Acer announced a host of new laptops today, and among the crowd of specialized machines, the slim but capable Swift X is one of the most intriguing.
Joining the existing Swift line, this thin-and-light 14-inch system straddles the general consumer and professional audience thanks to AMD Ryzen 5000 Series processors and RTX 3050 Ti graphics. Look for it this month starting at $899.99.
Portability is a key part of this system’s appeal: it measures 0.7 by 12.7 by 8.35 inches (HWD) and weights 3.06 pounds. The 14-inch screen is nestled between thin bezels and features a standard full HD resolution and 300 nits of brightness.
The 3050 Ti is the only graphics option, but a discrete GPU is far from a given in many machines at this size and price point. The 3050 Ti is one of two new GPUs from Nvidia meant for budget systems, bringing real graphics power and entry-level gaming chops to laptops around $1,000.
On the CPU side, the base model comes with a Ryzen 5 5600U chip, but you can upgrade to a Ryzen 7 5800U processor. Memory starts at 8GB and goes to 16GB, while storage comes as either 512GB or 1TB SSDs. It also features Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, and USB-C.
These components, packaged in a compact chassis, are an appealing combination for the “prosumer” crowd. AMD’s Ryzen processors have proven very capable of crunching through data and media edits, and while we haven’t tested the 3050 Ti yet, it will provide far more 3D power than integrated graphics. This is a boon for professionals who need to render media or work in 3D, as well as mainstream gamers.
The Swift X should be able to serve as an everyday machine for general use, but also for productivity when needed, especially on the road. Of course, we’ll deliver an exact verdict on its performance when we receive a unit for review, so check back for more coverage soon.
