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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is generally less expensive than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 and offers a midrange price. It has a larger storage capacity but comes with a less powerful GPU compared to the Alienware's RTX 3070 Ti. The Swift X 16 also boasts a longer battery life for typical usage, making it more suited for general use with added portability; its larger 16-inch screen with a higher pixel density may appeal to those needing space for productivity tasks. However, if your focus is on higher gaming or engineering performance, the Alienware’s more robust processor and GPU, higher screen refresh rate, and capability for intensive gaming, despite having a shorter battery life and being less portable, would be more suitable, albeit at a premium price. 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
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Dell Alienware m15 R7
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is particularly well-suited for general use due to its balance of CPU power suitable for everyday tasks, ample RAM, high-resolution screen, lightweight design for easier portability, and longer battery life, making it convenient for users who need to work on the go.
Gaming and AI
7.0
7.8
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Swift X 16 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Dell Alienware m15 R7 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3050 and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which makes it suitable for gaming and 3D tasks, but the Dell Alienware m15 R7 steps it up with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a higher refresh rate of 240Hz, providing smoother visuals, especially in fast-paced games. While both laptops have capable CPUs and quality screens, the Alienware's premium GPU and screen specs give it an edge for users seeking top-notch gaming performance.
Content Creation
8.3
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell Alienware m15 R7 for software development, and content creation, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When considering screen quality for general use, the Acer Swift X 16 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 both offer clear, sharp displays with ample brightness, making text, images, and videos look crisp and vibrant. For engineering and design tasks, these laptops provide wide color gamuts, ensuring that designers see accurate colors and subtle differences when working on detailed projects. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-paced visuals are key, their lower refresh rates may lead to less smooth and responsive gameplay compared to laptops designed specifically with higher refresh rates for gaming.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Alienware m15 R7 has 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the Dell Alienware m15 R7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 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
$2,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 costs $2,200.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell Alienware m15 R7 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Dell Alienware m15 R7 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell Alienware m15 R7 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $2,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 10.7'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 5.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 10.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 86 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
Dell Alienware m15 R7
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | October 2022
"The Alienware M15 offers solid gaming and leading endurance. It makes the most of its CPU and GPU while delivering stellar battery life for a gaming laptop. Opening the lid presents a full-size keyboard with honeycomb cutouts above it on the deck. An oblong RBG lightning element surrounds the entire rear panel and can be color-synced with the other lights on the laptop. There’s not a lot to dislike about the M15 Its productivity performance lagged in some areas, particularly in the storage benchmark, and it’s a bit heavy. Alienware has a clear winner here with the M15 based on its strong overall performance and endurance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell Alienware m15 R7
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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