This Acer laptop is unexpectedly one of the best work machines I’ve tested – and it’s relatively affordable

Key findings from ZDNET

• The Acer Swift 14 AI starts at $1,199 and comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage.
• The AMD Ryzen AI 9 processor makes this system a reliable and efficient work machine.
• You’ll just have to accept some questionable design choices, like the glowing AI indicator.

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I’m thinking about something new Acer Swift 14 II a little more than I probably should have. For a laptop that’s in the very competitive price range of around $1,200, it doesn’t have the most flashy hardware or software features. That’s without counting the special AI symbol on the touchpad that lights up whenever you use the PC’s NPU. Bright.

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Otherwise, the Swift 14 AI could pass for just another modern Windows laptop—perhaps even Chromebook – which you’ve either been desperately searching for or have never heard of. Although I started this review being in the latter camp, I end it with an appreciation for all the little things that went into this car. In many ways, the Acer even outperforms my MacBook Pro M4. Read on.

To be clear, the display is not one of these areas, although you can’t complain about the 14-inch IPS touch panel with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. In most lighting conditions, including sitting next to a window at a local café, I performed various tasks on the Swift 14 AI without the need to instinctively hit the “brightness up” button. In other situations, like when I was trying to write the introduction to this review on the roof of our new office building, I could barely make out where the mouse cursor was.

On the other hand, I’m a fan of the combination of a matte finish and a touchscreen, even if it comes at the cost of less saturated colors. It’s a real pleasure to quickly tap and scroll through articles, zoom in, and simply interact with what’s on the screen without worrying about fingerprint smudges. On M4 MacBook Proyou’ll have to pay an extra $150 for the privilege, and that doesn’t include touchscreen support.

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The Swift 14 AI’s port selection is also quite complex and mostly positive. It has two USB-C 4 ports, one HDMI port and one USB-A port on the left side, and one USB-A port and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the right side. I’d really like to see at least one of those USB-C ports moved to the opposite side for smoother charging and data transfer, and the SD card slot might be enough to satisfy any creativity.

Lifting the lid reveals a backlit keyboard with enough travel to scratch anyone’s typing itch. There’s also a springboard-style touchpad with the aforementioned AI symbol. Tasks like AI image generation, Copilot queries, and Windows Studio effects will make the character pulsate, but this is purely an aesthetic game.

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Speaking of things that look good, the QHD 1440p webcam on the Swift 14 AI is one of the best I’ve tested, beating my MacBook Pro for clarity and color reproduction. Synergy between high resolution sensor and Windows Studio Effectswhich gives you access to background blur and automatic cropping, makes Swift 14 AI a reliable device for work meetings, interviews and other virtual conversations. The icing on the cake is physical privacy protection for those who want safer web browsing when not in front of the camera.

In terms of performance, I was very impressed with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 processor that powers the Swift 14 AI. It handled most applications I threw at it, including video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, gaming on Steam, and browsing dozens of tabs open in Chrome. This is definitely not a gaming PC, by the way, with its 60Hz display and near-silent sound system. But for almost any other consumer use case, the Swift 14 AI is very suitable.

Here are some benchmark numbers to put things into perspective.

I noticed that the laptop’s internal fans would turn on from time to time, but not to the point of being distracting. Of course, it helps that lifting the lid also raises the base of the laptop, promoting better air ventilation. The multiple layers of heat dissipation as well as the Swift 14 AI’s 63W battery provided me with over 10 hours of normal use on a single charge. This is great news if you often carry your laptop with you to work and/or don’t always have an outlet nearby.

ZDNET Buying Tips

Acer Swift 14 II It’s a good laptop, with the exception of some slightly confusing design choices. Its biggest strengths are its matte textured touchscreen display, solid battery life, and clear webcam. I have no problem recommending this Acer model to working professionals, students, and consumers who simply want a no-frills laptop at a reasonable price.

Just be aware of the bloatware that I keep getting pop-ups about as I type this review, the whirring fan noise during heavy use, and the little quirks that may not be to your liking.