A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Swift X offers a more wallet-friendly option while still delivering decent performance for everyday tasks and light gaming, courtesy of its dedicated graphics card. It's lighter and might be sufficient if you're looking for general use and portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 packs a punch with superior performance that suits intensive tasks such as engineering, machine learning, or 3D work, thanks to its more powerful processor and graphics. It also boasts a higher resolution OLED display for crisper visuals but with a tradeoff in higher price and slightly less portability due to its larger size and weight. Additionally, a significantly larger storage capacity and more memory on the ThinkPad Z16 will benefit professional workload management more than the Swift X. 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
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
- 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
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out with its high-resolution OLED screen and abundant RAM that enhance multitasking and visual clarity, making it very suitable for general use, but it's heavier and less portable than the Acer Swift X. On the other hand, the Acer Swift X, despite its lower screen resolution and RAM, still offers a solid CPU and good battery life for general computing tasks, with the added benefit of being lighter and more portable.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.4
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for engineering and design with a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, and a superior GPU compared to the Acer Swift X (2021), alongside an OLED screen with higher resolution and better color coverage, essential for detailed and accurate visual work. While the Acer Swift X is lighter and potentially more convenient for carrying around, the ThinkPad Z16's advantages in performance and screen quality make it especially suitable for demanding engineering tasks and professional design applications.
Content Creation
7.5
8.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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
8.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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
8.5
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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, the Acer Swift X provides a display with adequate resolution and brightness, making everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming look clear and vibrant, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 steps it up with even greater sharpness and luminance, enriching the viewing experience further. When it comes to engineering and design, the ThinkPad Z16 excels with a screen that covers a broad range of colors, critical for professionals needing color accuracy, while the Swift X, though capable, falls short of the ThinkPad's superior color fidelity. However, both fall behind for gaming and 3D, where a high refresh rate is key for fluid motion; their displays don’t prioritize this, making them less ideal for fast-paced visual content.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 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
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$1,120
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.7
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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.
Build Quality
7.6
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 to have 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.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,120 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 13.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 393 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2022
"Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 tries has some success in its effort to tweak the ThinkPad formula. The laptop is attractive, yet still tame, and material quality is on par with the best Windows competition. I also like the smooth, responsive haptic touchpad and the wide range of modern connectivity. Yet the Z16 doesn’t fix ThinkPad’s typical weakness: value. Starting around $1,550, and more typically near $1,700, the Z16 finds itself facing alternatives that have better performance or an improved display for the same price, or less."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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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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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