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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is a midrange-priced laptop that offers much more storage, memory, and a far superior processor with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card compared to the budget-priced Gateway 14.1" which has minimal storage and memory and an Intel Celeron processor with integrated graphics. The Acer also has a larger, higher-resolution display, better for productivity and entertainment, but is heavier, which affects portability. It runs Windows 11 Home and is more suited for general use, 3D/machine learning, gaming, and engineering tasks, but comes with a significant price increase over the Gateway, which runs Windows 10S and is more tailored to basic tasks due to its limited performance. The Gateway 14.1" is lighter and may have longer battery life, which could make it ideal for more casual use where portability and simple tasks are key concerns, and budget is a limiting factor. 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 Gateway 14.1"
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
5.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for general use with a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, all contributing to a smooth and responsive experience. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" is handicapped by a weaker CPU, less RAM, and a lower quality screen, leading to a less satisfactory performance for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.0
5.4
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
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
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X 16 is suitable for gaming and 3D tasks because it features a powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, providing smoother visuals and better performance in demanding applications. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" laptop follows with a basic Intel UHD Graphics 600 and a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which limits its ability to handle intensive graphics and results in less fluid gameplay.
Engineering and Design
8.2
5.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a higher tier CPU, more RAM, and a dedicated GPU, which are crucial for engineering and design tasks, plus it offers a high-quality screen with better color coverage and resolution. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" has a basic CPU, less RAM, integrated graphics, and a lower-quality display, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.3
5.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
14.1in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 boasts a high-resolution display with ample brightness, ensuring crisp and clear images for everyday tasks and professional design work, with a color coverage that appeals to engineers and creatives needing accuracy. The Gateway 14.1", while offering passable clarity and brightness for routine tasks and some design work, falls short in providing the color precision critical for high-level engineering and design applications. When it comes to 3D and gaming, neither laptop excels, as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth, fast-paced visuals, though the Acer's better resolution and panel type offer a slight edge over the Gateway.
Build Quality
7.6
5.1
The Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$99
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.1in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 14.1" to have very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has 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 Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 8.78" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.1" | |
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 | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
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."
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Gateway 14.1"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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