Acer Swift 5 review: Sleek and modern ultraportable hurt by a bad touchpad

Price When Reviewed

$1,499.99

Best Prices Today: Acer Swift 5 (2022)

Can a lamentable touchpad spoil what’s an in any other case well-rounded laptop computer? That’s the massive query with the Acer Swift 5, a 14-inch ultraportable with a modern design and a roomy, hi-res show powered trendy elements. Unfortunately, the touchpad is undersized with a horrible click on mechanism that sours the deal.

That mentioned, touchpad apart, the Swift 5 has loads going for it. It packs in a 14-inch show with a tall 16:10 side ratio inside a modern, all-metal enclosure and weighs lower than three kilos. Inside, the system boasts a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a spacious 1TB SSD. The laptop computer delivers the sturdy efficiency and lengthy battery life that enterprise execs want together with the excessive fashion and portability they crave. That touchpad, although.

Specifications

Our Acer Swift 5 check system (mannequin SF514-56T-797T) is promoting for $1,499.99 direct from Acer and options the next specs: 

• CPU:  Intel Core i7-1260P
• Memory: 16GB
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
• Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
• Display: 14-inch, 2560×1600 IPS contact
• Webcam: 1080p
• Connectivity: 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, combo audio jack. 
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
• Battery capability: 59.5 Watt-hours
• Dimensions: 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.59 inches
• Measured weight: 2.8 kilos (laptop computer), 0.4 kilos (AC adapter)
• Price: $1,499.99

Tall show, horrible touchpad

Along with the transfer to 12th-gen Intel Core processors, this up to date Swift 5 mannequin additionally expands the 14-inch show. It’s nonetheless a 14-inch panel as earlier fashions, however it trades the widescreen 16:9 side ratio for a 16:10 display. This might not sound like a giant deal, however it makes the 14-inch show really feel roomier as a result of you’ve gotten extra room from high to backside. The taller show means you may learn extra strains of an internet web page or doc or view extra rows in an Excel sheet with out scrolling.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Along with the brand new side ratio comes a leap in decision. Previous variations equipped a normal full HD decision, however this new Swift 5 boasts a 2560×1600 decision that leads to an extremely sharp image. It’s additionally very shiny. Acer charges the panel at 425 nits, and my testing confirmed even brighter than that at simply over 500 nits. Although the Swift 5 isn’t a 2-in-1 convertible, the show does function contact assist, which you will admire after utilizing the touchpad.

Okay, let’s discuss in regards to the touchpad. For starters, it feels a bit cramped. Given the compact design of the laptop computer, Acer couldn’t make it an excessive amount of bigger, however there may be nonetheless some room above the touchpad and a bit beneath it to increase its dimensions. The a lot larger flaw, nevertheless, is its click on mechanism. It’s terrible. The touchpad floor feels unfastened. But not so unfastened that there’s something improper with our evaluation unit that’s unlikely to indicate up on others. No, the floor is unfastened when clicked in order that you will need to press by means of a false click on to get to the precise click on. It’s only a horrible expertise. The deep journey with the false click on earlier than arriving on the precise click on makes a easy click on really feel like a chore. You’ll discover utilizing the contact show or an exterior mouse to be higher enter choices than the kludgy touchpad.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

There are not any such points with the keyboard. Its keys really feel agency and snappy, and there are not any shortened keys. The up- and down-arrow keys are half-height, however that’s commonplace. The remainder of the keys are full measurement and situated the place you anticipate them to be. I used to be instantly snug typing on the Swift 5, however the gold lettering doesn’t present the very best distinction in opposition to the darkish grey keys. The two-level backlight helps considerably in darkened circumstances, however the glare of the show in opposition to the keys can wash out the lettering and make it troublesome to see which secret is which.

Acer sells two colour variations of the Swift 5; the laptop computer is available in what the corporate calls Mist Green or Steam Blue. We acquired the inexperienced colour, however it appears extra like darkish grey than anything. Only in sure mild do you see a touch of inexperienced. The edges, Acer logos, and aforementioned key symbols are gold. While I want the important thing symbols had been white for higher distinction, I just like the gold accents elsewhere. The colour distinction appears cool as does the distinction in finishes. The inexperienced/grey surfaces function a matte end whereas the gold accents are extra reflective. It provides as much as a sharp-looking laptop computer and one which stands out from the gray-and-chrome pack with out trying garish.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

The aluminum chassis feels sturdy. There is not any flex within the lid or the keyboard deck and solely a small quantity of flex on the underside panel. The Swift 5 feels rugged sufficient to face as much as the trials of each day enterprise journey.

The Swift 5 weighs 2.8 kilos, which makes it extremely moveable however removed from the lightest 14-inch ultraportable. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 additionally has a 14-inch 16:10 display and weighs practically half a pound much less at 2.4 kilos. And the earlier Swift 5 with the older 14-inch 16:9 show weighs solely 2.3 kilos.

