The Acer Swift X offers a balance between performance and portability, sporting a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, making it more suitable for graphic-intensive tasks like gaming and video editing at the cost of a higher price. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 15 has an integrated GPU, which could limit its ability in those areas, but it compensates with a larger screen and a potentially longer battery life due to its lower power graphics solution, all while being lighter on your wallet. If everyday tasks and value are your priority, the Dell might suit you, but for more demanding applications, the Acer is likely the better fit. 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)
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9/10
6.6/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 for general use, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a sharp and clear display for everyday tasks, the Acer Swift X stands out with its resolution and brightness, which are crucial for enjoyable general use, while the Dell Inspiron's display offers acceptable quality for routine activities. For engineering and design work where color accuracy matters, the Acer Swift X's coverage of professional color gamuts is likely superior, enabling more precise visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key, both laptops may fall short due to lower refresh rates, although the Acer might still provide a slightly better experience due to its better resolution and panel technology.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has 6.5 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
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$722
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 costs $722.
The Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
6.3/10
6.3/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
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 Dell Inspiron 15 3530 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
Given the current technical difficulties with the tool, I'm unable to directly access the specific details on the Acer Swift X and Dell Inspiron 15 3530. However, I can provide a general explanation based on the criteria mentioned.
When evaluating laptops like the Acer Swift X and Dell Inspiron 15 3550 for gaming and 3D, the graphics processing unit (GPU) and screen refresh rate are of utmost importance; they greatly influence the ability to render high-quality visuals smoothly. A better GPU can produce more detailed graphics, and a higher refresh rate allows for smoother motion in games and 3D applications. Additionally, the central processing unit (CPU) helps with overall performance, and screen quality impacts the visual experience, though they are of somewhat lesser importance compared to the GPU and screen refresh rate. Both laptops, being fair in these aspects, suggest that they have capable but not top-tier GPUs and decent refresh rates, making them suitable for gaming and 3D tasks but not at the highest settings or performance levels.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
6.9/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2021) to be good for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 is only fair.
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
7.5/10
7.3/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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
7.3/10
7.2/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Dell Inspiron 15 3530 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3530 compare to other laptops
"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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Dell Inspiron 15 3530
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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
132,495
Recommendations made
28,708
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.