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Updated January 12, 2024·
Based on your needs, the Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Zenbook 14 offer distinct strengths: the Acer Swift X is generally more expensive but comes with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card making it well-suited for intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook 14, which is less expensive, offers a high-resolution OLED display and efficient integrated graphics, ideal for everyday use with an emphasis on vibrant screen quality. Both share similar portability traits, but if budget is a concern and your tasks are less graphics-intensive, the Zenbook may be the preferable option. 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 battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook 14
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
8.3
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
Both the Acer Swift X and ASUS Zenbook 14 have panels with resolution and brightness that ensure clear and vivid displays for general use and engineering tasks, with the latter providing a slightly crisper and brighter experience. Their color gamut coverage makes them suitable for engineering and design work by offering a wide spectrum of accurate colors. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates result in less fluid visuals, which is less optimal for fast-paced action and rendering smooth motion, indicating these laptops are not primarily designed for high-end gaming or intensive 3D work.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Cost
$580
$300
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the ASUS Zenbook 14 costs $300.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
339.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) offers stronger CPU performance, more RAM, and superior screen quality, which are significant factors for overall user satisfaction in general use, whereas the ASUS Zenbook 14 falls a bit short in these areas but compensates with better portability and battery life. Both the Swift X and the Zenbook 14 have comparable storage, keyboard, speaker quality, operating noise, and heat management, which are also important but don't influence general use satisfaction as heavily as the former factors.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.1
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
90Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2021) with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a standard 60Hz refresh rate display provides good graphics performance for gaming and 3D applications but may not be as smooth for fast-paced gaming due to the limited screen refresh rate. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 14 has an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU, which is less powerful than the discrete Nvidia GPU in the Acer, but it offers a higher 90Hz refresh rate on its OLED screen for smoother visuals, although its overall gaming and 3D performance are constrained by the less capable graphics hardware.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.5
7.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and Acer Swift X (2021) both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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 Zenbook 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | ASUS Zenbook 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 12.4'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3.06 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 12.35" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 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 | 59 Wh | 75 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 90Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 339 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
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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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 14
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NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | August 2022
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the ASUS Zenbook 14
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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