Merely including “AI” to a product title is not sufficient anymore. Nor, actually, is the gimmicky touchpad on Acer’s new Swift 16 AI ($1,199.99 as examined), which lights up when utilizing AI apps. However, this laptop‘s spectacular OLED contact display, metallic chassis, and all-day battery life make it a pretty choice for dwelling and leisure use. Whereas the Asus ZenBook S 16 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 current flashier designs and barely higher efficiency, they price lots of greater than this Acer, which we noticed for as little as $849.99 throughout our evaluate interval. For the perfect midrange desktop substitute expertise, we nonetheless advocate the Editors’ Selection-award-winning MSI Status 16 AI Evo, however this Acer is an excellent various, particularly in case you can rating it for the sale worth.
Configuration and Design: Trying Lean for a 16
Offered solely at Finest Purchase, the Swift 16 AI’s sole out there configuration (mannequin SF16-51T-76TG) consists of an Intel Core Extremely 7 256V (“Lunar Lake”) processor, Intel Arc 140V built-in graphics, 16GB of reminiscence, and 1TB of solid-state storage. These specs give it ample efficiency for on a regular basis use and light-weight content material creation. Acer additionally features a padded journey sleeve with the laptop computer.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The Swift 16 AI stands out as one of many extra transportable 16-inch notebooks yow will discover. It weighs a trim 3.37 kilos and measures 0.63 by 14 by 9.8 inches (HWD). Regardless of its upscale metallic design, the laptop computer displays delicate chassis flex, although nothing alarming. Its Ice Black exterior seems boring in contrast with the extra stylish Asus ZenBook S 16 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16, which have related proportions.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Acer gives a wide range of ports, mitigating the necessity for adapters or dongles. On the laptop computer’s left aspect, you may discover an HDMI 2.1 monitor output, a 5Gbps USB Sort-A port, and two USB4 ports. The correct aspect includes a 3.5mm audio jack and a further USB-A port. Whereas both USB4 port can cost the laptop computer, having one on both sides of the chassis would have been extra handy. You additionally get help for modern Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 wi-fi connectivity.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Biometric options embrace an infrared face-recognition webcam and a fingerprint reader constructed into the ability button. The digital camera’s fashionable 1440p decision is a major enchancment over the 720p fashions nonetheless discovered on some laptops.
Utilizing the Acer Swift 16 AI: Leisure-Pleasant Options
I discover the Swift 16 AI to be a dependable on a regular basis companion. Its 16-inch display gives ample viewing area and is mild sufficient to hold round the home with out reservations. Its wonderful battery life additionally means I not often want to fret about staying close to an outlet.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The OLED display is probably the most compelling cause to purchase this laptop computer. Its 2,880-by-1,800-pixel decision, contact help, and clean 120Hz refresh charge ship a surprising visible expertise. Marvel film trailers on YouTube virtually bounce off the display, displaying vibrant colours, vibrant whites, and deep blacks. The display’s broad coloration protection must also enchantment to content material creators.
Nonetheless, its subpar sound high quality diminishes this laptop computer’s leisure potential. When listening to Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies” and Steve Winwood’s “Increased Love,” the audio is hole and harsh, missing any noticeable bass. The equalizer and presets included within the DTS:X app can not compensate for these shortcomings.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
The Acer’s keyboard format decisions are extra suited to informal use than productiveness. Accessing the Dwelling, Finish, Web page Up, and Web page Down keys requires disabling Num Lock, and there is no function-lock function to prioritize the F1 via F12 keys. Moreover, the numeric keypad has a nonstandard three-column format with slender keys. The typing expertise can be merely common, with keys with ample throw however minimal tactile suggestions. Regardless of this, I achieved near my private greatest within the MonkeyType on-line typing take a look at, scoring 110 phrases per minute. On the literal vibrant aspect, the white backlighting beneath the keys is clearly seen.
The Swift 16 AI’s Copilot+ branding comes due to its Core Extremely 256V processor, which boasts ultrafast reminiscence and an enhanced neural processing unit (NPU). Nonetheless, in sensible use, the AI capabilities usually are not significantly compelling. Probably the most notable options are blur results and movie tuning within the Acer Purified View webcam app.
For artistic varieties, the Acer LiveArt app means that you can apply stylized filters, take away backgrounds, or add creative results like brushstrokes to images. One other included app is AlterView, which creates dynamic backgrounds that shift as you progress your mouse or your head if webcam head monitoring is enabled; I did not use the latter since I do not like the concept of the webcam being on on a regular basis. (The webcam does not have a privateness shutter or kill swap.)
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
One other key app included is AcerSense, which gives system updates, part well being checks, and private settings (together with a battery-charge limiter, power-off USB charging, and a blue-light defend). On condition that this laptop computer options an OLED show, the app recommends enabling window transparency results, darkish mode, auto-hiding the Home windows taskbar, and utilizing a particular screensaver to keep up its long-term well being.
As we usually see on Acer laptops, a number of undesirable and trial apps are included, similar to Dropbox and several other video games. I uninstalled Acer Jumpstart, which bombarded me with notifications. Acer backs the Swift 16 AI with a one-year guarantee.
Testing the Acer Swift 16 AI: Core Extremely 2 Sequence On Faucet
To recap, we’re testing the Swift 16 AI in its solely out there configuration, a Finest Purchase mannequin that includes an Intel Core Extremely 7 256V processor (eight cores, 4.8GHz turbo), Intel Arc 140V built-in graphics, 16GB of reminiscence, and a 1TB SSD.
