Is the Acer Swift 3 Worth It? A Budget Laptop with Powerful Ryzen 5 CPU

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to the Acer Swift 3
2. Design and Build Quality
3. Keyboard and Touchpad Experience
4. Performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 CPU
5. Gaming Capabilities and Limitations
6. Display Quality and Color Accuracy
7. Battery Life and Power Efficiency
8. Upgradability and Internal Components
9. Webcam and Speaker Quality
10. Conclusion: Is the Acer Swift 3 Worth It?

Introduction to the Acer Swift 3

The Acer Swift 3 is one of the most affordable laptops in the market that features the new AMD Ryzen 4000 series mobile CPU. With a lightweight and compact 14-inch design, this laptop offers a powerful 6-core Ryzen 5 4500U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a full HD IPS panel. While it may not be a dedicated gaming laptop, it still offers some gaming capabilities. With a price of 699 euros, the Acer Swift 3 with a 500GB SSD is considered the cheapest Ryzen 5 laptop available, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers.

Design and Build Quality

When you first pick up the Acer Swift 3, one of the most noticeable aspects is its lightweight nature, weighing only 1.2 kilos. While it may not have the same level of build quality as the Dell XPS, it is still quite good considering its affordable price. The laptop is mostly made of metal, giving it a sleek appearance and a solid feel. With a thin and compact design, it manages to include traditional USB ports, including two USB type-A ports, one USB type-C port, an HDMI connection, and an audio jack. The hinge provides some resistance, and the display feels sturdy, while the keyboard side shows a bit of flex. Overall, the design and build quality of the Acer Swift 3 are commendable for its price range.

Keyboard and Touchpad Experience

In terms of the keyboard, the Acer Swift 3 offers a fairly typical typing experience. It strikes a balance by providing enough travel and a white backlight, making it easy to get used to. Surprisingly, it even includes a fingerprint reader, which is not often found in this price range. However, it's worth noting that in a bright environment, the white backlight can be problematic due to the lack of contrast between the white characters and the silver keys. On the other HAND, the touchpad is a pleasant surprise. Despite being made of plastic, it feels smooth, responsive, and comfortable to use. Compared to other laptops in this price class, the touchpad of the Acer Swift 3 offers an unexpectedly good user experience.

Performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 CPU

The Acer Swift 3 is equipped with the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, a 6-core CPU without multi-threading. It is worth noting that the "U" in the model name signifies a low-power version, rated at 15 watts. Although it may not be as powerful as higher-end options, the CPU performs remarkably well. In benchmark tests, it surpasses the 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processors commonly found in laptops within the same price range. It even outperforms higher-priced laptops such as the Razer Blade Stealth 13 and the Dell XPS 13. While it lacks a dedicated GPU, the integrated GPU in this processor is surprisingly capable. It can handle light gaming, allowing comfortable gameplay at 1080p and over 60 frames per Second (FPS). However, it's important to note that this laptop is not ideal for gaming, but it can still provide some level of enjoyment for casual gamers.

Gaming Capabilities and Limitations

Despite not being a gaming laptop, the Acer Swift 3 with its AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated GPU offers some gaming capabilities. It can handle light games such as Overwatch, Minecraft, and League of Legends comfortably at 1080p and over 60 FPS. It can even handle some triple-A titles on low settings. However, for more demanding games, the performance may not be satisfactory. Even somewhat older games like Far Cry 5 only reached 38 FPS on 720p and low settings. It is important to set realistic expectations when it comes to gaming on the Acer Swift 3 and understand that it is primarily designed for productivity tasks rather than gaming.

Display Quality and Color Accuracy

One of the downsides of the Acer Swift 3 is the display quality, particularly in terms of color accuracy. It covers less than 55% of the sRGB color gamut, which is a poor score for anyone involved in photo or video work. Consequently, the color accuracy is subpar as well. However, this does not necessarily make it an unpleasant screen for other tasks such as office work, internet browsing, or even gaming. The display has decent contrast, excellent gray balance, a spot-on white point, and provides enough workspace with its 1080p resolution on a 14-inch screen. While the maximum brightness is not impressive at 278 nits, it is comparable to other laptops in this price range.

