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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for gaming or resource-intensive tasks, the Dell G15 5520 with its more powerful processor and graphics card may be a better option despite being slightly more expensive and heavier, making it less portable. However, if portability, battery life, and saving money are more important to you and you're okay with moderate performance that can still handle everyday tasks and some light gaming or design work, the Acer Swift X (2021) could be the way to go. 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 Dell G15 5520
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.4
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Dell G15 5520 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use, though the Dell G15 5520 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is suitable for general use due to its lightweight design and longer battery life for greater portability alongside satisfactory CPU and RAM performance, while the Dell G15 5520 offers a more powerful CPU and double the RAM for handling more demanding tasks but with a shorter battery life and heavier build which might limit mobility. Screen quality on both laptops is commendable, providing clear visuals, though the Swift X shines with higher brightness, making it more versatile for various lighting conditions.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.7
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Dell G15 5520 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X is labeled fair for gaming and 3D because it has an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, whereas the Dell G15 5520 is considered good due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a significantly higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, providing smoother visuals and better gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell G15 5520 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Dell G15 5520 outshines the Acer Swift X (2021) for engineering and design use primarily because it has double the RAM and a more advanced CPU, boosting multitasking and computational abilities which are crucial in those fields. Additionally, while both laptops have high-quality IPS screens, the Dell's superior GPU lends an edge for rendering and design tasks; however, it is heavier and less portable than the lighter and quieter Acer Swift X.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.1
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
251.0 nits
The Dell G15 5520 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
If you value a vivid display with clear details for daily tasks, the Acer Swift X and Dell G15 both provide high resolution and brightness, ensuring a pleasant viewing experience for browsing, watching videos, and handling documents. For engineering and design work, color accuracy is crucial, and these laptops offer good coverage of professional color spaces, making them suitable for creating visual content or working with design applications. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D modeling due to their lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion and less immersive visual experiences during fast-paced, graphics-intensive activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell G15 5520 has 6 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
5.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Dell G15 5520 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Dell G15 5520 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.5
7.9
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell G15 5520 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
7.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Dell G15 5520 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
7.4
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Dell G15 5520 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 Dell G15 5520 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Dell G15 5520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.7'' x 1.06'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 5.55 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.06" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-12700H | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 56 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 | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 251 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 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 | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
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."
Dell G15 5520
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Dell G15 (2022) is a 15.6-inch budget gaming laptop, and is great for gaming. You can configure the laptop with powerful Intel 12th Gen. CPUs and various NVIDIA dedicated GPUs, all of which deliver a smooth gaming experience at 1080p. There's also a QHD 240Hz display option if you want better visuals, though you'll have to pair it with the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti to get good frame rates. It doesn't get overly hot or loud under load, and there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU. Unfortunately, the 120Hz panel has a slow response time, causing noticeable ghosting, and it doesn't support variable refresh rate."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Dell G15 5520
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 Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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