A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) is a lighter, more affordable option with sufficient performance for general use and decent battery life, making it more portable for on-the-go tasks. Conversely, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, while heavier and more expensive, offers significantly higher performance suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. It also has better screen features for fast motion, but its battery life is shorter compared to the Acer, compromising its portability. 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 Strix Scar 15
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.3
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for gaming and 3D because it's equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and offers a very high screen refresh rate of 300Hz, which allows for smoother visuals and better responsiveness in fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 outperforms the Acer Swift X (2021) in engineering and design due to its significantly more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a superior GPU in the RTX 3070 Ti, which together deliver higher performance necessary for demanding tasks, along with a display that supports a much higher refresh rate for smoother visuals. While the Acer Swift X offers decent performance with its AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and RTX 3050 GPU, and it's more portable with longer battery life, the ASUS provides a more robust platform for intensive applications at the expense of portability and battery duration.
Content Creation
7.5
8.0
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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
7.9
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
283.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Swift X has a screen that offers crisp visuals and good brightness levels for everyday tasks, alongside accurate color reproduction which benefits engineering and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate means it won't be as smooth as dedicated gaming laptops. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, while also providing clear and vibrant images for daily use and professional creative work, falls short for gaming due to disappointing response time and refresh rate, despite its other technical merits.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$2,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 costs $2,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
283.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is appreciated for general use because it offers satisfactory performance with its AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, a high-quality IPS screen, and remarkable battery life, all packaged in a lightweight and portable design. On the other hand, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 also suits general use due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor and superior Nvidia RTX graphics, a bigger screen with similarly high quality, but it sacrifices portability and battery life, making it less ideal for mobile usage.
Software Development
7.3
7.4
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Acer Swift X (2021) 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 ROG Strix Scar 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $2,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 13.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 5.07 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 13.94" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i9-12900H | |
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" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 300Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 283 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | No Webcam | |
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 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 ROG Strix Scar 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam | May 2022
"Asus continues to refine the ROG Strix Scar lineup with new upgrades. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 offers almost everything you would expect from a gaming laptop at this price. The build quality is great, connectivity options are decent, and there is enough scope for internal upgrades as well. Asus reverts to membrane switches for the keyboard — though not as "clickety" as the opto-mechanical ones we saw with last year's model, they still make for a decent typing and gaming experience. The lack of biometrics in any form is a downer."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
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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