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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X offers better portability and higher performance for 3D applications and engineering tasks due to its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, but it comes at a higher cost. The HP 17" Laptop is less expensive and has a larger screen, which might be preferable for general use and tasks that benefit from more display real estate, although its integrated AMD graphics are less capable for demanding graphical 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 engineering and design
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP 17" Laptop
- The HP 17" Laptop has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
6.6
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X's screen offers higher resolution and brightness, which enhances everyday tasks like web browsing and document editing, making it ideal for general use. For engineering and design, this laptop's superior color accuracy with broader color gamuts helps professionals with tasks that require precision in colors, like photo editing or CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D rendering, it falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which can make fast-paced visuals less smooth compared to screens designed specifically for these activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 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
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the HP 17" Laptop has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
6.0
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair 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
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
287.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.1/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and HP 17" Laptop are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is favored for general use due to its balance of strong CPU and GPU for various tasks, sufficient RAM and storage, high-quality screen, and longer battery life, packed into a portable form. Conversely, while the HP 17" Laptop has more RAM and a larger screen for better multitasking and visibility, it is less portable and has a shorter battery life, making it better suited for stationary use.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.2
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
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and HP 17" Laptop are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X features an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which is superior for gaming and 3D tasks compared to the integrated Vega 8 graphics in the HP 17" Laptop, offering better performance for graphics-intensive applications. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, but the dedicated GPU in the Acer provides a distinct advantage for gaming and 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2021) to be good for engineering and design, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The Acer Swift X excels in engineering and design due to its competitive AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, and high-quality IPS screen, making it suitable for demanding tasks, yet its light weight and smaller screen make it relatively portable. In contrast, the HP 17" Laptop offers more RAM and a larger screen for extensive workspace, but its integrated Vega 8 graphics are less powerful for GPU-intensive applications and with a larger size, it sacrifices some portability.
Content Creation
7.5
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and HP 17" Laptop 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
7.1
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and HP 17" Laptop 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.
Cost
$580
$550
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the HP 17" Laptop costs $550.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the HP 17" Laptop compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | HP 17" Laptop |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $550 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.58 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 15.78" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.15" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
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 | 287 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 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."
HP 17" Laptop
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PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the HP 17" Laptop
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 HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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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