Acer Swift X 14 review: fast but not long-lasting

Acer sells two configurations of the Swift X 14. The entry-level model, priced at $1,050, comes with a Core i5-13500H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, and a 14.5-inch WQXGA IPS display. My review machine costs $1,500 for a Core i7-13700H, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an RTX 4050, and a 14.5-inch 2.8K OLED display. That ranges from midrange to premium pricing, with specifications to match.

Acer’s goal with the Swift X 14 is to provide a laptop that can meet the needs of both demanding productivity users and creators looking for a highly portable laptop. The 45-watt Intel Core i7-13700H with 14 cores (six Performance cores at up to 5.00GHz and eight Efficient cores at up to 3.7GHz) and 20 threads is a good start, and adding a discrete GPU in the entry-level Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 is likely a smart choice given the thin and light chassis. On paper, that’s not the fastest GPU for creative tasks, but as we’ll see from our benchmark results the choice was a solid one.

Yes, the Swift X 14 has a speedy CPU and a high-res OLED display, neither of which contributes to great battery life. However, its battery capacity is 76 watt-hours, which should be enough to power through for at least average longevity.

In my testing, though, the laptop didn’t last long. It hit just 5.25 hours in our web browsing test, five hours in the PCMark 10 Applications battery benchmark, and a paltry five hours looping our test video. This is significantly less than some comparable machines, and it means you’ll definitely have to carry a charger around if you plan to be out of the office all day.

Acer specifically calls out the Swift X 14’s minimalist design, and as I’ve mentioned in so many reviews lately, that’s been the trend. Few laptops are designed to stand out, instead taking on simple lines and angles to make for a clean, polished look. The Swift X 14 mostly does just that, with zero chrome accents and angles that fit the contemporary trend.

I’ll call out the rear, though, which features a sharper angle on the bottom chassis and a rather blocky hinge. It’s not enough to dramatically separate the Swift X 14 from the pack, but it’s a nuance that’s noticeable. One complaint I have is the plastic bezels, which take away a bit from the premium look and feel.

As usual, the Swift X 14’s OLED display was gorgeous from the moment I turned it on. It’s bright, has spectacular colors, and the contrast is deep creating inky blacks. It’s a joy to use. It’s sharp at 14.5 inches and 2880 x 1800, and it can run at a fast 120Hz.

My colorimeter ran into an issue I’ve seen with a handful of other OLED panels, specifically, it couldn’t measure the contrast. I’m certain, though, that I’d see results equal to other OLED displays. Colors are wide at 100% of sRGB, 96% of AdobeRGB, and 100% of DCI-P3, with outstanding accuracy at a Delta-E of 0.72 (anything less than 1.0 is professional grade).

Simply put, the display will please everyone who uses it, including the creators to whom the Swift X 14 is directed. It’s a great combination to go with the speedy creative performance, and it will also delight productivity users and media consumers.

As far as audio is concerned, the two upward-firing speakers provide moderate volume that avoids distortion when turned all the way up. The sound is quite clear, with nice mids and highs, but bass is lacking. It’s fine for streaming alone, but for quality music listening or gathering a group, a good pair of headphones or external speakers will be appreciated.

At $1,500, the Swift X 14 provides surprisingly good performance for creators with an OLED display to match. It’s an excellent option for anyone looking to create on the go, and it competes well against some other, larger laptops like the Dell XPS 15 9530.

Its battery life is pretty bad, though, and its design is nothing to write home about. Even so, if you want speed and portability, then the Swift X 14 is a solid choice for the money.

Editors’ Recommendations