Our comparability lineup consists of the Asus ZenBook S 16 ($1,699.99 as examined), the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge 16 ($1,749.99 as examined), the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 ($819.99 as examined), and the Dell XPS 14 ($2,099 as examined). Though the Dell has a smaller display, it would entice Acer cross-shoppers since its beginning configurations are priced equally. When it comes to efficiency, Intel’s V-series CPU could lag barely behind the H-class chips, and Samsung’s Qualcomm silicon ought to simply outperform Lenovo’s lower-wattage U-class processor.
Productiveness and Content material Creation Exams
Our major total benchmark, UL’s PCMark 10, exams a system in simulated productiveness apps starting from internet searching to phrase processing and spreadsheet work. Its Full System Drive subtest measures a PC’s storage throughput.
Three extra exams are CPU-centric or processor-intensive: Maxon’s Cinebench 2024 makes use of that firm’s Cinema 4D engine to render a posh scene; Primate Labs’ Geekbench 6.3 Professional simulates widespread apps starting from PDF rendering and speech recognition to machine studying; and we see how lengthy it takes the HandBrake 1.8 transcoding device to transform a 12-minute clip from 4K to 1080p decision.
Lastly, workstation maker Puget Methods’ PugetBench for Creators charges a PC’s picture enhancing prowess by executing a wide range of typical picture manipulation operations in Adobe Photoshop 2024 (v.25).
The Acer carried out carefully with the Dell, surpassing the ThinkBook in PCMark’s foremost take a look at, whereas the Asus predictably completed first. The Acer additionally posted the very best rating within the PCMark storage take a look at and did effectively in our Photoshop trial. Though its CPU efficiency lagged behind the H- and HX-class CPUs, in addition to the Samsung’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, it far outperformed the Lenovo.
Graphics Exams
We problem every laptop computer’s graphics with a quartet of animations or gaming simulations from UL’s 3DMark take a look at suite. Wild Life (1440p) and Wild Life Excessive (4K) use the Vulkan graphics API to measure GPU speeds.
Metal Nomad’s common (4K) and Mild (1440p) subtests deal with APIs extra generally used for sport growth (Steel and DirectX 12, along with Vulkan) to evaluate gaming geometry and particle results. A fifth take a look at, Photo voltaic Bay, emphasizes ray-tracing efficiency utilizing the Vulkan or Steel APIs at 1440p decision.
The Acer excelled within the GPU exams, outperforming all however the Nvidia GeForce GPU-equipped Dell in most benchmarks. The built-in graphics within the ThinkBook’s U-series chip scored the bottom in all exams, making a compelling case for selecting the Acer’s V-series chip if GPU efficiency is paramount. Nonetheless, maintain expectations in examine: This Acer just isn’t ideally suited for enjoying the most recent 3D video games, even with the V-series chip.
One praise I pays to this Acer is that its cooling fan was seldom noticeable, even below load, and that the laptop computer stayed cool to the contact all through our testing.
Battery and Show Exams
We take a look at every laptop computer’s battery life by taking part in a regionally saved 720p video file (the open-source Blender film Tears of Steel) with show brightness at 50% and audio quantity at 100%. We ensure that the battery is absolutely charged earlier than the take a look at, with Wi-Fi and keyboard backlighting turned off.
To gauge show efficiency, we use a Datacolor SpyderX Elite monitor calibration sensor and its Home windows software program to measure a laptop computer display’s coloration saturation—what share of the sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 coloration gamuts or palettes the show can present—and its 50% and peak brightness in nits (candelas per sq. meter).
With battery life exceeding 20 hours, this Acer is a wonderful companion for unplugged use. Though the Samsung lasted longer, its display wasn’t practically as vibrant on the 50% setting we use for testing. (Word that we had the Acer’s display refresh set to 60Hz for testing; upping it to 120Hz will shorten battery life.)
The Acer’s OLED show is kind of vibrant; we think about 400 nits on an OLED panel equal to 500 nits on an IPS display because of the former’s unbeatable distinction. The Swift’s coloration protection was additionally distinctive, with practically full protection of all three examined gamuts. It is laborious to discover a higher display on any laptop computer.
Verdict: A Excessive-High quality Dwelling Leisure Laptop computer
Regardless of its subpar audio system, the Swift 16 AI delivers a lot to admire, significantly its OLED contact display and lengthy battery life. Paired with its Intel Core Extremely 2 V-class CPU, this laptop computer is well-suited to informal leisure and light-weight content material creation. Nonetheless, a compromised keyboard format makes it lower than ideally suited for productiveness. The touted AI options additionally aren’t that noteworthy, however that is extra of a mirrored image on Copilot+ laptops normally.
The place this Acer shines is its worth, particularly if it is on sale for $849.99, because it was throughout the evaluate interval. Even at its common worth, the Swift 16 AI punches above its weight, offering most of the options of costlier laptops for much less. You may get a sharper display and a degree of uncooked energy extra acceptable for a 16-inch laptop computer out of the MSI Status 16 AI Evo, however do not spurn this Swift in case your finances is tighter.
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The Backside Line
Acer’s Swift 16 AI laptop computer delivers a metallic design, a good-looking OLED display, and lengthy battery life. It is a strong decide for seekers of a mainstream big-screen laptop computer.
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About Charles Jefferies
