Acer Swift X SFX14-71G vs Acer Swift X SFX14-42G Comparison

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Acer Swift X SFX14-71G

14.5 inches | January 2023

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Acer Swift X SFX14-42G

14 inches | January 2022

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Acer Swift X SFX14-71G vs Acer Swift X SFX14-42G Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G, two laptops by Acer. Acer Swift X SFX14-71G was introduced to market in January 2023 and Acer Swift X SFX14-42G was launched in January 2022. There is 12 months difference between Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G so it would still give an advantage to younger Swift X SFX14-71G.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G are members of Acer's Swift series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Acer Swift Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Acer Swift Go 14 AI	September 2024	14.0"	322.6 x 225.95 x 10-17.95 mm	1.32 kg (2.91 lbs)
Acer Swift 14 AI SF14-61	September 2024	14.0"	312.9 x 222.11 x 10-17.9 mm	1.32 kg (2.91 lbs)
Acer Swift 14 AI SF14-51	September 2024	14.0"	312 x 221 x 16 mm	1.26 kg (2.78 lbs)
Acer Swift 16 AI SF16-51T	September 2024	16.0"	356 x 249.42 x 9.9-15.9 mm	1.5 kg (3.31 lbs)
Acer Swift 16 AI SF16-51T	September 2024	16.0"	356 x 249.42 x 9.9-15.9 mm	1.5 kg (3.31 lbs)
Acer Swift Go 14 SFG14-63	July 2024	14.0"	312.9 x 217.9 x 14.9 mm	1.25 kg (2.76 lbs)
Acer Swift 14 SF14-11	March 2024	14.5"	322.6 x 226 x 14.9 mm	1.32 kg (2.91 lbs)
Acer Swift Go 16 SFG16-72	January 2024	16.0"	355.6 x 243.8 x 24.3 mm	1.6 kg (3.53 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Acer Swift X SFX14-71G and Acer Swift X SFX14-42G before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
14.5" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 13500H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
322.79 x 228.12 x 17.9 mm (12.71 x 8.98 x 0.7 inches)
Weight: 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs)

Acer Swift X SFX14-42G Key Specs

Launched in January 2022
14.0" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
GPU: GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile 4GB
8GB Ram
322.8 x 212.2 x 17.9 mm (12.71 x 8.35 x 0.7 inches)
Weight: 1.39 kg (3.06 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Acer Swift X SFX14-71G over Acer Swift X SFX14-42G

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~82.8% vs ~78.9%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	5.2 mm vs 6.5 mm	1.3 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	14.5 inches vs 14 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	120 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	208 ppi vs 157 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
sRGB Color Space	98% vs 96.1%	Wider sRGB Color Space Coverage
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	83% vs 68.2%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Max Brightness	400 nits vs 350 nits	Brighter Screen
GPU Fabrication Process	8 nm vs 12 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	5.8 TFLOPS vs 3.195 TFLOPS	Faster RAM Type
RAM Type	LPDDR5 vs LPDDR4X	Faster RAM
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Generates higher sound levels
Speaker Loudness	77.6 dB vs 76 dB	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-C Ports	2x USB 4.0 vs 1x USB 3.2	Faster USB-C connection
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Better HDMI connectivity
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 2.0	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No

Reasons to choose Acer Swift X SFX14-42G over Acer Swift X SFX14-71G

Weight	1.39 kg vs 1.55 kg	0.16 kg lighter
CPU Fabrication Process	7 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation CPU
Avg. MSRP Price	$800-1200 vs $1200-1600	Lower Price (*may change depending on config, seller, location, and time)

Common Strengths of Acer Swift X SFX14-42G and Acer Swift X SFX14-71G

Launch Dates	January 2023 vs January 2022	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.2 vs v5.2	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs Yes	Easy Login with Fingerprint Sensor
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Acer Swift X SFX14-42G and Acer Swift X SFX14-71G

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Upgradable RAM	No vs No	No Option to increase the RAM size

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G vs Acer Swift X SFX14-42G: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Acer Swift X SFX14-71G and the Acer Swift X SFX14-42G.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.55 kg (3.42 lbs)	1.39 kg (3.06 lbs)
Surface Area	736 cm2 (114.1 inches2)	685 cm2 (106.1 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~82.8%	~78.9%
Side Bezel Thickness	~5.2 mm	~6.5 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.11 kg/inch	0.10 kg/inch
	0.242 lbs/inch	0.22 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Gray

