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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a larger screen, stronger graphics performance, and a better display for creative tasks like photo and video editing. However, it's heavier and has shorter battery life. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is more portable with longer battery life and generally sufficient for everyday tasks and light creative work, though it has a smaller display and less powerful graphics. If you prioritize mobility and battery longevity, the Dell may suit you better, while the Acer is better if you need stronger performance for graphics-intensive tasks and a larger, higher-quality screen. 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 Dell Inspiron 14 5420
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out in general use with its higher-quality display, featuring better brightness and color coverage, and a more robust CPU, which enhances performance in everyday tasks, though it is slightly heavier and has a shorter battery life than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420. Nonetheless, the Dell Inspiron maintains a competitive edge with its longer battery life and lighter form factor, making it very portable, although it compromises slightly on screen quality and processing power.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.4
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and offers a higher screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420's Nvidia MX570 graphics card is less powerful and its refresh rate is lower, making it only moderately suitable for such tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for engineering and design use with a more robust AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, offering more power for intensive tasks and larger storage compared to the Dell Inspiron 14 5420, which has a competent Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia MX570 GPU for moderate engineering work, but with less horsepower for demanding applications and half the storage. While both have high-quality IPS displays and identical amounts of RAM, the Swift's superior screen resolution and GPU make it more suitable for detailed design work; however, the Inspiron is lighter, which may appeal to those prioritizing portability.
Content Creation
8.3
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
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 Inspiron 14 5420 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
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
6.5
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2240 x 1400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
279.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 boasts a display with high resolution and brightness, making it an excellent choice for everyday activities and viewing fine details, which is essential for engineering and design tasks that require precise color representation; however, its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D modeling where smoother motion is critical. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420, while providing reasonable resolution and brightness for daily tasks and engineering purposes, doesn't stand out in any specific area, offering a balanced screen quality without excelling in color accuracy or smooth visuals needed for high-end design work or gaming experiences. For users focused on tasks like word processing, web browsing, or casual photo editing, both laptops will suffice, but for professionals in engineering, design, or gaming, the Acer's superior resolution and color gamut might trump the Dell's balanced approach despite the latter's potential cost advantage.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 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
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 14 5420 has very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.0
The Acer Swift X 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 5420 both have good build quality, though the Acer Swift X 16 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$971
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 costs $971.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell Inspiron 14 5420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $971 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 12.4'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.36" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 8.96" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 54 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2240 x 1400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 279 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X 16
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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 Inspiron 14 5420
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Smarthouse
Nick Ross | March 2023
"If laptops were food, then the Dell Inspiron 14 5420 is arguably a Big Mac. There are cheaper and more expensive options, but this arguably represents the baseline of quality and value in the world of mobile computing… something that’s underlined by the attractive $1,279 price tag."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell Inspiron 14 5420
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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