A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
Advantages of the Acer Swift X (2021)
- The Acer Swift X (2021) has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class portability
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
365.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Acer Swift X (2021) offers a capable AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU for moderate performance, and a 14-inch IPS screen, making it suitable for general tasks, whereas the ASUS Zenbook S 13 features a more powerful Intel i7 processor, a higher amount of RAM for smoother multitasking, and a high-resolution OLED display that is superior in color accuracy and contrast, alongside a lighter build and slightly longer battery life which makes it exceptional for everyday use. The Acer is good for casual to moderate use with decent portability, but the Zenbook S 13's premium features and enhanced portability make it very good for users needing top performance on-the-go.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 excels in engineering and design use due to its higher RAM capacity, more powerful CPU, and superior OLED screen with enhanced resolution and color accuracy compared to the Acer Swift X, which, while competent with an AMD CPU and Nvidia GPU, offers less RAM and a standard IPS screen with lower resolution. Additionally, the Zenbook's portability and quieter operating noise make it a more favorable option for mobile professionals, despite being less suitable for gaming due to the absence of a dedicated gaming GPU like the RTX 3050 found in the Swift X.
Content Creation
7.5
8.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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
7.3
8.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.1
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
365.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Swift X offers a satisfactory display with decent resolution and brightness, making it clear and comfortable for everyday tasks, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 delivers a sharper and brighter image, enhancing the experience during web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. Both the Acer Swift X and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 fall short for gamers and 3D designers due to their lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid movement and responsiveness. For engineering and design professionals, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 provides a wider color gamut, ensuring more accurate color representation and finer details crucial for precision work, whereas the Acer Swift X, while capable, may not offer as vivid a palette.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 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
Best in Class
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.5
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 performs better in gaming and 3D applications largely because it integrates an Intel Iris Xe graphics unit, which when paired with its OLED display, offers exceptional screen quality and vibrant colors. In contrast, the Acer Swift X uses an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU which, while fair for gaming, has an IPS screen with lower resolution, resulting in good but not as impressive visual performance.
Build Quality
7.6
7.6
The Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Zenbook S 13 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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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the ASUS Zenbook S 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | ASUS Zenbook S 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 2.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 11.66" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.52" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-1355U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 63 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 365 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2021)
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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."
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the ASUS Zenbook S 13
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 ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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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