Comparison of the Acer Swift X SFX14-71G and the Acer Swift X SFX14-42G External Dimensions

Weight

Swift X SFX14-71G weighs 1.55 kg (3.42 lbs), whereas the Swift X SFX14-42G weighs 1.39 kg (3.06 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G 1.55 kg

Acer Swift X SFX14-42G 1.39 kg

Min 0.88 kg

Average 1.42 kg

Max 2.19 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G 17.90 mm

Acer Swift X SFX14-42G 17.90 mm

Min 8.40 mm

Average 17.12 mm

Max 32.50 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Acer Swift X SFX14-71G is 0.11 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Acer Swift X SFX14-42G is 0.10 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G vs Acer Swift X SFX14-42G: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 13500H Intel Core i7 13700H	AMD Ryzen 5 5500U AMD Ryzen 5 5600U AMD Ryzen 7 5800U AMD Ryzen 7 5825U
Base Frequency	2.6 GHz	2.1 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.7 GHz	4 GHz
Number of Cores	12	6
Number of Threads	16	12
L3 Cache	18 MB	8 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)	Radeon RX Vega 7
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	7 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1730	1111
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	11090	4960
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1816	1183
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	14071	7120

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Acer Swift X SFX14-71G and Acer Swift X SFX14-42G.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 13500H

Laptops with: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB	GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile 4GB GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 4GB GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile 4GB
Base Clock Frequency	1185 MHz	1380 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1417 MHz	1515 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	50 W	50 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus	MUX
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	5.8 TFLOPS	3.103 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	128 bit	128 bit
Memory Speed	12 Gbps	1500 MHz 12 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	2048	1024
TMUs	64	64
ROPs	40	32

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Acer Swift X SFX14-71G has a FLOPS value of 5.8 TFLOPS whereas the Acer Swift X SFX14-42G ' has a FLOPS value of 3.195 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Acer Swift X SFX14-71G may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB	8GB 16GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	5200 MHz	4266 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5	LPDDR4X
Upgradable	No	No
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, the Swift X SFX14-71G offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the Swift X SFX14-42G's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Acer Swift X (SFX14-71G)	Acer Swift X (SFX14-42G)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	76 Wh	59 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	No
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left	Left
Charge Power	100 W	60 / 90 W
Full Charging Time	1:25 hr	2:00 hr

Moreover, the Swift X SFX14-71G boasts a larger battery capacity of 76 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Swift X SFX14-42G's59 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G 76 Wh

Acer Swift X SFX14-42G 59 Wh

Min 32.00 Wh

Average 55.79 Wh

Max 90.00 Wh

STORAGE
The Swift X SFX14-42G offers a larger max storage capacity of 2 TB, providing more room for storing files and data compared to the Swift X SFX14-71G's storage capacity of 1 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G vs Acer Swift X SFX14-42G: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Acer Swift X SFX14-71G and Acer Swift X SFX14-42G since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Swift X SFX14-71G has a display size of 14.5".On the other hand, Swift X SFX14-42G has a smaller 14.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Swift X SFX14-71G is 610cm² / 94inch² whereas the Swift X SFX14-42G's total usable screen area is 540cm² / 84inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Swift X SFX14-71G features a higher pixel density with 208 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G 208 ppi

Acer Swift X SFX14-42G 157 ppi

Min 112 PPI

Average 173 PPI

Max 323.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Swift X SFX14-71G offers a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
The Swift X SFX14-71G offers a higher maximum brightness of 400 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G 400 nits

Acer Swift X SFX14-42G 350 nits

Min

200 nits

Average 383 nits

Max 1200.00 nits

Acer Swift X SFX14-71G vs Acer Swift X SFX14-42G Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Swift X SFX14-71G features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Swift X SFX14-42G (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G feature 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G have USB Type-C ports. Swift X SFX14-71G has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Swift X SFX14-42G has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Swift X SFX14-71G is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Swift X SFX14-42G does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Both Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G feature an HDMI port. Swift X SFX14-71G offers 1x HDMI 2.1, while Swift X SFX14-42G offers 1x HDMI 2.0.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Swift X SFX14-71G is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. Swift X SFX14-42G does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Swift X SFX14-71G and Swift X SFX14-42G are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.0
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	Yes	No
Proprietary Charging Port	No	Yes