Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Sharp, brilliant show
- Enjoyable keyboard
- Respectable CPU efficiency
- Long battery life
Cons
- Drab design
- IPS show can’t match OLED in distinction or coloration
- Mediocre built-in graphics efficiency
Our Verdict
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a reliable Snapdragon-powered laptop computer with lengthy battery life, however it doesn’t stand out from the group.
Price When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
$999
Best Prices Today: Acer Swift Go 14 AI
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips turned heads in 2024 because of their mixture of great CPU performance and battery life. However, because the months have handed, they’ve grow to be essential for an additional motive: they’ve put severe downward stress on the pricing of funds and mid-range laptops.
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a strong Qualcomm-powered laptop computer with a very good mixture of efficiency and battery life. However, it faces opponents that supply extra for much less.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Specs and options
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI has a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor, particularly the X1P-42-100. It additionally has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of solid-state storage—a decent however typical, configuration for a laptop computer priced round $1,000.
- Model quantity: SFG14-01-X006
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (X1P-42-100)
- Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x-8448
- Graphics/GPU: Qualcomm Adreno
- NPU: Qualcomm NPU as much as 45 TOPS
- Display: 14.5-inch 2560×1600 120Hz IPS
- Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD
- Webcam: 1440p 30fps digicam with bodily privateness shutter, twin array microphone
- Connectivity: 2x USB-C 4 with DisplayPort and USB Power Delivery, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
- Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
- Biometrics: Fingerprint reader in energy button
- Battery capability: 75 watt-hours
- Dimensions: 12.6 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches
- Weight: 2.91 kilos
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home
- Extra options: USB-C to HDMI adapter
- Price: $999 MSRP from Acer, roughly $837 retail at Best Buy
Acer lists the laptop computer at $999, which is a bit a lot for what the laptop computer gives. However, the laptop computer is commonly discounted at Best Buy and extra aggressive when offered for round $850 or much less. The Acer Swift Go 14 AI is at present obtainable in only one configuration, which is the mannequin I reviewed.
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a reliable mid-range laptop computer. It advantages from glorious battery life, an gratifying keyboard, and a brilliant, high-resolution IPS show.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Design and construct high quality
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI follows the corporate’s common tactic of delivering a easy, competent, however generic chassis that doesn’t impress or offend.
It has a grayish-silver exterior that’s enticing at a look, and the supplies present a pleasant metallic luster that can at occasions catch the sunshine in a room. Acer’s branding is minimal as nicely with solely two small Acer logos on the show lid.
However, the laptop computer’s design is a bit boxy and old style (although it’s not too thick at roughly 0.7 inches) and the supplies used really feel a bit skinny. The show lid exhibits no flex when opening or closing the laptop computer, however the decrease chassis wavers barely when typing or selecting up the laptop computer from a nook.
The design is greatest described as purposeful. It does the job, however it doesn’t make an impression.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Keyboard, trackpad
IDG / Matthew Smith
A spacious keyboard spans the Acer Swift Go 14 AI’s inside. It supplies well-sized keys with just some left-side keys comparable to Tab, Caps Lock, and Shift, noticeably smaller than regular. Even so, they continue to be massive sufficient that I didn’t have to regulate my muscle reminiscence.
Key journey is nice and keys activate with an gratifying spring and slight tactile click on. The typing expertise isn’t unimaginable, however it’s higher than funds opponents just like the Dell Inspiron 14 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5x.
The touchpad is much less spectacular, however high-quality. It measures about 5 inches broad and three inches deep, which is the everyday touchpad measurement for a 14-inch Windows laptop computer. It’s responsive, multi-touch gestures work nicely and the touchpad floor supplies a bodily click on for proper and left-click actions (although tap-to-click additionally works). However, most laptops on this class provide an almost similar touchpad expertise.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Display, audio
IDG / Matthew Smith
Acer ships the Swift Go 14 AI with a 14.5-inch IPS show with a local decision of 2560×1600 and a refresh price as much as 120Hz.
Choosing an IPS show as an alternative of an OLED show places the Swift Go 14 AI at a drawback in picture high quality subsequent to opponents just like the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED. IPS has worse distinction and fewer vibrant coloration than OLED, which causes the show to look much less dynamic and sensible.
But that’s to not say the Swift Go 14 AI’s show is unhealthy and even mediocre. It’s a reliable, sharp, and colourful IPS display screen that usually appears good even when it may possibly’t match OLED. The Acer’s show is brilliant and has an anti-glare end that makes the show extra snug to view in a brilliant atmosphere than aggressive laptops with an OLED show.
Whether the Swift Go 14 AI’s show is sensible will rely in your wants. A competitor with OLED may have higher picture high quality in video games and flicks. However, the Swift Go 14 AI’s show has advantages in productiveness and portability.
Audio high quality isn’t a energy of the Swift Go 14. It has downward-firing audio system which will sound muffled, relying on the floor the laptop computer is positioned on. They’re not loud and lack low-end, which results in muddy and sometimes harsh sound. The audio system are high-quality for podcasts and most YouTube movies, however I wouldn’t suggest them for music, video games, or motion pictures.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI ships with a 1440p webcam and dual-array microphone. Webcam resolutions as much as 1440p aren’t exhausting to seek out in 2025, however in the event you’re coming from a barely older laptop computer or evaluating towards a 1080p or 720p webcam, the Swift Go 14 AI’s digicam will really feel like an enormous improve. It’s sharp and colourful.
