The Acer Swift X (2021) is more suited for performance-oriented tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering due to its NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU. It also boasts better portability with a higher portability score, which may be important if you need to carry your laptop regularly. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has more RAM, which can be beneficial for multitasking, and its AMD Ryzen 7 processor offers good performance for general use and lighter engineering work. Both laptops have a 10-hour battery life but the IdeaPad has a touchscreen, which might be useful for certain applications or if you prefer a more interactive experience. If gaming is important, the Acer Swift X is labeled as suitable for intensive gaming. Both are in a similar price range, so your choice should be based on whether you prioritize graphics performance and portability (Acer Swift X) or extra RAM and touchscreen functionality (Lenovo IdeaPad 1). 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 speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2021).
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9/10
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Acer Swift X offers better screen resolution and brightness, enhancing readability and viewing experience, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 1's screen may appear less sharp and bright. When it comes to engineering and design, the Acer's superior color gamut coverage allows for more accurate color representation, critical for detail-oriented work, which the Lenovo might not display as vividly. For gaming and 3D applications requiring fluid motion, the Acer falls short due to its lower refresh rate, making the Lenovo similarly limited, but neither is ideal for high-end gaming where higher refresh rates are crucial for a smooth experience.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$741
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" costs $741.
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and a vivid screen, making it reliable for general use and even light gaming, balanced with good portability and a solid battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" on the other hand, despite a more robust AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and more RAM for efficient multitasking, sacrifices some portability and battery performance, which might affect users needing to work on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.1/10
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
9.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X is fair for gaming and 3D because it has a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU that can handle these tasks but is limited by a standard refresh rate and screen; similarly, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 trails slightly as it relies on an integrated Vega 8 GPU, which offers moderate performance for gaming and 3D applications on its standard refresh rate display.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
6.6/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2021) to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is better suited for engineering and design due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and high-quality IPS screen, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a less capable Vega 8 integrated graphics and a lower-quality screen, making it less ideal for such tasks.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.4/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3/10
7.3/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
12.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
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 Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
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