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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16, being pricier, offers stronger performance with its AMD Ryzen 7 and Nvidia RTX 3050, making it well-suited for intensive tasks like engineering, gaming, or 3D work. Additionally, it has a high-resolution display which is ideal for design or multimedia. However, it's heavier and the battery life might not be as long as lighter laptops. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is cheaper, lighter, and may have a longer battery life, making it a good fit for general use or if you prioritize portability and battery life over performance. 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 3530
- The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X 16.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a stronger CPU, more robust graphics capabilities, and a high-quality screen, making it excellent for a variety of tasks and better suited for those needing more power and visual fidelity, albeit with a slight compromise on weight and battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while lighter and offering excellent heat management, has a less powerful processor and graphics, and a lower screen resolution, making it sufficient for general use but less optimal for more demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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 3530 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 excels in gaming and 3D because it includes a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and has a higher screen refresh rate, enhancing smooth visuals during gameplay. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while still fair for gaming and 3D tasks, relies on lesser-performing integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and offers a lower screen refresh rate, which may result in less fluid visual performance.
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 15 3530 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-end AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, giving it a significant edge in processing and graphics tasks, complemented by a superior screen with better resolution, brightness, and color accuracy. In comparison, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while offering solid performance with its Intel i5 CPU and integrated Iris Xe graphics, falls short in graphics capability and screen quality, making it less optimal for demanding engineering and design applications despite its commendable portability and lower operating noise.
Content Creation
8.3
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 15 3530 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
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 3530 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
6.6
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers superior visuals for general use and professional tasks like engineering and design due to its brighter display, higher resolution, and wider color coverage, ensuring crisp details and accurate color reproduction necessary for detailed work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion and quick screen updates are crucial. On the other hand, the Dell Inspiron 15 3530, while adequate for everyday tasks and some professional work with its fair screen quality, falls short for both high-end professional applications and gaming, lacking the advanced color spectrum and high refresh rates that these specific uses demand.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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 3530 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
$722
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $722.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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 3530 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell Inspiron 15 3530 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $722 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.3'' x 0.65'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i5-1335U | |
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 | 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 | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 220 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.3/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 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 | 1080p | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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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