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Updated January 10, 2024·
When selecting between the Acer Swift X and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, consider your priorities. If you prefer a more affordable, lightweight, and portable laptop, the Acer Swift X is your choice, offering good general performance and comfortable portability. However, if your work involves engineering, 3D rendering, or intensive tasks and you're willing to invest more, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, with its higher RAM, superior processor, and advanced GPU, is built for these demands, although it is heavier and less portable. Both have a comparable battery life and solid build, but the ThinkPad excels with a higher resolution display and better overall performance for demanding applications. 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 Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Acer Swift X (2021) offers balanced performance for general use with a capable AMD processor, sufficient RAM for multitasking, and a quality IPS screen, all while being lightweight and portable with moderate battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 brings a more powerful Intel processor, ample RAM for more demanding tasks, a higher resolution screen for sharp visuals, and doubles the battery capacity, but this comes at the cost of increased weight, affecting its portability.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.9
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2021) has an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which is capable for gaming but less powerful than the Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU in the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, making the latter more suitable for graphics-intensive tasks. Additionally, while both laptops have a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is standard for many tasks, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 also boasts a higher-resolution display, providing better screen quality for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 outshines the Acer Swift X (2021) for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel processor, double the RAM, and a superior GPU, complemented by a higher resolution and brighter display which is critical for detailed design work. While the ThinkPad P16 is less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, it offers better keyboard quality, which can be a significant advantage for long hours of engineering work, despite having louder operating noise that might require consideration in quieter environments.
Content Creation
7.5
8.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
8.4
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
8.2
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Swift X and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offer screens with resolutions and brightness levels that provide clear and vibrant displays, but the ThinkPad P16 has an edge due to its superior panel type that enhances viewing angles and color accuracy. Engineering and design professionals benefit from the ThinkPad P16's wider color gamuts, giving them a truer representation of colors for precise work, though the Acer Swift X also delivers satisfactory performance in this regard. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on both laptops mean they may not provide the smooth visual experience desired by enthusiasts, even though their resolution and panel types are adequate.
Portability
Very Good
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
$1,449
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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.
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