Acer Swift 3X
Could this be your portable productivity pal?
IT’S FAIR TO SAY that Acer’s laptop line is pretty diverse, covering everything from gaming-focused machines to Chromebooks, rugged laptops, and convertibles. It also does an interesting line in ultra-thin laptops, which is where you will find the Swift series. The model we have on review here is the Swift 3X. Just 100 bucks shy of $1000, is this worth considering if you are on the lookout for a new portable work machine?
Despite its 14-inch screen, the Swift 3X is a small and compact laptop. At just 0.7in thick and weighing 3lbs, it’s thin and lightweight and easy to take with you on the go. It is light and comfortable to use on your lap, and yet maintains a more rugged feel than you would imagine.
The build quality is good, and while there is nothing groundbreaking about its design, those sleek, minimal looks won’t distract from your screen time and tasks. Our model features Acer’s steam blue color, which adds a premium-looking finish to the laptop, but it also comes in a sand-like safari gold. The teal blue hinge on the laptop feels a little out of place, but the Acer logos featured on the lid of the laptop and just below the screen are finished in a brass effect and go hand in hand with the steam blue finish.
Opening up the laptop, you are greeted by the 14in full HD IPS display with thin bezels all around. The panel itself provides a good color range and high color accuracy. For creatives and content creators, this is ideal as the screen provides a natural look. However, it isn’t the brightest panel out there and you may struggle to use this laptop outdoors.
The 60hz display is suitable for everyday usage, but video editors may wish for a higher refresh rate.
At the top, there’s a built-in HD webcam and microphones. Together, these do a decent job when used for video calling, especially considering it shoots in 720p at 30fps. Below the screen is one of the highlights of this laptop, the keyboard. Acer has got just about everything right here—it is comfortable to type on and feels buttery smooth to use for long durations. The backlit keys are nicely spaced out and there is enough room to rest your wrists comfortably on either side of the trackpad. The trackpad itself is responsive and accurate, and though we have seen bigger trackpads on similar-sized laptops, it is good enough for day-to-day use. There is a fingerprint scanner tucked below the arrow keys, a handy feature for a little extra security. It’s responsive and a convenient way to unlock the device. In terms of hardware, it has decent enough compatibility, with two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port that supports Thunderbolt 4, and an HDMI port.
Performance-wise, it features an 11th gen Tiger Lake CPU, the Core i5-1135G7 in this specific model. Along with 8GB of RAM and an Intel Iris Xe Max GPU, which makes it compatible with Windows 11. The Swift 3X can handle tasks simultaneously however, with bigger tasks it could benefit from more RAM. When flicking around the laptop for generic use and web browsing it is pretty fast. Using the Adobe suite or doing light video editing, it is more than capable but struggles with harder video editing. On the flip side, gaming isn’t really the Swift 3X’s forte, so if you want this, you will have to look for a laptop with a designated gaming GPU.
Overall, the Swift 3X is an interesting machine. It’s extremely portable, and at under $1000, decently priced considering its build quality, productivity capabilities, and hardware. It’s a quiet laptop with a decent battery life of up to 14 hours. It’s also a joy to use, especially that keyboard. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t have the horsepower and storage to game and edit videos on, although for gaming at lower settings you will achieve around 60fps performance. If you are in the market for a productivity laptop towards the budget end, the Swift 3X is a good shout, however, there are more powerful products out there in this price range.
VERDICT
Acer Swift 3X
CERTAINLY SWIFT Great keyboard; easily portable; good color accurate panel; productivity focused; futureproof for Windows 11.
NOT ENOUGH PUNCHING POWER Slightly dim screen; not ideal for gaming; needs more RAM; only 512GB of storage.
$ 899, https://store.acer.com