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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is the more expensive option but offers a more powerful AMD processor, an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU for better performance in 3D tasks, engineering software, and gaming, and a larger storage capacity. It also has a higher resolution display and longer battery life, making it well-suited for intensive tasks and general use. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" is less expensive, but it has a less powerful Intel processor and integrated graphics. This makes it more suitable for general tasks and less demanding software but not as good for gaming or engineering. Additionally, it has a smaller storage capacity and its screen sports a lower resolution. If portability is a concern, both laptops have similar weights and thicknesses, but the Gateway might have a slight edge due to its smaller screen size. Consider the Acer Swift X 16 for performance-intensive tasks and better visuals or the Gateway 15.6" if you want to save money and need a laptop for everyday tasks without the demand for high graphics 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 Gateway 15.6"
- The Gateway 15.6" 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
250.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a superior general use experience with a more powerful CPU, a high-quality screen with better resolution and brightness, and a dedicated graphics card, enhancing performance for a range of tasks, which offsets its higher price point, whereas the Gateway 15.6" has a less capable processor and inferior screen quality but may appeal to those prioritizing cost savings over top-tier specifications.
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
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers superior gaming and 3D performance thanks to its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, peaking at 165Hz for smoother visuals. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" relies on an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, which provides more modest performance, and comes with a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which may not be as fluid during fast-paced scenes.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for engineering and design use due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, higher-performing Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, and superior screen quality with higher resolution and color accuracy, compared to the Gateway 15.6" with its less powerful Intel i5 CPU, integrated Iris Xe graphics, and lower resolution and color range.
Content Creation
8.3
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
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 Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 15.6" 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
6.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Swift X 16 delivers sharper images and more vivid colors due to its higher resolution and brighter display compared to the Gateway, which has a less impressive but adequate display for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, the Acer Swift X 16 excels with a wide color range, offering more accurate color reproduction that is essential for precision work, whereas the Gateway's color range is more limited, making it less ideal for professional color work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the low refresh rate of both laptops means neither is optimal for fast-paced, high-frame-rate experiences; the Acer's superior resolution and panel type provide a better visual experience than the Gateway, though neither is specifically geared towards gaming.
Build Quality
7.6
5.1
The Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor 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 Gateway 15.6" costs $400.
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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 15.6" 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X 16 and Gateway 15.6" 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 Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | Unknown | |
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 | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
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."
Gateway 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Gateway 15.6"
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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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.
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