Battery Life and Power Efficiency

One of the notable strengths of the Acer Swift 3 is its battery life, thanks to the efficient Ryzen CPUs. You can expect around 6 hours of productivity, 8 hours of Netflix streaming, or 9 to 10 hours of light use such as typing and web browsing. This means that if you forget to bring your charger to school or work, there will be no need to panic. Furthermore, the power efficiency of the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U CPU is impressive, even under stress tests. The chip only utilizes around 17 watts, and the single fan performs well in cooling the CPU, resulting in temperatures of only around 75 degrees Celsius. The low fan noise of 33 decibels during stress tests and the near-silent operation during light use make this laptop an excellent choice for everyday use.

Upgradability and Internal Components

The Acer Swift 3 offers some level of upgradability and easy access to key components. By removing a handful of screws, you can access important internal components such as the fans, battery, Wi-Fi chip, and PCIe SSD. However, it's important to note that the memory is soldered onto the other side of the motherboard, making it impossible to upgrade. Despite this limitation, the laptop's internal design is surprisingly simple, and it is interesting to see how Acer managed to maintain its affordability while keeping the hardware accessible. It's worth mentioning that the 512GB SSD that comes with the model performs well in terms of speed.

Webcam and Speaker Quality

In terms of peripherals, the Acer Swift 3 offers a pleasant surprise with its webcam and speakers. The webcam provides satisfactory video quality, while the speakers deliver above-average sound. This is quite impressive considering that more expensive laptops often fall short in these aspects. The combination of a decent webcam and speakers adds to the overall value and usability of the Acer Swift 3.

Conclusion: Is the Acer Swift 3 Worth It?

Overall, the Acer Swift 3 is a solid budget laptop that offers great value for its price. It has an attractive design, performs well with the AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and provides a comfortable user experience with its keyboard and touchpad. While it may not be a dedicated gaming laptop, it can still handle light gaming. The display quality is the main drawback, particularly for color-sensitive work. However, for most other tasks, the display is acceptable. The battery life is impressive, and the laptop remains quiet during use. The upgradability, webcam, and speaker quality are additional benefits. Considering its affordability and the performance it delivers, the Acer Swift 3 is a worthy choice for those seeking good value in a laptop.

Highlights

• Affordable laptop featuring the AMD Ryzen 4000 series mobile CPU
• Lightweight and compact design with a solid build quality
• Decent keyboard and surprisingly good touchpad experience
• Powerful performance with the AMD Ryzen 5 CPU for productivity tasks
• Capable of handling light gaming
• Display quality lacks color accuracy but is adequate for most tasks
• Impressive battery life and power efficiency
• Easy upgradability for most components
• Webcam and speaker quality exceed expectations
• Overall, an excellent budget laptop offering great value for the price

FAQ

Q: Can the Acer Swift 3 be used for gaming? A: While it is not a dedicated gaming laptop, the Acer Swift 3 can handle light gaming thanks to the AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated GPU. It can comfortably run games like Overwatch, Minecraft, and League of Legends at 1080p and over 60 FPS.

Q: Can I upgrade the memory in the Acer Swift 3? A: Unfortunately, the memory in the Acer Swift 3 is soldered onto the motherboard and cannot be upgraded. However, other components such as the SSD, battery, and Wi-Fi chip can be easily accessed and replaced.

Q: How is the battery life of the Acer Swift 3? A: The Acer Swift 3 offers impressive battery life, allowing around 6 hours of productivity, 8 hours of Netflix streaming, or 9 to 10 hours of light use such as typing and browsing the internet.

Q: Is the display of the Acer Swift 3 suitable for photo or video work? A: No, the display of the Acer Swift 3 is not ideal for color-sensitive tasks. It covers less than 55% of the sRGB color gamut, resulting in poor color accuracy. However, for other tasks such as office work or internet browsing, the display is acceptable.

Q: Can I easily access and clean the internal components of the Acer Swift 3? A: Yes, the Acer Swift 3 allows easy access to key internal components, such as the fans, battery, Wi-Fi chip, and PCIe SSD. However, the memory is soldered onto the motherboard and cannot be upgraded.

Resources:

• iFixit
• Acer Swift 3 - Acer Website