ACER SWIFT 14 AI (SF14-11-X8MN) review
The Acer Swift 14 AI is part of the brand-new Copilot+ laptops. Do the AI features impress? And what else can the 14.5-inch notebook do? Our test provides the answers.
Acer Swift 14 AI is the latest offering from the Taiwanese notebook manufacturer. “AI” stands for “Artificial Intelligence” and refers to the Copilot function, which more and more notebooks are equipped with. To make AI work smoothly, new Windows laptops are powered by processors from Qualcomm. But is moving away from Intel and AMD a good idea? TopNewReview explores this in the test of the Acer Swift 14 AI.
“The Acer Swift 14 AI impresses with long battery life and ample storage.”
Mostly well-built
“Solid mid-range” comes to mind when you first hold the Acer Swift 14 AI. Weighing 1.37 kilograms and with a thickness of 2.2 centimeters, the Acer is relatively light but a bit chunky for a 14.5-inch laptop. The build quality is top-notch: Instead of plastic, Acer uses a sleek aluminum chassis, making the exterior of the notebook incredibly sturdy. The screen lid barely flexes under pressure, and the display frame doesn’t bend.
However, the interior is less stable. The keyboard frame is made of thin plastic and can be pressed in a bit, which feels somewhat cheap. This doesn’t affect the typing experience though. Typing on the Acer is pleasant, thanks to short key travel and a crisp pressure point. The large touchpad is also excellent. Its smooth surface allows for precise and delay-free swiping. However, when using gestures, the Acer takes a moment to respond.
New processor architecture
This isn’t due to the processor. Acer equips the Swift 14 with a Snapdragon X Plus CPU from Qualcomm. The 10-core processor clocks up to 3.4 gigahertz and delivered enough speed for web browsing and office tasks in the test. The special thing about Qualcomm processors is their different architecture compared to Intel or AMD chips. This can cause issues on Windows since most applications are designed for x86 architecture like that of AMD and Intel. Windows must translate or emulate the software to run on Qualcomm’s ARM architecture.
In the test, only a few programs refused to start—mainly games. The Qualcomm Adreno graphics chip isn’t designed for gaming anyway. Even at reduced Full HD resolution, more than 30 frames per second weren’t possible. On the other hand, photo editing and video cutting ran very smoothly.
Qualcomm’s AI processing, thanks to its Neural Processing Unit (NPU), is much faster at handling local AI tasks compared to Intel or AMD. For example, during the test, the camera software Windows Studio Effect automatically adjusted the frame to keep the tester’s face in focus during video calls—quickly and in real-time.
STEP 1
STEP 2
The digital voice assistant, accessible via the Copilot button, also works much faster than the browser version. Gimmick? Maybe.
But Qualcomm CPUs offer another advantage: They are incredibly efficient. The Acer Swift 14 AI’s battery lasted almost twelve hours in the test. It operated without noise, even under full load, with a maximum of 0.8 sone. The only downside: The Acer gets warm. After 30 minutes of heavy use, the temperature difference to the outside was 27.4 degrees Celsius.
Brightness wow, contrast meh
Users can comfortably use the Acer outdoors. With a maximum brightness of 421 nits, the display remains readable even on a sunny veranda. However, the contrast is mediocre at 1434:1. On the plus side, the IPS screen offers wide viewing angles, so colors and contrast don’t wash out even when viewed from the side.
Whether viewed at an angle or straight on, the Acer displays content in WQXGA resolution (2560 x 1600 pixels). On the 14.5-inch screen, this delivers a crisp image with a pixel density of 208 dpi (dots per inch).
In this price range, it’s not a given: The Swift offers a refresh rate of 120 Hertz. This allows for smooth mouse movements and a sharp image, no matter how fast the action on the display changes. The integrated webcam is also razor-sharp. It delivers a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, producing a clear and detailed image—perfect for video calls. Those who don’t want to use a classic PIN can also use the camera to unlock the notebook or opt for the fingerprint sensor instead.
Ports and storage
The Acer doesn’t need to hide behind more expensive models in terms of ports. It has two USB-A and two USB-C ports. Only one USB-C port supports DisplayPort for connecting external monitors. The second USB-C port can be used, for example, to connect an external SSD. Thanks to USB 4, data transfer to the notebook’s storage was fast, with an average of 953 megabytes per second. The internal M.2 SSD also performed well in the test, with high access speeds and excellent read and write rates. And no one can complain about the lack of storage. Acer equips the Swift 14 AI with 954 GB of effective storage. If that’s not enough, users can swap the SSD.
ACER SWIFT 14 AI (SF14-11-X8MN) Tech Specs
Cheaper version: None
Display: 14.5 inches (2560 x 1600 pixels)
CPU / GPU: Snapdragon X Plus / Adreno
RAM / SSD: 16 GB / 954 GB (effective)
CONCLUSION
The Acer Swift 14 AI at the time of testing—fair for the performance on offer, as the Qualcomm processor keeps the 14.5-inch laptop running smoothly. And the Copilot function? It’s a fun feature, but it shouldn’t be a deciding factor when buying. Users benefit much more from the long battery life. Only the $1,575 LG Gram Pro 16 comes close.
Bright, high-resolution display, very long battery life, fast SSD.
Memory cannot be replaced or upgraded.
Speed:
Works fast – good for photo and video editing, not for gamers.
Rating: 8.9/10Image Quality:
High brightness, good color reproduction, contrast slightly low, 1440p camera.
Rating 9.1/10Mobility:
Very long battery life (11:51 hours), short charging time (2:06 hours).
Rating: 9.3/10Features:
M.2 SSD (954 GB), 16 GB RAM, Wifi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Windows 11 Home.
Rating: 9.4/10Usability:
Good keyboard with crisp key feedback, fingerprint and facial recognition.
Rating: 9.2/10Sustainability:
CO2: 2940 mg per hour / only SSD replaceable / battery not replaceable.
No specific rating provided for this category.Overall Test Result:
Rating: 9.2/10
When you purchase through links on our site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
