A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize battery life and gaming performance, the Acer Swift X with its dedicated Nvidia GPU and efficient AMD Ryzen processor could serve you well, though its slightly higher price reflects this. On the other hand, the Gateway offers more RAM for better multitasking and has a larger screen which might be beneficial for productivity, although it has integrated graphics and its battery performance is unclear, suggesting possible limitations for intensive tasks and gaming. Both have ample storage, but only the Acer has been rated as suitable for intensive gaming, indicating stronger overall performance in demanding applications. Choose the Acer if performance and gaming are important, but consider the Gateway for potentially better multitasking and a larger display at a lower cost. 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 for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gateway 15.6"
- The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is better suited for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU configuration, which directly contributes to faster processing and more efficient multitasking, as well as a higher quality screen that benefits detailed work. On the other hand, the Gateway 15.6" offers fair performance for such tasks but falls short with less powerful internals and a less impressive screen, though it maintains a level of portability, keyboard quality, and speaker quality that some users may find adequate for their needs.
Software Development
7.3
6.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X offers a display with higher resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use as these factors provide clear and vivid visuals for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, it covers a broader range of colors, ensuring accurate color representation which is crucial for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, it falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which is key for smooth motion and gameplay.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Gateway 15.6" 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Gateway 15.6" has 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 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
250.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
5.3/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X stands out for general use with its balance of a decent CPU and GPU for smooth multitasking and casual gaming, respectable screen quality, and its lightweight design, making it highly portable with satisfactory battery life. In contrast, the Gateway 15.6" packs more RAM which may better handle numerous open tabs and applications at once, but it is heavier, which compromises portability, and it has lower screen color accuracy and a less favorable keyboard and speaker quality, affecting the overall user experience.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.0
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
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) and Gateway 15.6" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card which is better for gaming and 3D applications compared to the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics on the Gateway 15.6", but the Gateway compensates with a higher RAM which is beneficial for multi-tasking and somewhat improves gaming performance. Both laptops share a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz and IPS display for screen quality, which are adequate for casual gaming but not optimal for high-end or competitive gaming where higher refresh rates and specialized gaming panels would provide an advantage.
Content Creation
7.5
7.0
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gateway 15.6" 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.
Cost
$580
$600
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Gateway 15.6" costs $600.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Gateway 15.6" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Gateway 15.6" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $600 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | August 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | Unknown | |
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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 250 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
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 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Gateway 15.6"
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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