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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) offers relatively more powerful performance due to its dedicated Nvidia graphics card, making it well-suited for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and even some gaming. However, it's slightly heavier and larger, which affects portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, also providing a touchscreen and generally costing less, but it has less storage and its integrated graphics are less capable for demanding tasks. If portability and cost are crucial, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is favorable, but for better performance, especially in graphics-intensive applications, the Swift X is the recommended option. 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 battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Acer Swift X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 have similar screen quality.
The Acer Swift X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 both offer screens with resolutions and brightness levels that are satisfactory for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, making them good for general use. Their display panels cover a significant range of color gamuts, ensuring that colors are represented accurately, which is crucial for engineering and design professionals needing precision. However, their refresh rates are not as high as gaming specialized laptops, and this can lead to less fluid visuals, making them less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where fast-moving images are common.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 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
Excellent
14.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$797
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $797.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is better for general use due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, making it more capable of handling a variety of tasks including light gaming, and it also has a larger and higher quality screen with better brightness, compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3. However, the Surface Laptop Go 3 is more portable with a smaller, lighter build and has a higher quality keyboard, along with a touchscreen which the Acer lacks, but it is held back by its less capable Intel i5 integrated graphics and inferior screen size and brightness.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.1
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU which is more suited for gaming and 3D applications than the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics in the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3; however, both laptops have a screen refresh rate capped at 60Hz which is not ideal for high-frame-rate gaming. While the Acer's GPU gives it an edge in performance, the screen quality -- with both offering standard color coverage and brightness -- and CPU capabilities are somewhat similar for gaming and 3D tasks in both laptops.
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2021) to be good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X, with its AMD Ryzen 5 processor, dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, and better screen brightness, is built to handle the higher processing and graphical demands of engineering and design tasks more effectively than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, which has an Intel i5 processor with integrated graphics and a less bright display. While the Surface Laptop Go 3 is lighter and more portable with a smaller screen, the Acer Swift X provides a balance between performance for demanding applications and portability for on-the-go productivity.
Content Creation
7.5
7.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.1
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 and Acer Swift X (2021) 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $797 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 2.49 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i5-1235U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 337 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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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About the laptop team
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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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