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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is generally less expensive and offers good portability and battery life, making it suitable for those on the move. It's a decent pick for general use and has a backlit keyboard, a large, high-refresh-rate screen, and hardware ray tracing for casual gaming. However, the Gigabyte Aero 17, while more expensive, provides a substantially better screen for color accuracy and resolution, which is ideal for creative professionals. It also has stronger performance for 3D work, machine learning, and engineering tasks but is less portable and has a shorter battery life, which may limit its mobility. Both models support USB-C charging and have sufficient RAM and storage for a variety of tasks. 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 software development
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 17
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0
7.9
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Acer Swift X 16 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aero 17, with its superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics, offers greater power for gaming and 3D tasks compared to the Acer Swift X 16's Nvidia RTX 3050, although the Swift X has a higher screen refresh rate which can make gameplay appear smoother.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with an efficient AMD CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, adequate for working on engineering projects and design tasks that require strong processing and graphics capabilities; its IPS screen offers good color coverage and brightness, enhancing visual accuracy which is crucial for design work. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aero 17 boasts a more powerful Intel CPU and a superior Nvidia RTX GPU, paired with a high-resolution Mini LED display that delivers exceptional color accuracy and contrast, making it exceptionally appropriate for demanding engineering simulations and high-fidelity design work, although it is less portable and has a louder operating noise.
Screen Quality
8.2
9.2
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aero 17 for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Swift X 16 offers pleasing visuals with its resolution and brightness, making daily tasks and media consumption enjoyable, but the Gigabyte Aero 17 leads with superior clarity and brightness for an even more vibrant display. When it comes to engineering and design, the Aero 17 excels with a wider color gamut, providing more accurate color representation critical for professional creative work, while the Swift X 16 offers decent but less precise colors. For gaming and 3D applications, however, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which means less fluid motion and responsiveness during high-speed scenes or interactive 3D environments.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,250
$2,071
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 costs $2,071.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.1
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Acer Swift X 16 and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for general use.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a solid balance for general use with respectable CPU and RAM capacity, a high-quality screen, and lighter weight for better portability and longer battery life, making it very good for routine tasks. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aero 17, while still good for general use, emphasizes higher storage and screen resolution, which increases weight and reduces battery life, but it provides more power for specialized applications like 3D work or gaming.
Content Creation
8.3
8.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Gigabyte Aero 17 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
7.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 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.
Build Quality
7.6
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 17 to have 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.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Gigabyte Aero 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $2,071 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 368 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Gigabyte Aero 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | May 2021
"Not only is the Aero 17 a very good laptop for gamers but also for content creators. With the upgrade to the Intel Core i9-11980HK, Gigabyte particularly improved the system performance. In addition, the hardware package is rounded by the extremely fast SSD and 32 GB of working memory in dual-channel mode. Compared to the predecessor, the battery life is reduced only moderately, and the 4K display also basically keeps its good qualities."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Gigabyte Aero 17
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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