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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2022) generally costs more and offers better performance with its Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, making it suitable for intensive tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning. With more storage and RAM, a higher resolution screen, and solid build, it could handle gaming as well. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is less expensive, lighter, and more portable with a touch screen and a higher Portability Score; however, it has a less powerful Intel i5 processor with integrated graphics, less storage and RAM, making it better suited for general use and not the more demanding tasks the Acer could manage. 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 (2022)
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.2
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
330.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift X (2022) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2022) excels in general use with a higher-end CPU and more RAM, which are very important for multitasking and performance, coupled with a superior screen resolution and dedicated graphics for better visual experiences. In contrast, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offers exceptional portability and a touch screen, its lower-tier CPU, less RAM, and smaller storage limit its performance capabilities despite its good screen quality and battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.5
6.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2022) is well-suited for engineering and design because it comes with a robust CPU and GPU, increased RAM for smooth multitasking, and a high-quality screen that displays vivid colors and sharp details. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, while more portable due to its smaller size and weight, has less powerful CPU and GPU capabilities and lower RAM, which may slow down intensive tasks, and its screen offers a lower resolution and color coverage, making it less ideal for detail-oriented design work.
Software Development
7.7
7.1
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift X (2022) is somewhat better.
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
7.0
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
330.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering screen quality for general use, both the Acer Swift X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 offer pleasing visuals due to their high-resolution panels and brightness levels, ensuring crisp and clear images for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, the importance of color accuracy comes into play, and both laptops provide screens that cover a broad spectrum of colors, allowing for precise work in applications requiring color fidelity, although they might not cover professional color spaces entirely. However, for gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates on both laptops may lead to less fluid motion and responsiveness, which are crucial for these activities, demonstrating a less-than-ideal experience compared to laptops with high refresh rate displays.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X (2022) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,313
$797
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2022) has a price of $1,313 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.1
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2022) is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a 60 Hz screen refresh rate, suited for moderate gaming and 3D workloads, but less powerful than higher-end gaming laptops. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, despite its lower-tier Intel Iris Xe graphics, offers a similar 60 Hz screen refresh rate and decent performance for casual gaming and 3D tasks, though it may struggle with more demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.8
7.3
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2022) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Acer Swift X (2022) both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2022) and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2022) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,313 | $797 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.3" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1260P | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.7 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 330 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2022)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2022) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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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