A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is less expensive and offers a larger 16-inch display, more storage, a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, which is suitable for gaming and 3D tasks, and it has a reasonably long battery life. On the other hand, the Dell XPS 13 Plus is a more portable device with a superior OLED touchscreen, better build quality, and a longer battery life. The XPS also has an Intel CPU with integrated Iris Xe graphics which, while not as powerful for 3D tasks as the Acer's dedicated GPU, still provides decent performance for general and engineering use. The XPS also has twice the RAM, which is great for multitasking and complex tasks but comes at a higher price and offers less storage than the Acer. Choose the Acer if you need a larger screen, better gaming performance, and more storage at a lower price, or the Dell if you prioritize portability, a superior display, and want a laptop with a higher build quality, despite having less storage space. 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
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Dell XPS 13 Plus
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.4
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is well-suited for gaming and 3D tasks because it includes a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165, enabling smoother visuals in fast-paced games. In comparison, the Dell XPS 13 Plus, while having a powerful integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and superior screen quality with its OLED display, offers a lower refresh rate of 60, which may not be as optimal for high-frame-rate gaming.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.4
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 Plus for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 and Dell XPS 13 Plus both offer panels with resolutions and brightness levels that serve general use well, ensuring clear and vivid displays for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, the Dell XPS 13 Plus stands out with its superior color accuracy, covering a wider range of the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spectrums, essential for professionals who need precise color representation. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D purposes due to their lower refresh rates, which means less fluid motion and responsiveness compared to laptops designed with higher refresh rates for those specific tasks.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Dell XPS 13 Plus 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
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$1,849
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus costs $1,849.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
374.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for general use.
The Acer Swift X 16 is favored for general use due to its ample RAM and powerful CPU, combined with a large, high-quality display and reasonable portability, though it has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the Dell XPS 13 Plus offers similar benefits with its strong CPU, higher RAM, and superior OLED screen, but shines in its lighter weight and longer battery life, making it highly portable for on-the-go use.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X 16 is well-regarded for engineering and design due to its capable AMD CPU, dedicated Nvidia GPU for demanding tasks, and high screen quality, although its thicker build and slightly heavier weight impact portability. The Dell XPS 13 Plus is praised for its powerful Intel CPU, ample RAM to handle multitasking, exceptional OLED screen with higher resolution, in a more compact and lighter frame, making it highly portable, but lacks a dedicated GPU for graphics-intensive work.
Content Creation
8.3
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for software development.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Dell XPS 13 Plus compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Dell XPS 13 Plus |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,849 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 2.71 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 11.63" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 7.84" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i7-1280P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 55 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 374 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X 16
See more
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 XPS 13 Plus
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The XPS 13 Plus is powerful, but has its drawbacks. Dell did not only update the processor generation, but also decided to offer two completely different models from now on. The XPS 13 Plus gets the faster Intel Alder Lake-P chips, and the Core i7-1260P in our review unit offers good performance figures. However, the device once again shows the problems of the current Intel CPUs, because the high performance requires a lot of power. This affects the battery runtime as well as temperatures, so the new model (even with the Optimized power profile) is louder than the older model."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Dell XPS 13 Plus
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Acer Swift X 16 vs. ASUS ROG Flow X13
VS
Compare Acer Swift X 16 vs. Dell Alienware m17 R5
VS
Compare Acer Swift X 16 vs. Gigabyte Aero 5
VS
Compare Dell XPS 13 Plus vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
VS
Compare Dell XPS 13 Plus vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15
VS
Compare Dell XPS 13 Plus vs. Acer Predator Helios 16
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
132,195
Recommendations made
28,643
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
