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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) is a good fit if you're looking for a more affordable and slightly lighter laptop with decent performance for general use. However, the ASUS ROG Flow X16, despite being more expensive, provides a higher-end experience with better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning tasks, and engineering software. It has a larger, higher resolution touchscreen with a faster refresh rate and more vibrant colors, which could be a significant advantage for creative professionals. On the downside, the Flow X16 offers lower battery life and is heavier, making it less portable. Both laptops have backlit keyboards, but the Flow X16's RGB lighting might appeal more to gamers or those who appreciate customizable aesthetics. 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 (2021)
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
502.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Acer Swift X with its Ryzen 5 processor, sufficient RAM, and solid battery life, paired with its lighter weight and smaller screen, offers portability and performance for everyday use. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Flow X16's more powerful Ryzen 9 processor, higher RAM, and superior screen with touch capability cater to intensive tasks and entertainment, but its heavier build and shorter battery life trade off some portability.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.6
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a superior gaming and 3D experience compared to the Acer Swift X (2021) due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, while the Acer Swift X comes with the less robust Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a standard 60Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the ASUS ROG includes a better CPU and higher quality screen, further enhancing its performance and display for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 stands out for engineering and design tasks, with a more powerful CPU and GPU combination, double the RAM, higher screen resolution, and better color coverage compared to the Acer Swift X, which makes it better suited for intensive tasks and visual precision. However, the Acer Swift X is lighter and quieter, making it more portable and potentially preferable for users who prioritize mobility and a quieter working environment.
Content Creation
7.5
8.0
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 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.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.5
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
502.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift X boasts a screen that is well-suited for general use with a high resolution and ample brightness, but may not meet the demands of gamers due to a lower refresh rate. The ASUS ROG Flow X16 excels in vividness and accuracy crucial for engineering and design tasks, thanks to its wider color gamut coverage, yet it too falls short for gaming or 3D rendering applications because of its modest refresh rate. Both laptops provide great visual clarity for everyday tasks and professional design work, but avid gamers may find their screens lacking the fluidity required for the best gaming experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow X16 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Flow X16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.3
7.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the ASUS ROG Flow X16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | ASUS ROG Flow X16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | August 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.6'' x 0.76'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 13.98" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.57" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 502 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 ROG Flow X16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | June 2023
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the ASUS ROG Flow X16
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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