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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16, with a more powerful graphics card, would excel for gaming or 3D tasks but it's heavier and bigger which makes it less portable. The Acer Swift X 16 is lighter and thinner for easy travel and has a better battery life for on-the-go use, but its graphics performance is lower which might not suit heavy graphics applications as well. Both share a high-quality display and are well-suited for general and engineering tasks, allowing you to choose based on whether you prioritize gaming and intensive tasks or portability and longer unplugged usage. 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 Nitro 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Acer Swift X 16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.0
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Unknown
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X 16 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications thanks to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a significantly higher screen refresh rate which brings smoother visuals, compared to the Acer Swift X 16 which is equipped with the less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU. Both laptops offer good screen quality and processors for these tasks, but the Swift X 16, with its lighter weight, offers better portability at the expense of some performance and battery capacity.
Screen Quality
8.3
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Acer Nitro 16 for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both Acer Nitro and Swift X laptops with their high resolution and bright displays provide crisp and clear visuals, making them excellent for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos. When it comes to engineering and design, these laptops excel due to their wide color gamuts, ensuring that professionals in these fields see accurate and vibrant colors for tasks such as photo editing or CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D purposes, they fall short as their refresh rates are not high enough for the smooth visuals that fast-paced gaming and intensive 3D applications require.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
8.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
402.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for general use, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 has a more powerful graphics card and larger battery which benefits performance in demanding tasks and battery life, respectively, making it well-suited for general use. However, the Acer Swift X 16 offers double the storage, a slightly higher screen color accuracy, and is lighter and thinner, enhancing portability and making it very good for general use activities that also require moving around frequently.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.8
8.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Nitro 16 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X 16 is good.
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.
Content Creation
7.8
8.2
8.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 16 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
7.7
8.0
8.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for software development, while the Acer Nitro 16 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.
Battery
9.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Acer Swift X 16 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.6
The Acer Swift X 16 and Acer Nitro 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$1,250
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Acer Swift X 16 costs $1,250.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Acer Swift X 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | Acer Swift X 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,250 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.19 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | RTX 4070 (140 W) | RTX 3050 (75 W) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | Yes | Unknown | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 76 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 402 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | RGB | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
Acer Swift X 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2023
"Acer’s Swift X 16 is an excellent choice for shoppers who want a 16-inch laptop and care more for performance than attractive design or long battery life. The Swift X 16’s gorgeous OLED display, spacious keyboard, and big touchpad make it pleasant to use in basic day-to-day tasks. It also has an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, which combine to deliver good performance in a wide variety of productivity applications and games. A few minor mistakes, like poorly-placed USB-C ports that lack DisplayPort, will turn off some shoppers, but those who can accept its shortcomings will find the Swift X 16 a versatile daily driver."
Get a great deal on the Acer Nitro 16 or the Acer Swift X 16
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.
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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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