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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X is usually slightly less expensive, more portable due to its lighter weight, and has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, which is well-suited for gaming and 3D tasks. If cost and gaming are priorities, consider the Acer Swift X; if you need a higher quality display, more multitasking power, and longer battery life, the HP Spectre x360 could be preferable. 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
Advantages of the HP Spectre x360
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The HP Spectre x360 offers a more robust computing experience with its higher RAM and newer CPU, contributing to smoother performance in more demanding tasks, along with a higher resolution touchscreen that enhances interactivity and visual clarity for general use. On the other hand, the Acer Swift X, while being lighter for better portability, provides respectable performance with a good screen and battery life but has less RAM and lacks the convertible feature that the Spectre x360 boasts for versatility in use.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.0
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Spectre x360 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
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The HP Spectre x360 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
8.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
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
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
406.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 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's screen offers decent resolution and brightness making it suitable for everyday tasks and engineering applications with color accuracy that benefits professional design work, but its standard refresh rate falls short for fast-paced gaming and 3D rendering. The HP Spectre x360 boasts a higher-quality display that provides enhanced brightness and resolution for sharp and vibrant visuals in general use and precise color representation critical for engineering and design, while like the Acer, it isn't optimized for gaming due to a lower refresh rate. Both laptops, with their focus on screen quality aspects like color accuracy and visual sharpness, sacrifice gaming performance where a high refresh rate is key for smooth motion.
Battery
10.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The HP Spectre x360 has 11 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
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the HP Spectre x360 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The HP Spectre x360 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the HP Spectre x360 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.6
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Spectre x360 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the HP Spectre x360 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | HP Spectre x360 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.78'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.74 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.66" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-13700H | |
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 | 11 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3072 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 406 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
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."
HP Spectre x360
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | August 2022
"As we said, Lenovo's Yoga 9i is a tough competitor to the Spectre with an equally admirable OLED display. We're sad that neither of them has an HDMI port nor a niche or slot to hold the stylus, though the HP wins points for its bundled mini docking station and magnetically attached pen. Your choice will come down to screen shape—and in our eyes, just as seeing an OLED screen spoils you for an IPS panel, enjoying a tall 3:2 display spoils you for a more conventional view. The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is our new favorite 2-in-1."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the HP Spectre x360
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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