outperforms the integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics in the ASUS Zenbook 13, and has a higher screen refresh rate, which is advantageous for fast-paced games. While the ASUS Zenbook 13 offers an OLED screen with rich colors, its lower refresh rate is less ideal for gaming, and its integrated GPU is not as powerful as a dedicated one found in the Acer Swift X 16.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a higher-end CPU and dedicated GPU, more RAM, and a larger, higher-resolution IPS display, making it better equipped for demanding engineering and design tasks when compared to the ASUS Zenbook 13, which has a mid-range CPU with integrated graphics, less RAM, and a smaller OLED display with lower resolution. While the Zenbook 13 is lighter and thus more portable, its internals and screen quality are less suited to intensive tasks that engineering and design work often requires.
Content Creation
8.3
7.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
378.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 deliver pleasing visuals with their high-resolution displays and brightness, ensuring comfortable viewing for tasks like browsing and document editing. In engineering and design, the wide color gamuts of these laptops provide accurate color representation required for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates lead to less smooth visuals, which is less ideal for fast-paced interactions and rendering that demand quicker screen updates.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,250
$890
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 costs $890.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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
7.4
The Acer Swift X 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the ASUS Zenbook 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | ASUS Zenbook 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $890 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 2.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 7.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 67 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 378 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 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 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | |
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 Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the ASUS Zenbook 13
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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