Acer tries its greatest to mitigate this downside by supplying you with its AcerSense app (full with customized “a” key on the highest row of the keyboard), the place you’ll be able to change from discrete to built-in graphics, set sure display settings like adaptive brightness and colour profile choice, run system diagnostics, and most significantly throttle efficiency as wanted. 4 efficiency ranges can be found, terminating at “Silent” on the low finish. You’d assume that may throttle the CPU to the purpose the place the fan wouldn’t run in any respect, however that’s not the case. Even in Silent mode, the fan runs repeatedly—albeit at a considerably slower tempo. The Silent machine additionally took a few 40 p.c hit on graphics efficiency and 25 p.c when operating normal apps.
The Swift X is a power-hungry beast, and whereas it expenses by means of one among its USB-C ports, you’ll want to make use of the 100-watt charger included with the system. It’ll trickle-charge with a generic, lower-wattage adapter, but it surely’ll by no means attain full capability, even when it’s powered down.
{Photograph}: Christopher Null
Don’t get me unsuitable, the laptop computer has loads of optimistic qualities. Ports are ample for a machine of this measurement, together with two USB-A and two USB-C ports (once more, one is used for charging), a full-size HDMI port, and a microSD card slot. The keyboard is ok if unremarkable, gently inset into the chassis, and the touchpad is spacious with out being obnoxiously outsized. And the understated darkish metallic grey design is each skilled and trendy.
It’s not the smallest of machines—weighing 3.4 kilos and measuring 25 millimeters thick at its widest level—however these numbers aren’t outrageous for a laptop computer that wedges discrete graphics right into a 14.5-inch package deal.
{Photograph}: Christopher Null
However to what finish? General stability isn’t splendid, as I encountered bizarre visible hiccups like flickering photographs throughout my week with the system. Battery life at simply over seven and a half hours isn’t egregious however is worse than many competing laptops. And whereas efficiency is sweet throughout the board, there are many gadgets in the marketplace that handily outpace this method, together with Acer’s personal Nitro 17. Certain, that’s a significantly greater laptop computer, but it surely’s received 50 p.c higher graphics efficiency whereas additionally being $450 cheaper.
Whereas the Swift X 14 has some optimistic elements, it’s a bit troublesome to find out who precisely it’s for—presumably the informal gamer or graphic designer who’s at all times on the go and thus has to pack mild. That might be a risk, however the Swift simply doesn’t carry out nicely sufficient to justify its luxe $1,700 price ticket, and the bruisingly loud fan and warmth issues do nothing to additional that case.
