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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) is known for its lightweight design and good performance for its price, making it a strong choice for general use and light gaming or creative work. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aero 5 is typically aimed at content creators and gamers with more robust graphics capabilities and a higher-quality display, but it's usually more expensive and less portable due to its larger size and weight. If you need a laptop that's easy to carry around and offers solid performance at a lower cost, the Acer Swift X is a good bet. If you prioritize top-tier graphics for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or high-end gaming, and don't mind the additional weight and cost, the Gigabyte Aero 5 may serve you better. Consider how much you'll be carrying the laptop, what kinds of tasks you'll be using it for, and how much you're willing to spend in making your decision. 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 speakers
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 5
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.4
7.9
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
446.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aero 5 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is appreciated for general use thanks to its balance of a strong CPU and dedicated GPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality IPS screen, all in a lightweight package with a long battery life. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aero 5 offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, a superior OLED display with higher resolution, and larger storage capacity, but this comes with reduced portability due to its greater weight and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.9
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aero 5, with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, delivers superior gaming and 3D performance compared to the Acer Swift X's Nvidia RTX 3050, despite both having the same screen refresh rate. Additionally, the Aero 5's OLED display with higher resolution offers a higher quality screen, enhancing visual experiences, which complements its more powerful GPU, while the Swift X's IPS display provides good, but less exceptional quality.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
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
8.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Gigabyte Aero 5 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
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
7.9
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aero 5 is somewhat better.
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
8.6
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
446.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift X offers a balance with a decent resolution and brightness that is suitable for everyday tasks, but its average color coverage might not be the best for professional design work. The Gigabyte Aero 5 shines with its higher resolution and brightness, alongside a wider color gamut that meets the precision required for engineering and design applications. However, both laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, which are less ideal for fast-paced gaming and 3D rendering that rely on quick image refreshes for smooth visuals.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 5 has 7 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$1,250
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Gigabyte Aero 5 costs $1,250.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and Acer Swift X (2021) 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 Aero 5 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Gigabyte Aero 5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,250 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 10'' x 1.08'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 5.07 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 446 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Aero 5
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Dig into reviews and images
The Tech Revolutionist
Zhi Cheng | May 2022
"It is unfortunate that the Gigabyte AERO notebook series have seem to lost its charm, as it’s not exactly any much different from the AORUS series now. Regardless, content creators and designers will certainly still appreciate the features on the AERO 5 XE4, which are fundamental to their work. This largely revolved around the notebook’s display, which is colour calibrated and validated, high resolution (4K) and with great AMOLED colour representation. Now that the AERO 5 XE4 has improved its performance with the latest CPU and GPU, the professionals can also appreciate the improved productivity from the notebook."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Gigabyte Aero 5
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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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.
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