I discovered the dual-array microphone serviceable, too. It simply picked up my voice even after I spoke softly but in addition did a very good job rejecting repetitive background noise. The audio high quality remains to be hole and distant, as typical for such microphones, however it’s high-quality for Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.
Biometric login is supplied by a fingerprint reader within the energy button. I choose facial recognition, however the fingerprint reader does the job. It works reliably in most conditions however can be fooled in case your fingertip is barely damp or soiled (so don’t swig a Coke earlier than you log in).
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Connectivity
IDG / Matthew Smith
A pair of USB-C 4 ports with DisplayPort and USB Power Delivery present the majority of the Acer Swift Go 14 AI’s connectivity. These ports are helpful not just for knowledge connections however are additionally used to cost the laptop computer and might hook up with exterior shows. Both USB-C are on the left aspect, so hold that in thoughts if you wish to join a USB-C hub or dongle.
Acer additionally supplies a pair of USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. The laptop computer lacks Ethernet and HDMI-out although, within the second case, Acer side-steps the shortage of HDMI by together with a USB-C to HDMI adapter within the field.
Wireless connectivity is nice, because the laptop computer helps each Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. These are the most recent variations of every normal. I didn’t expertise wi-fi connectivity points in my time with the laptop computer.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Performance
The Acer Swift Go AI has a Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 chip, which sits on the backside of the Snapdragon X Plus line and is the second least performant Snapdragon X Plus chip general. It has eight cores and a most single-core clock of 3.4GHz. The chip is paired with 16GB of LPDDR5x 8448 MT/s reminiscence and 1TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 strong state storage.
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI will get off to an affordable begin in Cinebench R24, although it relies on your perspective. It performs nicely amongst price-competitive programs and appears significantly good when in comparison with Intel Core Ultra chips, which fail to maintain up on this closely multi-threaded CPU benchmark. However, the Asus Zenbook S 15 underscores an issue the Swift Go 14 faces. That mannequin has a greater Snapdragon X Elite chip with 12 cores and the 4 further cores present a big improve.
That’s an issue for the Swift Go 14 as a result of some laptops with the Snapdragon X Elite promote for as little as $800.
IDG / Matthew Smith
CPU core rely isn’t the one method Qualcomm downgrades the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 relative to its extra succesful siblings. It additionally turns down the IGP efficiency with a quoted specification of 1.7 TFLOPs, down from 4.6 TFLOPs in the most effective Snapdragon X Elite chips.
Unfortunately, that interprets to a giant lower in GPU efficiency. The Acer Swift Go 14 AI scored simply 16,179 in 3DMark Night Raid. That’s a big lower from the Asus Zenbook S 15, which has a Snapdragon X Elite chip and scored 25,917. The Asus Vivobook S 14 with Intel Arc 140V graphics is over twice as fast on this benchmark.
This is the Acer Swift Go 14 AI’s largest weak spot and it’s significantly weak towards Intel-powered alternate options, as most on this worth bracket will certainly have Intel Arc 130V or Arc 140V graphics. Put merely, I wouldn’t suggest the Swift Go 14 AI if you wish to play latest 3D video games or speed up 3D productiveness software program.
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Battery life
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI has a large 75 watt-hour battery. That’s in the direction of the higher finish of battery measurement for a 14-inch laptop computer. The massive battery and environment friendly Qualcomm Snapdragon increase the laptop computer’s battery life to greater than 19 hours in our normal battery check, which loops a 4K file of the brief movie Tears of Steel.
IDG / Matthew Smith
As the graph exhibits, the Swift Go 14 AI’s battery life doesn’t set data, however it does are available in in the direction of the excessive finish of what’s typical for contemporary Windows laptops. I additionally noticed nice battery life in my day-to-day work, which incorporates a variety of time spent in Microsoft Word, Affinity Photo 2, and an online browser. Using the laptop computer for 4 hours drained the battery by about 30 p.c.
The laptop computer’s low energy consumption means it solely requires a 65-watt charger and the charger that ships with the laptop computer is kind of small. Even so, you may really feel snug leaving the charger at residence. The Swift Go 14 AI fees over USB-C, so all kinds of chargers can energy it, together with those who present lower than 65 watts (although charging can be sluggish and may not occur in any respect when the laptop computer is in use).
Acer Swift Go 14 AI: Conclusion
The Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a reliable mid-range laptop computer. It advantages from glorious battery life, an gratifying keyboard, and a brilliant, high-resolution IPS show.
However, the Swift Go 14 AI’s worth is hampered by the particular Snapdragon X Plus and the laptop computer’s $999 MSRP. While the chip is a high-quality performer in CPU exams, frequent reductions on laptops with Snapdragon X Elite chips just like the Asus Vivobook S 15 make it tough to suggest a equally priced Snapdragon X Plus laptop computer
If the Swift Go 14 AI dips beneath $800, nonetheless, it’s a sensible choice for individuals who want lengthy battery life alongside first rate CPU efficiency.