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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X is often less expensive and is lighter, which makes it more portable. However, it trades off some performance due to its less powerful graphics card compared to the Gigabyte A5. The A5 has a more powerful GPU and a higher capacity battery, better suited for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks, but is heavier and may be less convenient to carry. If budget and portability are your primary concerns, go for the Acer Swift X. If you need better gaming performance and don't mind a heavier and somewhat more expensive laptop, the Gigabyte A5 may be the better option. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.1
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Gigabyte A5 provides a better gaming and 3D experience primarily because of its superior GPU, the Nvidia RTX 3060, and a high screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which is essential for smooth gameplay. In contrast, the Acer Swift X is less suitable for those purposes given its less capable Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.2
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for software development, and content creation, while the Gigabyte A5 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
If you prioritize a clear and vibrant display for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing, both the Acer Swift X and Gigabyte A5 are solid picks due to their high-resolution panels and strong brightness levels which enhance readability and detail. For engineering and design work, where color accuracy and breadth of color spectrum are crucial, these laptops again serve well as they cover professional color gamuts, ensuring your designs appear precise and true to life. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key, their lower refresh rates may result in less smooth visuals, making them less ideal if gaming is a primary concern for you.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A5 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
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A5 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$830
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X is notable for its balance between performance and portability, offering a lighter build and longer battery life necessary for general use, supported by solid CPU and RAM capabilities along with a high-quality screen. Conversely, the Gigabyte A5, while also providing a strong CPU and more RAM, trades off a bit on portability and battery life for a larger screen and potentially better performance in more demanding tasks due to its superior GPU. Both are capable in terms of storage, keyboard, speakers, and manage operating noise and heat decently, making them suitable for everyday tasks and multimedia consumption.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A5 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design.
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
7.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gigabyte A5 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
7.0
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gigabyte A5 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
7.2
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Gigabyte A5 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 Gigabyte A5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Gigabyte A5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $830 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | February 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.21" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 49 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 281 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | 3 | |
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."
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Gigabyte A5
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 Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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