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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) stands out for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks at a lower midrange price, while the ASUS Vivobook 16, also in the lower midrange tier, offers a well-rounded general-use screen and is capable of handling fast motion and engineering visuals, but it is not recommended for intensive gaming. If performance in complex computational tasks is crucial, the Acer Swift might be the choice for you. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook suits an everyday user who values a good screen for multimedia and general productivity but doesn't prioritize gaming. 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
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS Vivobook 16
- The ASUS Vivobook 16 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Swift X boasts a superior display due to a higher resolution and better brightness, making activities like web browsing and document editing more pleasant to the eye. When it comes to engineering and design, the Swift X again stands out with a wider range of colors it can display, which is crucial for accurately rendering designs and graphics. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short with less optimal refresh rates; the Swift X's higher resolution and color gamut don't compensate for the smoother visuals that a higher refresh rate would offer.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The ASUS Vivobook 16 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.0
The Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Vivobook 16 both have good build quality, though the Acer Swift X (2021) has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$629
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
$1,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the ASUS Vivobook 16 costs $629.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
295.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.3
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 (2021) and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which provides substantial performance for gaming and 3D applications, but its screen refresh rate is capped at 60Hz which may limit the smoothness in fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.0
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X (2021) with a Ryzen 5 CPU and RTX 3050 GPU, alongside 8GB of RAM, is tailored for demanding applications and provides a balance between performance and portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 steps up with a Ryzen 7 CPU and 16GB of RAM for additional processing power and smoother multitasking, but it is heavier and may not be as travel-friendly. Both have high-quality IPS screens, but the ASUS offers a slightly higher resolution and aspect ratio, enhancing on-screen workspace for design tasks; however, the Acer has a brighter display which might benefit outdoor use and color work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook 16 and Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Software Development
7.3
7.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.7/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16 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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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the ASUS Vivobook 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | ASUS Vivobook 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $629 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.8'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.14 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.12" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.82" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 42 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 295 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2021)
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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 Vivobook 16
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the ASUS Vivobook 16
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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