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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is a midrange-priced laptop that offers a better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, engineering use, and gaming, thanks to its more powerful processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card. It also features a larger and higher-resolution display with a faster refresh rate, which is great for detail-oriented work and smoother visuals but has no touchscreen. It has more storage and ram, which could significantly improve multitasking and complex tasks. However, this comes at the cost of a heavier design and a slightly lower battery life compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is a budget-friendly option with a touchscreen and is lighter, enhancing its portability. It has an integrated GPU, which is suitable for general use and less intensive engineering tasks. Although its display is smaller and has a lower resolution, it can serve well for everyday use. The Dell Inspiron offers less storage and ram, which might limit its ability to handle intensive tasks. If your priority is a cost-effective solution for basic computing needs with the added convenience of a touchscreen, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 could be the better choice. 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 3525
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X 16.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
259.0 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 3525 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers superior performance with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which benefits multitasking and speed, while its higher resolution screen provides clearer visuals, but this also means it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Dell Inspiron 15 3525. Although the Dell model is more portable and offers longer battery usage, it sacrifices screen quality, speaker quality, and overall performance due to its less advanced CPU and half the RAM of the Acer.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.0
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 3525 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 excels in gaming and 3D due to its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, offering smoother visuals and better performance in graphically demanding tasks. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 comes with an integrated AMD Vega 7 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it suitable for less intensive gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.4
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 Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 excels in engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, and high-resolution IPS screen that covers a wide range of colors, which is essential for design accuracy, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 has a less powerful Ryzen 5 CPU, integrated graphics, and lower screen quality, making it less suitable for demanding engineering tasks. Despite the Swift X being heavier and possibly having shorter battery life, these compromises are offset by its superior performance capabilities, whereas the Inspiron is more portable but doesn't meet high-performance engineering demands as effectively.
Content Creation
8.3
7.1
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
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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
6.9
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
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 is only fair.
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
6.3
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
259.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize vivid visuals when working on design or engineering projects, the Acer Swift X 16, with its better color accuracy and range, offers a more suitable display than the Dell Inspiron, which has decent but less impressive color representation. For everyday tasks, where the sharpness, brightness, and panel quality are key, the Acer Swift stands out for its superior viewing experience. However, if your main focus is on gaming or anything involving fast motion, neither of these laptops would be ideal due to their lower refresh rates, affecting the smoothness of fast-paced visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3525 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 3525 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
$400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 costs $400.
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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 3525 and Acer Swift X 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3525 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3525 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 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 | 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 | 259 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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
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 3525
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | January 2023
"Dell's Inspiron 15 (3525) is a peppy-enough and affordable-enough home or remote work machine, but it's not very ambitious; it does little to go beyond the basics. More the concern: It’s readily overshadowed by a number of machines that outperform and outclass it. Even if the Inspiron can get the job done today, its competition has the mettle to keep doing the job tomorrow in a way the Inspiron simply can’t promise. Many of its slightly higher-end rivals have to be on sale (and frequently are) to match it on price, but the Inspiron 15 (3525) is outclassed even by some similarly priced options, making it a difficult recommendation."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3525
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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