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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X is more expensive but offers significantly better performance with a larger storage capacity, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU, suited for intensive tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, and some gaming. It also features a larger, higher-resolution screen and a more color-accurate display, enhancing visual work and entertainment. The battery life allows for extended use, and although it's heavier, it's still fairly portable. Conversely, the Gateway 11.6" is much more affordable and even more portable due to its smaller size and weight, but it's far less powerful with limited storage and lower performance components, suitable primarily for basic tasks such as web browsing and document editing. 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 general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
7.4
5.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.1/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Swift X shines in general use with its stronger CPU, more RAM, high-quality screen, and sufficient storage, but is heavier which can impact portability, whereas the Gateway 11.6" struggles due to a weaker processor, less RAM, a lower resolution screen, and limited storage, although it excels in portability because of its lighter weight. Both laptops encounter trade-offs, with the Acer offering higher performance suited to extensive tasks at the cost of greater weight, while the Gateway ensures easier carrying at the expense of lower performance.
Gaming and AI
6.3
5.4
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but there seems to be a technical issue that is preventing me from accessing the document you uploaded in order to provide specific information about the Acer Swift X and the Gateway 11.6" regarding their performance for gaming and 3D capabilities. As I'm unable to retrieve the details at this moment, I invite you to re-upload the document or provide the specifications, and I'll be happy to help you with an explanation that adheres to the factors you've mentioned.
Engineering and Design
7.0
5.4
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Acer Swift X (2021) excels in engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, and high-quality full-HD screen, which provide the needed performance and visual clarity for demanding tasks. Conversely, the Gateway 11.6" falls short with its less capable Intel Celeron processor, basic integrated graphics, and lower-resolution screen, which are inadequate for intensive engineering software and detailed design work.
Content Creation
7.5
5.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9
5.7
14.0in
SIZE
11.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Acer Swift X offers a brighter display with higher resolution and a superior panel type compared to the Gateway 11.6", leading to a clearer and more vivid viewing experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the Acer's display covers a wider range of color gamuts, ensuring more accurate color representation and detail, which is essential for precision work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite its better resolution and panel, the Acer Swift X falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which makes it less smooth and responsive than displays optimized for such demanding visual tasks.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Gateway 11.6" 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
11.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
5.1
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$89
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Gateway 11.6" costs $89.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Gateway 11.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Gateway 11.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $89 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 2.6 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 7.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel Celeron N4020 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 4 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 64 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | Unknown | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 11.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 200 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 9.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Gateway 11.6"
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 Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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