Acer Swift x14 Review: Powerful Performance and Impressive Display

Acer Swift x14 Review: Powerful Performance and Impressive Display

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Design and Build Quality
3. Display and Screen Quality
4. Keyboard and Touchpad
5. Performance and Battery Life
6. Gaming Performance
7. Connectivity and Ports
8. Pros and Cons
9. Conclusion
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Introduction

In this article, we will be taking a closer look at the new Acer Swift x14, the latest version of Asus's thin and light laptop. With its great 14-inch 16x10 screen, the Swift x14 has a lot of great features to offer. However, there are also some flaws that we will discuss. We will dive into the design and build quality, display and screen quality, keyboard and touchpad performance, as well as the overall performance and battery life. We will also explore its gaming capabilities, connectivity options, and provide a detailed list of pros and cons. Finally, we will conclude with our final thoughts on the Acer Swift x14.

Design and Build Quality

The Acer Swift x14 features a sleek and subtle design with its gray aluminum body. The hinge feels sturdy and allows for easy one-handed opening. However, it can be a bit challenging to grip the screen due to the flat design where the lid and bottom meet when the laptop is closed. The Swift x14 is considered a thin and light ultrabook, weighing only 1.5 kilograms and measuring 18 millimeters in Height. The laptop comes with a small 100-watt USB AC adapter, adding an additional 380 grams to the overall weight.

Display and Screen Quality

One of the standout features of the Acer Swift x14 is its impressive display. It boasts a glossy 16x10 OLED screen with a resolution of 2880 by 1800 pixels. The display also supports HDR and has a maximum brightness of up to 500 nits. With a pixel density of 242 PPI, the screen offers near-perfect color accuracy. The high resolution and vibrant colors make it an excellent choice for content creators and those who rely on a great screen for work-related tasks.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The white illuminated keyboard on the Acer Swift x14 is a standout feature. It offers two brightness levels and no numpad, giving a clean and sleek look to the laptop. The keyboard has minimal flex and provides a satisfying typing experience, although users who prefer larger keyboards with more key travel may need some time to adjust. The touchpad is smooth and responsive, offering a seamless navigation experience. The power key also doubles as an integrated fingerprint sensor, which works flawlessly.

Performance and Battery Life

Equipped with an Intel i7 12700h and an RTX 4050, the Acer Swift x14 boasts impressive performance capabilities. With options for up to 32 gigabytes of LP DDR5 4800 megahertz RAM and a fast one terabyte Micron SSD, the Swift x14 offers fast read and write speeds. The laptop also features fast Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. In terms of battery life, the Swift x14 delivers decent run times. With 20 brightness and Wi-Fi enabled, it can last for around 13.8 hours on idle. When watching YouTube, it still achieves a very good 6.5 hours with 50 display brightness and headphones at 20 loudness.

Gaming Performance

Although not marketed as a gaming laptop, the Acer Swift x14 is capable of delivering satisfactory gaming performance. The RTX 4050, despite its lower wattage, can handle most games out there. In our tests, we achieved playable frame rates in games like Hogwarts Legacy and God of War. However, the laptop's fan noise can be a drawback, and the CPU may throttle when using higher fan speed modes. Overall, the Acer Swift x14 is not a dedicated gaming laptop but can handle gaming at acceptable settings.

Connectivity and Ports

The Acer Swift x14 offers a good range of connectivity options. It includes a Micro SD slot and a USB 3 port on the right side, which is rare in modern laptops. On the left side, there is another USB 3A port and two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt. However, it is important to note that one of the USB-C ports is required for charging the laptop using the 100-watt AC adapter. The downward-facing speakers offer decent sound quality, although bass is somewhat lacking, as is the case with most thin and light laptops.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Sleek and subtle design
• Impressive 14-inch OLED display
• Good keyboard and touchpad
• Powerful performance
• Decent battery life
• Satisfactory gaming performance
• Good connectivity options

Cons:

• Fan noise can be loud
• Throttling issues under higher fan speed modes
• Lack of bass in speakers

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Acer Swift x14 is a solid ultrabook with impressive features. It offers a sleek design, a great display, and a comfortable keyboard and touchpad. With its powerful performance capabilities, it is suitable for a range of work-related tasks, including photo editing, video editing, and 3D rendering. While it may not be a dedicated gaming laptop, it can handle gaming at acceptable settings. The fan noise and throttling issues, however, are drawbacks that potential buyers should consider. Overall, the Acer Swift x14 is a worthy contender in the thin and light ultrabook market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can the Acer Swift x14 handle demanding tasks like video editing and 3D rendering? A: Yes, the Swift x14 is equipped with a powerful Intel i7 processor and up to 32 gigabytes of RAM, making it capable of handling demanding tasks like video editing and 3D rendering.

Q: Does the Acer Swift x14 have good connectivity options? A: Yes, the Swift x14 offers a Micro SD slot, USB 3 ports, and USB-C ports with Thunderbolt, providing users with versatile connectivity options.

Q: How is the gaming performance on the Acer Swift x14? A: Although not marketed as a gaming laptop, the Swift x14 can handle gaming at acceptable settings. The RTX 4050 offers satisfactory performance in most games.

Q: Does the Acer Swift x14 have good battery life? A: Yes, the Swift x14 provides decent battery life. With 20 brightness and Wi-Fi enabled, it can last for around 13.8 hours on idle.