We tried Acer’s new Swifts, and here are the best of them

Along with our handling of the new Predator Helios 18we were able to spend a few moments in the company of the latest models of laptops Swift, also unveiled in Las Vegas in early January. On the menu, a (small) name change to gain clarity with the general public, but also (and above all) a model that could quickly attract all the spotlight.

Swift Go, Swift X14 and Swift 14 are respectively the new Swift 3, Swift X and Swift 5. Slight change in nomenclature for Acer which retains most of its approach on this range for the rest. No big news this year, but a rise in power and interest in at least one of the models that Acer let us handle this week in Paris: the Swift X14.

Swift X14: the model to keep an eye on

It is really this little X14 that is splashing at Acer at the start of 2023. A small power bomb, this product takes over from a model introduced two years ago in the Taiwanese manufacturer’s offer. There was then a Full HD 16: 9 IPS panel, a 15 W processor and an RTX 3050. After a few changes in the meantime, the device is back this year with much better armament… and just about everything you need. to seduce performance enthusiasts in an ultra-compact format.

In a brushed aluminum chassis barely bulkier than that of a classic 14-inch ultraportable, the Swift X14 incorporates this year an Intel Core “H” processor of 13^e generation (45 W), coupled with an RTX 3050 or 4050 depending on the configuration chosen. With this technical sheet Acer is clearly helping mobile and creative users who need good CPU and GPU computing power in a mobile situation. There are also NVIDIA Studio drivers preinstalled. They are clearly not there by chance.

To cool its components while remaining compact, the Swift 14 relies on a completely redesigned chassis, a larger fan than on the older generation, an air inlet above the keyboard (like on gaming laptops), but also on two new copper heat pipes. We will nevertheless have to check in test if all these beautiful people actually manage to limit the heating.

On the display side Acer does not squander either. There is indeed a 14-inch 2.8K OLED panel capable of going up to 120 Hz and fully covering the DCI-P3 spectrum. Enough to attack the HP Envy 14, ZenBook 14X OLED and MacBook Pro 14 head-on, among others.

Starting price of the machine: 1,499 euros, but rather bet on around 2,000 euros for the model that we were able to handle with Acer. It included a Core i7-13700H and an RTX 4050. Launch somewhere in the second quarter of 2023, without further details at this stage.

Swift Go and Swift 14: one of the two forgets the OLED… but gains power

More affordable, the Swift Go replaces the old Swift 3 and comes in 14 and 16 inches. There are also Intel Core processors of 13^e generation “H” and a 16:10 OLED screen, but with a rather different approach: no dedicated graphics card on the horizon since Acer is looking for lightness, finesse and a good performance/price ratio here.

In the absence of having been able to handle the 14-inch version of the device, we confirm that the 16-inch version is indeed rather light and refined – much less than the Acer Swift Edge that said, but we are not completely made on the same class of products. She will shine a priori by its display quality and its performance more than by its autonomy. Acer indeed announces up to 9 hours 30 of use on battery. An estimate that could be a little optimistic given the energy consumption of the integrated processor.

Starting price set anyway at 999 euros for the 14-inch Swift Go, and 1,099 euros for the 16-inch model. The launch is also expected there in the second quarter of 2023.

The Swift 14 is ultimately the model that impressed us the least among those that Acer let us take in hand. The device changes quite little compared to its predecessor the Swift 5 2022. The main novelty is in fact the switch to an Intel processor of 13^e “H” generation (45W). The latter puts on the slippers of the Core i7-1260P (28 W) installed last year on this reference. We should therefore benefit from improved performance. Here too, however, Acer mentions a maximum autonomy of 9 hours 30 minutes, which leads us to think that this new model should, like its predecessor, be satisfied with endurance rather in the low average for an ultraportable. We can not have everything.

Small disappointment also on the display side. While the Swift Go, Swift X14 and Swift Edge now rely on OLED technology, the Swift 14 remains “confined” to an IPS touch panel (QHD+ or Full HD+) offering very decent image quality, it’s true… but lower. Fortunately, we benefit from a high-end design and sleek finishes, in line with what Acer has already been offering on this model for several years.

Note also the presence of a 1440p webcam of good quality allowing video exchanges above the lot. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to convince the consumer to invest at least 1,699 euros to afford the favors of this new Swift 14. It too will arrive on the market in the spring of 2023.