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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 offers high performance for 3D modeling, machine learning, and engineering tasks with its powerful AMD processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, though it is pricier and heavier, impacting its portability. Despite its larger screen and longer battery life, it might not be as convenient to carry around as the Dell Inspiron 14 7420. On the other hand, the Dell is lighter, more affordable, and includes a touchscreen, making it suitable for general use and light engineering work, but its performance in intensive tasks and gaming will be limited due to the less powerful Intel integrated graphics. Choose the Acer if performance is crucial, or the Dell for better portability and cost-effectiveness. 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
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.3/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 excels in general use due to its high-quality screen, substantial storage and RAM, and a powerful CPU paired with a dedicated GPU, which leads to better performance but results in slightly less portability and battery life compared to the Dell. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420, while also suitable for general use with similar RAM and a good CPU, offers greater portability and battery life but compromises on storage, screen resolution, and does not include a dedicated GPU, impacting high-performance tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.2
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 excels in gaming and 3D because it has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, both of which provide smoother visuals and better performance in these tasks. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is less suited for these activities as it only has integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, leading to less powerful graphics performance and potentially choppier gameplay.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 is only fair.
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.
Content Creation
8.3
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 7420 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
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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
6.2
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
260.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out with a display that offers higher resolution and brightness, providing sharp and vivid visuals for general use and detailed imagery crucial for engineering and design work; its wide color coverage supports accurate color reproduction for professional tasks. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has a more modest display with lower resolution and brightness, which is serviceable for everyday tasks but may not be as satisfying for detailed design work or media consumption. However, neither laptop is ideal for gaming or 3D rendering, as their screens likely have lower refresh rates, which means less fluid motion and potentially more screen tearing during fast-paced scenes.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,250
$801
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell Inspiron 14 7420 costs $801.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 14 7420 has 7.5 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
7.4
The Acer Swift X 16 and Dell Inspiron 14 7420 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 Dell Inspiron 14 7420 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell Inspiron 14 7420 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $801 | ||
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 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.61 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 | 7.5 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 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 260 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
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."
Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | June 2022
"Notable qualities of the Inspiron 7420 2-in-1 include the 16:10 aspect ratio, strong hinges, 12th gen Intel CPU with optional GeForce MX graphics, and easy serviceability. Such features would typically cost hundreds of dollars more on higher-end alternatives from competing manufacturers. The value proposition is therefore relatively high for users looking to maximize bang for the buck."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell Inspiron 14 7420
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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