Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
TheDell XPS 14is a brand - new14 - inch laptopthat serve as a tweener between the XPS 13 and the new XPS 16 . It ’s an ultramodern laptop with several controversial unexampled feature that will either delight or bother substance abuser . And , it ’s an expensive auto with good , but not keen performance .
That opens the way for a laptop that ’s faster and more affordable . TheAcer Swift X 14is just such a laptop , as it puts out a lot more performance for a lot less money . This time there ’s no question — it ’s a good laptop for most drug user .
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
Specs and configurations
The Swift X 14 comes in two conformation , with a $ 1,400 fundament manakin with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chipset , 16 GB of RAM , a 1 TB SSD , an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 , and a 14.5 - inch 2.8 KB OLED display . For $ 1,700 , you get 32 GB of RAM and a much profligate RTX 4070 .
The XPS 14 is a lot more expensive . It starts at $ 1,699 for the Core Ultra 7 , 16 GB of RAM , a 512 GB SSD , Intel Arc nontextual matter , and a 14.5 - inch FHD+ information processing display . In the same configuration as the Acer ’s humiliated - end example , it ’s $ 2,499 . When configure to match the Swift X 14 ’s eminent - end model , but with the slow RTX 4050 , the XPS 14 costs $ 2,699 . Then , with 64 GB of RAM and a 4 TB SSD , the XPS 14 is a thumping $ 3,699 .
The XPS 14 would have to be a pile better to free such gamey prices . And it ’s not .
Design
The XPS 14 is one of the most innovative laptop computer made today . It incorporates several innovative features , including a zero - lattice keyboard , a hidden tactile touchpad , and a row of conduct cutaneous senses function key . Whether those make the XPS 14 a better laptop is open to debate , particularly the function keys that provide no tactile feedback . The Swift X 14 is a more traditional machine , and its blueprint is a niggling chunky and make up the XPS 14 look incredibly streamlined by comparison . The Dell is one of the well - looking 14 - inch laptop , and if you ’re look for a great esthetical , the XPS 14 delivers .
Both are well - built laptop crafted from all aluminum . Neither has any bending , twisting , or flexing in the physique or palpebra . The XPS 14 is little thanks to insanely fragile display bezels , and it ’s also considerably thinner while also being heavier . That make it feel a lot denser in hand , which gives the impression of higher quality that ’s not necessarily there .
As far as the XPS 14 ’s keyboard goes , the keys have shallow , snappy , and precise transposition with large keycaps , but the want of spacing takes some getting used to . The Swift X 14 ’s keyboard is thick and also has precise switches with a more traditional layout . The XPS 14 ’s haptic touchpad works well , as long as you do n’t suffer data track of the edges . It ’s good than the Swift X 14 ’s more pedestrian mechanically skillful touchpad .
Connectivity favors the Swift X 14 , which has more ports and excellent bequest support . You ’re much more limited with the XPS 14 . Both laptops have identical wireless connectivity .
Both laptops also have similar 1080p webcam , and both have Neural Processing Units ( NPUs ) that stomach Microsoft ’s Studio Effects Software for hardware - assisted blurring , face trailing , and other feature of speech . The XPS 14 has an infrared camera for Windows 11 Hello facial realization , and both laptops have fingermark referee engraft in their power button .
Performance
Both laptops use the 28 - W Intel Core Ultra 7 155H chipset with 16 cores ( six Performance , eight Efficient , and two Low Power Efficient ) and 22 train of thought . It ’s a hearty performing artist for demanding productivity users . We reviewed the XPS 14 with the slightly faster Core Ultra 9 165H , which is n’t currently an option .
The Swift X 14 can be equipped with both the entry - floor Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 and the much fast RTX 4070 , which is strange in non - gaming 14 - column inch laptops . The XPS 14 offer either Intel Arc incorporate graphics or the RTX 4050 . While the RTX 4070 is n’t given as much superpower in the Swift X 14 as it is in 16 - in laptops , and the Acer does n’t have the same thermal performance , the GPU option makes the Acer significantly quicker than the Dell .
That ’s most apparent in the PugetBench Premiere Pro bench mark that run in a lively interlingual rendition of Adobe ’s Premiere Pro and use the GPU to accelerate up various tasks . In this bench mark , the Swift X 14 was 46 % faster . It was also 65 % faster in the Cinebench R24 GPU test , while also being faster in the CPU dowry . It has good thermals than the XPS 14 .
plainly put , the Swift X 14 is a much firm laptop computer than the XPS 14 . That ’s for demanding productivity users , creators , and gamers . In fact , it ’s a decent gambling laptop in its own right .
Display and audio
The Swift X 14 and XPS 14 both put up 14.5 - inch 16:10 OLED displays , the Dell in a slightly piercing 3 K ( 3200 x 2000 ) firmness of purpose compared to the Acer ’s 2.8 K ( 2880 x 1800 ) panel . Both run at 120Hz , and the XPS 14 also has an FHD+ ( 1920 x 1200 ) IPS display for better battery life .
According to our tintometer , the Acer ’s OLED exhibit is better . It ’s brighter and has wider colouring material , while both have the engineering science ’s usual inky-black Negroid . Both are slap-up display for a variety of uses .
The XPS 14 has a four - utterer audio organization with upward - discharge tweeters and side - firing woofers . It puts out tawdry , clear sound with some bass part . The Swift X 14 has just two upward - firing speakers that are just OK by comparing .
Portability
Both laptop are sanely thin and light , with the XPS 14 being a turn toilsome .
Neither laptop computer gets dandy battery life , but the XPS 14 is strong . It see 8.25 hr in our web - graze examination and 10 60 minutes in our video - loop trial , compared to the Swift X 14 ’s 7.25 hours in both test . The XPS 14 with the IPS video display come in at 12 60 minutes and 15 hours , a very secure screening .
The Swift X 14 is faster and cheaper
The XPS 14 is a more ultramodern laptop computer with some standout — and controversial — pattern feature . It ’s somewhat tight , has a great OLED display , and is very well work up . It ’s also expensive — and arguably overpriced give the component part .
The Swift X 14 is much fast , has an even better OLED display , and it ’s also well - built . It ’s a clunkier aim and not nearly as great - looking . But it ’s a lot more low-cost , and very attractive given the carrying into action . It ’s the better choice for most people .