Zoom calls and video conferences have change into a bigger a part of work life, and laptop computer webcams are bettering consequently. You can rely the Swift 5 among the many laptops following this pattern, buying and selling within the earlier commonplace 720p digital camera for a 1080p digital camera. The Swift 5’s webcam will make you look sharp to your video convention attendees. The picture it produces is freed from noise whereas exhibiting correct colours and pores and skin tones. One draw back to the webcam? It lacks a privateness shutter.

Unfortunately, the Swift 5 makes no features with audio output. It options a normal set of stereo audio system that produce sometimes tinny laptop computer sound. The audio system might need sounded a bit absolutely in the event that they fired upward, however on the Swift 5 they hearth downward, which doesn’t assist their sound.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

With each USB Type-C and -A ports and an HDMI port, the Swift 5 won’t require you to journey with an adapter. It incorporates a pair of USB-C ports and a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports. The Type-A ports are break up with one on either side, letting you plug your mouse into your most well-liked aspect. The USB-C ports are each situated on the left aspect, which isn’t at all times the very best aspect if the closest energy outlet to you is to your proper. On the plus aspect, each USB-C ports provide Thunderbolt 4 assist for quick 40Gbps information transfers and DisplayPort connectivity. 

Acer Swift 5 efficiency

Our Acer Swift 5 check system options an Intel Core i7-1260P processor, 16GB of RAM, built-in Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a 1TB SSD. The Core i7-1260P is a member of Intel’s Alder Lake-P collection of 28-watt cellular chips. The Core i7-1260P options Intel’s new hybrid structure with efficiency and effectivity cores; it has 4 efficiency cores, eight effectivity cores, and a complete of 16 processing threads.

To get a way of the XPS 15 9520’s efficiency, we in contrast its benchmark outcomes to these of different ultraportables together with the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, which options the identical Core i7-1260P chip because the Swift 5. Two laptops, the Acer Swift 3X and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9, function 11th-gen Core i7 chips, whereas the remaining pair within the Dell Inspiron 14 7000 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon function AMD Ryzen 7 5000-series CPUs. All depend on built-in graphics.

Our first benchmark is PCMark 10, which measures efficiency on on a regular basis computing work together with workplace productiveness duties, net shopping, and video chats. AMD-based laptops have had the sting on PCMark for the previous 12 months or so, however Intel’s new technology of Core processors have closed the hole. The AMD-based Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is tops amongst this group, however the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 and the Acer Swift 5 are nipping at its heels whereas additionally edging the AMD-based Dell Inspiron 14 7000. The pair of 11th-gen Core i7-based laptops completed in the back of the pack.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Our HandBrake benchmark checks how a laptop computer is ready to deal with crushing CPU hundreds over a prolonged interval—on this case, transcoding a 30GB MKV file to a format appropriate for Android tablets utilizing HandBrake, the free video encoding utility. The Swift 5 took high honors on our HandBrake check, with the AMD-based techniques trailing behind and the 2 11th-gen Intel laptops mentioning the rear.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Next up is Cinebench, one other CPU-intensive check however one which renders a fancy 2D scene over a brief time period. The Swift 5 proved it’s pretty much as good a sprinter as marathoner, ending first on each the multi-threaded and single threaded checks.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

IDG / Matthew Elliott

None of the laptops right here will likely be confused with a gaming laptop computer, however it’s notable that the Swift 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 high the charts. It reveals the strides Intel has made with its built-in GPU with its 12th technology of Core processors, additional widening the hole between Intel Iris Xe graphics and AMD’s built-in Radeon graphics.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

To check a laptop computer’s battery life, we loop a 4K video utilizing Windows 11’s Movies & TV app, with the laptop computer set to Airplane mode and earbuds plugged in. We set the display brightness at a comparatively shiny 250 nits to 260 nits, which is an efficient brightness for watching a film in an workplace with the lights on. The Swift 5 ran for 13 hours on the check, which is spectacular in its personal proper and much more so once you consider its excessive decision show that consumes extra battery assets than a Full HD show would.

IDG / Matthew Elliott

Touchpad prevents stronger suggestion

Between its modern and durable all-metal design, roomy 14-inch show and sub-three-pound weight, sturdy 12th-gen Core i7-led efficiency and lengthy battery life, the Acer Swift 5 is an ultraportable not with out its charms. This is one laptop computer, nevertheless, that you simply must get your fingers on earlier than buying. The touchpad is undersized and has one of many worst click on mechanisms this reviewer has ever encountered. Perhaps the false-click-before-you-get-to-the-real-click response gained’t trouble you as a lot because it did me, however the horrible touchpad prevents me from making a powerful suggestion. Instead, I might counsel you to test it out before you purchase it. Because for those who just like the touchpad (or simply don’t hate it), then the possibilities are good that you simply’ll love the Swift 5.