When choosing between the Acer Swift X (2021) and the HP Stream 14", consider your needs carefully. The Acer Swift X offers higher performance with better processing power and graphics, making it suitable for tasks like video editing, gaming, and heavy multitasking. It also has a higher resolution display, which means crisper and more detailed visuals. On the flip side, the HP Stream 14" is more budget-friendly and could be sufficient for basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and streaming media. However, it may struggle with more demanding applications. The Acer is also more likely to have a better build quality and a longer battery life, but it's heavier, which makes it less portable than the HP. If you frequently perform resource-intensive tasks and can justify the higher cost, the Acer Swift X would be the better option. If you're looking for a simple machine for everyday tasks and prioritize saving money, the HP Stream 14" would make more sense. 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 general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the HP Stream 14"
The HP Stream 14" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for general use, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is better suited for general use because it has superior CPU and GPU, leading to better performance, along with a higher-quality IPS screen, and a solid balance between battery life and portability. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" has a lower-tier CPU, less capable integrated graphics, and a lower resolution TN screen, which compromises performance and display quality, although it offers a better portability score and more memory.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
5.7/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Swift X (2021) offers fair gaming and 3D performance due to its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which is substantially more powerful than the HP Stream 14"'s Intel UHD Graphics 600, leading to its poor gaming and 3D capabilities; both have a similar screen refresh rate, which is a very important factor, yet the GPU performance is the key differentiator here. Screen quality and CPU are also significant, with Acer boasting a higher resolution and presumably a stronger CPU, enhancing its suitability for demanding tasks compared to the HP.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
5.7/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for engineering and design, while the HP Stream 14" is poor.
The Acer Swift X is well-suited for engineering and design tasks with its robust AMD Ryzen CPU, dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, and high-quality IPS screen, offering strong performance and vivid visuals necessary for such activities. In contrast, the HP Stream 14" has a basic Intel Celeron CPU and integrated graphics with a lower-quality TN screen, which lacks the power and display capabilities typically required for engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
7.5/10
6.7/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for content creation, while the HP Stream 14" is only fair.
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
7.3/10
6.5/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) is good for software development, while the HP Stream 14" 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
6.9/10
5.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1366 x 768
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
TN
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
220.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the HP Stream 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X features a higher resolution and brighter display compared to the HP Stream 14", which enhances clarity and comfort for typical tasks like web browsing and document editing. For engineering and design, the Swift X offers better color accuracy with wider color gamuts, essential for precise visual work, while the HP Stream falls short. When it comes to 3D applications and gaming, the Acer Swift X may lack the high refresh rates preferred for smooth motion but still offers reasonable performance, whereas the HP Stream's lower resolution and refresh rate makes it less suitable for those applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The HP Stream 14" has 7.5 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.
Build Quality
7.6/10
5.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the HP Stream 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$299
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the HP Stream 14" costs $299.
"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."
"With half of the main system memory and a fraction of the storage that we recommend in any budget Windows laptop, the HP Stream 14 does not impress. Perhaps it doesn't need to, depending on your reference point. For the price, you're getting a functional laptop with Windows 10, which already places the HP Stream 14 above most Chromebooks on that merit alone. Still, in this price range, you can't do much worse, but you can do better. In fact, for just $100 more, you can grab the much superior budget option, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the HP Stream 14"
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.
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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