Acer Swift 3
Acer Swift 3
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GENERAL USE: Good—7.3/10
GAMING/AI: Fair—6.1/10
ENG/DESIGN: Fair—6.7/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Good—7.2/10
CONTENT CREATION: Good—7.4/10
PORTABILITY: Very Good—8.9/10
BATTERY: Good—7.7/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Fair—6.9/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Fair—6.7/10
SIZE: 14"
The Acer Swift 3 comes with a sensible balance of performance and value, especially suitable for everyday use and light multitasking. Its AMD Ryzen 7 processor combined with Vega 8 graphics offers competent performance for general tasks and can handle less demanding games or graphical work. While it doesn't include a dedicated GPU for high-end gaming or intensive 3D rendering, it's well-equipped for engineering software that doesn't require heavy graphics use. With 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, you'll have ample space and memory for everyday applications. The 14-inch IPS display provides good color accuracy and viewing angles but may not be best for color-critical work or high refresh rate gaming, capped at a standard 60Hz. It's relatively light and thin, enhancing portability, but its keyboard lacks a number pad which could be a downside for some users. It does offer a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for added convenience and security. With moderate battery life, it can sustain several hours of typical usage. Overall, if you're looking for a laptop that's portable and can handle a wide range of tasks without breaking the bank, the Acer Swift 3 is a solid choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Evaluation
Pros
- Lightweight, easy to carry
- Good general performance
- Good keyboard quality
- Backlit keyboard included
- Fingerprint reader for security
Cons
- Mediocre battery life
- Average speaker quality
- Limited upgrade options
- No Thunderbolt support
Ratings by Category
Portability:4.7
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
Operating Noise:4.6
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Battery Life:4.3
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Content Creation:4.2
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Build Quality:4.2
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
General Use:4.1
The Acer Swift 3 is suitable for general use because it has a competent CPU and ample RAM to handle daily tasks smoothly, while its IPS screen offers good color coverage and viewing angles for a pleasant visual experience. Its lightweight design and decent battery life also contribute to its portability, making it a versatile choice for everyday computing on the go.
Software Development:4.1
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
General Use Screen Quality:4.0
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Keyboard Quality:4.0
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Engineering & Design:3.7
The Acer Swift 3's AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Vega 8 GPU are acceptable for engineering and design tasks but may falter with very complex projects or advanced graphical tasks, as they are mid-range and not top-of-the-line components. Although its screen is of decent quality with good color coverage in the sRGB space, professionals working with color-critical applications might find the limited Adobe RGB coverage restrictive.
Gaming & AI:3.1
The Acer Swift 3 is equipped with an integrated GPU that is sufficient for entry-level gaming and 3D applications but may not handle more demanding games and 3D tasks with high fluidity due to its limitations in comparison to more powerful, dedicated graphics cards. Additionally, the laptop’s screen has a refresh rate of up to 60Hz, which is standard for many displays but far from the higher refresh rates preferred by gaming enthusiasts that help make fast-paced scenes look smoother.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $523 | ||
Release Date | March 1, 2021 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | ||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | ||
Width | 12.7" | ||
Depth | 8.4" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | ||
RAM | 8 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | ||
RAM Slots | 0 | ||
Storage | 512 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 8.5 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 48 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 14" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | ||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 7.4/10 | ||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | No | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 2 | ||
USB-C ports | 1 | ||
USB-C Charging | Yes | ||
Display Outputs | 2 | ||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | ||
Acer Swift 3
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NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | February 2022
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
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