A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) is more affordable and offers relatively good performance for general use, with decent battery life and a lightweight design, making it suitable for portability. However, the Razer Blade 18, while more expensive, provides superior performance, especially for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks, due to its advanced processor and graphics card. It also boasts a larger screen with a higher resolution, which can be beneficial for detailed work but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Acer Swift X. If price is a major concern and you need a laptop for everyday tasks with the added benefit of portability, the Acer Swift X would be the sensible choice. But if you require a powerful machine for demanding applications and can manage with less portability and higher cost, the Razer Blade 18 would be the better 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)
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Razer Blade 18
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- 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
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Razer Blade 18, with its more powerful processor and significantly higher RAM, excels in screen quality and is equipped for demanding tasks, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the lighter Acer Swift X, which offers adequate performance for general use and longer battery operation but has lower screen resolution and less RAM. While both have high-quality IPS displays, the Razer’s larger, higher resolution screen and superior color coverage make it exceptionally good for visual tasks; however, its heft and power draw affect carrying convenience and battery duration, unlike the more travel-friendly Acer.
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.9
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X, with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, provides a decent gaming and 3D experience, but the Razer Blade 18 offers a more premium performance for these tasks due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate of 240Hz. Additionally, while both laptops feature quality IPS displays, the Razer's superior CPU and screen resolution contribute to its excellent gaming and 3D capabilities, as compared to the fair performance on the Acer Swift X.
Engineering and Design
7.0
9.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 18 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Razer Blade 18 surpasses the Acer Swift X (2021) in terms of engineering and design use primarily because it possesses a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, and a superior GPU, which are crucial for demanding tasks and complex simulations.
Content Creation
7.5
8.6
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 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
8.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 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
8.9
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Razer Blade 18 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 crisp image with satisfactory brightness, but the Razer Blade 18 offers a more striking and vibrant display, making prolonged viewing more comfortable and visually pleasing. The Acer Swift X, while suitable for engineering and design, lacks the wider color spectrum that the Razer Blade 18 offers, which is crucial for precision in color grading and accuracy in detailed design work. However, for 3D work, where high refresh rates are key to smooth visuals, neither laptop excels; the Acer Swift X's lower refresh rate, coupled with the Razer Blade 18's limitations in this area, means dedicated gamers and 3D professionals might seek alternatives specifically tailored to these needs.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Razer Blade 18 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Razer Blade 18 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
$3,200
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Razer Blade 18 costs $3,200.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Razer Blade 18 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Razer Blade 18 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $3,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 6.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i9-13950HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 91.7 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 524 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
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."
Razer Blade 18
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | March 2023
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Razer Blade 18
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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