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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
The Acer Swift X is a solid choice for those who need a balance of performance and portability without breaking the bank. It offers a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, which is great for light gaming and some creative work, and has a larger storage capacity out of the box. However, its screen refresh rate is limited to 60Hz and it lacks the premium build quality and touchscreen functionality of the Surface Laptop. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" is pricier but boasts a high-resolution touchscreen display with a higher refresh rate and better color accuracy, making it ideal for professionals who prioritize screen quality for tasks like photo editing. It also comes with Windows 11 Pro and a more robust build quality. The Surface Laptop's Intel Arc graphics won't match the gaming and 3D performance of the Acer's dedicated Nvidia GPU, but it's more than capable for general use and light creative work. It's also more compact and has a better keyboard, which is a plus for productivity on the go. Ultimately, if you need better graphics performance and more storage for a lower price, the Acer Swift X is the way to go. But if you value a superior display, build quality, and a premium computing experience with a touchscreen, the Surface Laptop 6 is worth the extra investment. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15"
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.1
14.0in
SIZE
15.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.9/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and Acer Swift X (2021) 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
6.6
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" 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.
Content Creation
7.5
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and Acer Swift X (2021) 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
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2496 x 1664
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" and Acer Swift X (2021) 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
9.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" has 9 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" 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 6 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | June 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 13.4'' x 9.6'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 13.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.61" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel Core Ultra 7 165H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 47 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2496 x 1664 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 6 15"
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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