If you prioritize battery life and portability, HP Dragonfly Pro 14 is the lighter option with longer battery life and a touch screen, suitable for general mobile use and lightweight tasks. On the other hand, the Acer Swift X 16 offers a larger screen, better performance with a dedicated GPU suitable for 3D tasks, machine learning, and engineering applications. However, it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less ideal for on-the-go use but great for more performance-intensive tasks. The HP is typically less expensive and might be more suitable for everyday use, while the Acer, a little more costly, is targeted towards users needing more power for specialized software. 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 engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 and a higher screen refresh rate of 165, making it more suitable for gaming and 3D tasks, while the HP Dragonfly Pro has an AMD Radeon 680M and a lower refresh rate of 60, which makes it less optimal for those purposes.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for engineering and design use with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU which provides better graphics performance necessary for 3D rendering and intensive visual tasks, while its larger 16-inch screen with higher resolution delivers superior screen quality. In contrast, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14”, while also good for engineering and design with its capable AMD Radeon 680M GPU and high-quality 14-inch IPS display, offers increased portability and a higher battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go professionals who prioritize mobility alongside moderate computing needs.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
7.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
405.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a display with high resolution and brightness, which enhances the viewing experience for general tasks and detailed engineering work, further supported by its wide color coverage that appeals to design professionals. However, its lower refresh rate may disappoint gamers and those working with fast-moving 3D content. In contrast, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" provides a well-balanced screen with decent resolution and brightness for everyday and professional tasks, though it doesn't shine for gaming purposes due to a similarly lower refresh rate.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" costs $1,400.
The Acer Swift X 16 and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for content creation, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
8.0/10
7.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for software development, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" compare to other laptops
"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."
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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