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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X offers better performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its dedicated graphics, but it is more expensive and heavier, which affects portability. The LG Ultra 13 is less costly and lighter, making it more portable, and it has more RAM, but it relies on integrated graphics, which are less suited for intensive tasks. 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
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the LG Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
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 LG Ultra 13 for content creation.
For general use, the Acer Swift X and the LG Ultra 13 offer screens that are bright and clear with sufficient resolution, making text, images, and videos look sharp and vibrant, which is ideal for everyday activities such as browsing the web, working with documents, or streaming media. Both laptops provide accurate color representation with wide color gamuts, satisfying the needs of engineers and designers who require precise colors for tasks like CAD, digital art, and photo editing, although they may not completely cover professional color spaces. However, their screens don't have high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D rendering, leading to a less optimal experience for those specific tasks.
Portability
Very Good
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$529
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the LG Ultra 13 costs $529.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and LG Ultra 13 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.1
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
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card which tends to be better for gaming and 3D tasks than the integrated AMD Ryzen 7 4700U Vega 7 graphics in the LG Ultra 13; however, both laptops have the same screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is a limitation for high-frame-rate gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.6
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2021) to be good for engineering and design, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X with its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU offers superior graphical performance compared to the LG Ultra 13's integrated Vega 7 graphics, making it more suitable for engineering and design tasks that require intensive graphics processing.
Content Creation
7.5
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and LG Ultra 13 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 LG Ultra 13 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.4
The Acer Swift X (2021) and LG Ultra 13 both have 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 LG Ultra 13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | LG Ultra 13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $529 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 2.16 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 12.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.14" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
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."
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the LG Ultra 13
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 LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, 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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