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(Picture credit score: Future/Sean Cameron)Discovering the precise laptop computer for you has all the time been an inherently difficult enterprise, not least as a result of sheer quantity of fashions on provide. There are alternatives with essentially the most energy, the very best battery life, the nicest seems to be, however normally these are discrete classes, any alternative you would possibly make all the time implies some type of sacrifice.The legendary machine which does all of it has but to reach, however there are some able to attempt, and the Acer Swift X 14 is amongst their quantity.Discrete graphics card? Examine. Skinny and lightweight design? Examine. Highly effective processor? Examine. Battery life? Additionally examine. Not less than in idea, it has every thing wanted to attraction to just about anybody out searching for a laptop computer at this time – except for hardcore Mac customers, for whom something working Home windows is to be averted.There’s one other issue to think about when selecting a vital laptop computer, nevertheless, and that’s expertise. What’s it like to make use of? How does it really feel? How does it slot in? Greater than any class, the generalist must succeed right here. So how does the Swift X 14 fare? Might it maybe be an interesting laptop computer for college students?Acer Swift X 14 (Gray OLED) at Acer UK for £1,299.99Swipe to scroll horizontallySpecificationsCPU:Intel Core Extremely 5 125HNPU:Intel AI BoostGraphics:Nvidia RTX 4050Memory:16GBStorage:512GBScreen dimension:14.5 inchesScreen sort:OLEDResolution:2880 x 1800Refresh fee:120HzColour gamut (measured):100% DCI-P3Brightness (measured):500 nitsPorts:1 x HDMI, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Sort A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Sort A, 2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4)Wi-fi connectivity:WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3Dimensions:17.9 x 322.8 x 228.1mmWeight:1.5kg
(Picture credit score: Future/Sean Cameron)Design, construct and show• Very moveable• Has a nice displayWhen the temporary is to be all issues to all comers, the job of a designer abruptly turns into fairly tough. Generally in aiming to please everybody, all that’s achieved is to fulfill nobody.That mentioned, the Swift X 14 makes for first impression and definitely is on no account poorly designed.Day by day design information, critiques, how-tos and extra, as picked by the editors.Machined solely from steel, it’s robust and durable and feels nicely put collectively. Completed in a gunmetal gray colourway, it’s also extremely appropriate for a office setting. There are compromises, specifically the downward-facing followers, however these are to be anticipated. That does imply that if enterprise extra intensive duties with the machine, your lap can change into fairly toasty.At 1.5kg, it’s fairly gentle and definitely simple sufficient to lug round in a backpack, and for that purpose alone, it must be thought-about by artistic college students, for whom portability is vital. The keyboard additionally makes for impression, chiclet type, however with good suggestions; it was quite simple to get circulation going. Those that want the clicking of a mechanical choice will really feel disregarded, however for many customers, it’ll current a nice typing expertise.Coming to the display, as must be anticipated for the worth, it is nice. The dimensions, at 14 inches, limits its potential for use for some artistic work, but additionally means it is vitally moveable.Decision, at 2880 x 1800, is loads for the dimensions, leaving every thing pin-sharp, whereas the 120Hz refresh fee retains the system feeling easy generally use. The decision is just a little an excessive amount of to drive for the GPU in the case of reaching superior framerates within the likes of aggressive shooters. In case you’re a budding e-sports fan, you would possibly want to spend money on one thing a bit extra specialist.Must you like to look at video in your laptop computer, you’ll be served nicely by the OLED tech, which suggests colors on the entire are saturated and have a nice diploma of punch. No official measurements of color accuracy are given, and this isn’t one thing which could possibly be examined, as such you’d be greatest with an exterior monitor if accuracy is an absolute necessity.Lastly, brightness, whereas sufficient to work simply indoors, as is likely to be anticipated for a laptop computer, was nowhere close to sufficient to battle vibrant daylight.Design rating: 4/5Features• Good port choice• Good keyboardWhat applies to design in the case of pleasing all comers additionally applies to I/O. To be actually helpful whereas additionally being moveable, any machine will need to have sufficient ports to minimise reliance on dongles with out overcrowding the edges.And with that in thoughts, the Swift X 14 does certainly have so much to supply. There’s HDMI, and two USB-A ports to start, providing an honest diploma of expandability. There’s additionally MicroSD card help, which is able to come as a disappointment to filmmakers and photographers, for whom a full-size SD slot merely can’t be crushed.On the very least, there are two Thunderbolt 4 slots, which does imply dongles can be obligatory for some duties, however which at the least permits for quick information transfers of huge recordsdata from SSDs.Baked into the system are additionally the requisite AI options, which appear to be all over the place now. Right here, there’s a software to boost video calls, and one other to enhance microphone efficiency. Neither are sport changers and are solely barely worthy of point out.Battery life beat expectations, too. Utilizing the machine for basic productiveness work, reminiscent of electronic mail and doc writing, it was potential to eke out over 5 hours of continuous utilization, which isn’t sufficient to make it by a full day of labor, however undoubtedly to make it by a brief flight or prepare trip.Function rating: 3/5
