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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is a solid midrange laptop offering good value with a powerful Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics, making it capable for general use and some engineering tasks, but it might struggle with more intensive 3D or machine learning applications. It has a larger, 16-inch screen with a high refresh rate and impressive battery life. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is priced higher but offers significantly more RAM and a newer, faster i7 processor paired with an RTX 4060 GPU that excels in demanding engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. Its smaller 14.4-inch touchscreen displays vivid colors with a lower refresh rate and comes with a handy stylus for creative work. However, it's slightly heavier with less battery capacity. If price is a concern and you need a laptop for everyday tasks with occasional heavier use, the Acer is a good pick; if your work often includes resource-intensive applications and you want stronger performance and a touchscreen, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is worth the investment. Both laptops provide similar storage capacity and come with Windows 11 Home installed. 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 overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0
7.7
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Acer Swift X 16 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and offers a high screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which is beneficial for smooth gaming and 3D visuals. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 comes with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, making it also suitable for gaming and 3D applications, but with potentially better graphics performance due to the stronger GPU.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16 with an AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU offers strong performance for engineering tasks but has less power for design tasks requiring intense graphics processing compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which boasts a more powerful Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU. While both laptops have high-quality IPS displays, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels with a higher RAM capacity and a touchscreen, enhancing its suitability for hands-on design work, though it is slightly heavier and thicker, making it less portable than the Acer Swift X 16.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI.
When considering general use, both the Acer Swift X 16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offer screens that are sharp, vivid, and bright, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and office applications. For engineering and design work, both models provide a wide range of colors, which is essential for accurately displaying detailed designs and photo work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may lead to less fluid motion and responsiveness, which are critical for an immersive and competitive gaming experience.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for general use.
The Acer Swift X 16 is praised for general use due to decent computing power with its AMD CPU paired with a dedicated GPU, ample SSD storage, and a good balance between screen size and resolution, which aids portability despite its average battery life.
Content Creation
8.3
8.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
14.4in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift X 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $3,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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