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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
For better performance in tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, or running engineering software, the Acer Swift X 16 is superior due to its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX graphics. However, it is less portable and has a higher price. Meanwhile, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511, with its Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics, offers moderate performance that suits general use and is more budget-friendly. Both have similar storage, but the Dell has double the RAM, which can help in multitasking. The Acer Swift has a higher-resolution screen and a longer battery life, making it more suitable for media and long working hours away from an outlet. 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
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X 16.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
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
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16, with its Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, is well-equipped for gaming and 3D applications, offering smooth visuals and better handling of complex graphics. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 uses an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is adequate for less demanding gaming and 3D tasks but may not provide as immersive an experience.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers superior performance for engineering and design due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, and its display with higher resolution and color accuracy, which is crucial for detailed visual tasks. While the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has more RAM which benefits multitasking and complex engineering software, its Intel GPU and lower screen resolution make it less optimal for design work yet more memory-rich for elaborate engineering computations.
Content Creation
8.3
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 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
6.0
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
230.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you're primarily using your laptop for everyday tasks like browsing and productivity, the Acer Swift X 16 with its high resolution and bright display offers a pleasant visual experience. When focusing on engineering and design work, where precision in color representation is critical, the Swift X 16's wide color gamuts ensure accurate color output. However, for gaming and 3D work, where a high refresh rate is essential for smooth motion, the Swift X 16 falls short, making it less ideal for those applications compared to laptops specialized in gaming with faster screens.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has 6.5 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
6.2
The Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$560
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 costs $560.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3511 and Acer Swift X 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3511 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3511 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $560 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 230 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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 15 3511
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Zachary Cuevas | November 2021
"The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (3511) is a solid, if unremarkable, 15-inch budget laptop. It improves on many of the issues we had with the previous 3505 model, and with the inclusion of Windows 11, the 3511 is already a step above its competition. The lack of a USB-C port, the subpar speakers, and the dim display are drawbacks to factor in, but it's still one of the better 15-inch budget laptops on the market, especially when you consider it's under $400."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3511
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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