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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) comes at a higher cost but offers better performance, more storage, double the RAM, and a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, making it suitable for more intensive tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, and gaming. It also features a lighter build and potentially better battery life. The Gateway 14.1", meanwhile, is more budget-friendly with lower performance capabilities due to less RAM, minimal storage, a basic Intel Celeron processor, and integrated graphics. This makes it more appropriate for general use like web browsing and basic productivity tasks. 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 14.1"
- The Gateway 14.1" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
General Use
7.4
5.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X offers a more powerful AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and double the RAM of the Gateway 14.1", providing better performance for multitasking and demanding applications, including a higher-quality screen and longer battery life for extended usage without recharging. Meanwhile, the Gateway 14.1" falls short due to its modest Intel Celeron processor and limited RAM, compromising its speed and efficiency for general tasks alongside a lower screen brightness and color coverage, which impacts the quality of the visual experience.
Gaming and AI
6.3
5.4
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X is fair for gaming and 3D applications largely because it is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics processing unit, which offers considerably better performance than the Intel UHD Graphics 600 integrated in the Gateway 14.1" laptop, making the latter poor for gaming and 3D tasks. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the higher-quality GPU in the Acer Swift X provides a significant advantage for graphic-intensive activities.
Engineering and Design
7.0
5.5
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 14.1" is poor.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is equipped with a stronger CPU (AMD Ryzen 5 5600U) and dedicated NVIDIA graphics card (RTX 3050), which are very important for engineering and design applications that require substantial processing power and graphical output.
Content Creation
7.5
5.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
5.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
6.0
14.0in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
208.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When choosing a laptop, the Acer Swift X offers a high-resolution display and brightness that make it suitable for general use and engineering tasks, ensuring crisp text and vivid images. Its display covers a wide range of colors, which is crucial for accuracy in engineering and design work. However, the lower refresh rate of the Swift X's screen is less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion provided by a higher refresh rate is key to a better experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Gateway 14.1" 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.
Build Quality
7.6
5.1
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$99
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Gateway 14.1" costs $99.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.1in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gateway 14.1" both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Gateway 14.1" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Gateway 14.1" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $99 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3.35 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 13.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.78" | |
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" | 14.1" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 208 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.1/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
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."
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Gateway 14.1"
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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