(Picture credit score: Future/Sean Cameron)Efficiency• Has a low-end devoted GPU• Comes with 16GB of RAM by defaultIt isn’t simply sufficient to look good; greater than something, the flexibility to carry out is vital. And the X 14 makes some pretty giant guarantees on this space, with an Intel Core 5 Extremely processor, 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia Geforce RTX 4050 graphics card with 6GB of RAM. None individually are sufficient to set the world alight, however for such a skinny machine represents lots of energy.That’s largely mirrored in benchmarks. The Swift X 14 comfortably outperforms machines that are thinner and lighter, and people with built-in GPUs. Although it doesn’t pull sufficient wattage to convey out the very best within the graphics card, and there’s clearly some throttling to maintain thermal efficiency respectable, the worth of getting the cardboard is clearly there.For gaming, you’ll be capable of obtain respectable framerates at both ‘medium’ or ‘excessive’ settings in lots of trendy video games at 1080p. The 4050 isn’t the most recent or essentially the most highly effective chip available on the market; nevertheless, it’s highly effective sufficient for individuals who aren’t chasing both the very best framerates or the final phrase in visible constancy.Operating the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark at ‘Excessive’ settings, it achieved a framerate of 41, which gained’t be sufficient to fulfill purists, however for extra informal avid gamers can be sufficient.For these with extra artistic workflows, the worth right here comes from the mix of a discrete GPU and portability. It isn’t essentially the most highly effective machine, however it has the advantage of being one thing you’ll be able to simply journey with and take wherever. In case you want essentially the most energy and are usually sat in a single location more often than not, this may not be the machine for you.Efficiency rating: 4/5PriceAt £1,599.99, the Swift X 14 finds itself in bizarre territory. On the identical value, you’ll be able to simply get a nicely configured MacBook, which itself could be lighter and have much better battery life. For a Home windows machine with this set of specs and construct nevertheless, it represents cheap worth.
(Picture credit score: Future/Sean Cameron)Who’s it for?The Acer Swift X 14 is aimed, usually, at everybody. Anybody who would possibly want energy and portability in a bundle that’s considerably moderately priced will discover one thing to love right here. College students specifically can be attracted by its generalist qualities, this can be a machine which may final away from the socket, which may have interaction in intensive work and which may sport.Swipe to scroll horizontallyAcer Swift X 14 scorecardAttributesDesignRatingDesignMostly skinny and light4/5FeaturesGood port selection3/5PerformanceCapable of great work4/5ValueRivals provide extra for less3/5Buy it if…You desire a machine that is able to a little bit of everythingYou want WindowsYou want respectable battery lifeDon’t purchase it if…You want essentially the most efficiency from a machineBudget is an enormous concernYou wish to play the most recent gamesAlso contemplate
(Picture credit score: Apple)Apple MacBook Professional 14 (M4 Professional, 2024)The MacBook 14 has a number of benefits over the Swift X 14, starting with design. It is thinner, lighter and has a nicer show. To prime issues off, because it has an ARM chip inside, battery life can be far improved on what you may discover within the Acer
(Picture credit score: Lenovo)Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 10 (15″ AMD)The Lenovo is available in at practically £400 cheaper than the Asus, and whereas it does not have as good a show, it nonetheless comes with a nice design, and crucially extra energy.And with the cash you may save, you can spend money on an honest graphics pill or different peripherals.
(Picture credit score: Future)Asus ProArt PX13Maybe you want energy and mobility, ought to that be the case then perhaps the Asus ProArt PX13 is the machine for you. At 13 inches it might be small, however that additionally means it’s simple to lug round. It’s additionally possessed of a GeForce RTX 4070 so can sport, and make brief work of many artistic duties. It might bend too, boasting a tent mode, and with costs on sale beginning at £1,899.99, it’s at the least value a glance in, although it prices just a little greater than the Swift X 14.VerdictUnfortunately, it is all the time the case that you may’t please everybody the entire time. In spreading your self too skinny, typically you miss the mark within the locations that rely. So whereas the Acer Swift X 14 does so much to impress, it is a let down in some key areas. It seems to be good, may be very moveable, has a pleasant display and keyboard, and has a little bit of energy in addition. In a vacuum, it is a completely competent machine. However for the worth, there’s choices that are extra moveable, extra premium, extra highly effective, and which symbolize higher worth for cash, particularly for these with extra advanced computing wants.Acer Swift X 14: Value Comparability
