I’m quite a fan of computers that are light, easy to carry in a backpack and capable enough to accomplish any task. It’s why I spent years working with an iPad Pro, tinkering with Chromebooks, and even writing a love letter to the Surface Pro 8 a few years ago. Yes, I have a weakness for portable computing…
And on paper, that’s exactly what the Acer Swift 14 promises, despite that being a laptop. At 1300 €, it has all the latest components and hardware that can be found in a Windows laptop and is designed for on-the-go use.
All of the above specs add up to a smooth experience for everyday use and some heavier tasks, like photo and video editing and maybe some gaming.
The battery will struggle to last a whole day
Granted, you won’t be able to play AAA titles like Fortnite or Call of Duty on the Acer Swift 14. But that’s normal for this type of laptop. I found the fans to spin with minimal effort. They’re not too loud, but you can hear them if you’re not listening to music or streaming video.
I spent a lot of time using Microsoft’s Edge browser on the Swift 14, streaming video, sending and receiving emails, and using apps like Slack and Apple Music for other routine work tasks. . I didn’t experience any performance issues or lags. And the battery was able to keep up with me, holding up through a full day of mixed use.
The battery will struggle to last an entire day, however, if you’re using it primarily for more resource-intensive tasks, like other laptops with this spec level.
The Swift 14 has a USB-A port, a Kensington lock, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the side. Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
Laptop tray straightens
For every laptop I review, I run a comparative battery test. I’m looping the same 4K video file with VLC, screen brightness set to 50% and Bluetooth off, while using a camera to create a timelapse (time lapse video) from the laptop to until it turns off. I can then go back and see, down to the minute, how long the battery lasted. The Acer Swift 14 lasted 8 hours and 28 minutes. That’s not bad, especially for a laptop of this size. That’s more than enough juice for a cross-country flight.
The first time I opened the computer, flipping up the screen, I was surprised to see the laptop tray straighten up. It’s a neat idea – also taken advantage of by the competition – that places the keyboard at an angle that should make typing more comfortable. And I approve of this idea. However, my wrists and hands suffered from some fatigue after prolonged use.
The full-size keyboard has a power button that incorporates a fingerprint reader. Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
The Acer Swift 14’s touchpad is the only aspect of the design I have trouble with. It’s far too small and cramped to be used effectively, especially in a business environment where scrolling through long documents, spreadsheets, and emails is the norm. You will definitely need a Bluetooth mouse to use the Swift 14.
Video tends to be overexposed, but resolution is good
The 1440p QHD webcam piqued my interest because most laptop webcams are, in fact, horrible. I spent a few days taking all of my meetings on the Acer Swift 14, making sure to set my video resolution for each video platform to 1080p, and overall the end result was better than my MacBook Pro M1.
The video tends to be overexposed, but the resolution is good. The microphone and speakers are sufficient for video calls, but the speakers lack a bit of amplitude when listening to music or watching videos.
The flat screen edges give the laptop a premium look and feel. Jason Cipriani/ZDNET
The touchscreen is by far my favorite aspect of the Swift 14. It’s a 14-inch WQXGA 2560 x 1600 display with multi-touch support. The screen is bright, offers good color saturation and is razor sharp. It’s very responsive to touch, handy in times when I don’t feel like fiddling with the little trackpad. It’s awesome.
Acer really needed to display the mention “Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass”
However, seriously, did Acer really need to display the words “Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass” on the upper left edge, just above the screen? It’s embarassing. What’s even more embarrassing is that none of the promotional photos of the Swift 14 on Acer’s site show this mention.
Overall, the Swift 14 delivers on its promise of portability and power. There are a few things I’d like to see improved, like the size of the trackpad, but overall the Swift 14 is a worthy contender for a business user or student.
Source: “ZDNet.com”