The 14-inch laptop market offers strong competition, particularly for creators seeking powerful GPUs. The Acer Swift X 14 emerges as a compelling contender, boasting up to an RTX 4070, a vibrant 2.8K OLED display, and a competitive price point. This review dives into the Swift X 14’s performance, design, and features to assess its value proposition.
Specifications and Configurations
The Acer Swift X 14 comes in two configurations:
- Base Model ($1,400): Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 14.5-inch 2.8K OLED display.
- Upgraded Model ($1,700): Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 14.5-inch 2.8K OLED display.
These prices are competitive, especially considering the powerful GPU options. A key competitor, the Dell XPS 14, costs significantly more for similar specifications, making the Swift X 14 a budget-friendly alternative for performance-focused users. Note that at the time of this review, the RTX 4070 configuration wasn’t readily available but is expected to be released soon.
| Feature | Acer Swift X 14 SFX14-72G |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12.71 x 8.98 x 0.74-0.80 inches |
| Weight | 3.4 pounds |
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050/4070 |
| RAM | 16GB/32GB |
| Display | 14.5-inch 2.8K OLED, 120Hz |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Ports | 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack, microSD card reader |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Webcam | 1080p |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Battery | 76 watt-hours |
| Price | $1,400+ |
Design and Build
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While performance-oriented, the Swift X 14’s design leans towards a gaming laptop aesthetic with its angular chassis and rear vents. It lacks the modern sleekness of competitors like the Dell XPS 14 or MacBook Pro 14. The Steel Gray color scheme is conservative, and the plastic display bezels appear somewhat dated.
However, build quality is solid, with minimal flex in the all-aluminum chassis. The hinge operates smoothly, though not as refined as Dell’s dual-clutch design. While lighter than the XPS 14, the Swift X 14 is thicker, making it reasonably portable but not as slim as some rivals.
Keyboard and Touchpad
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The keyboard offers well-spaced keys, though the keycaps are slightly small. The switches are a bit firm but provide good precision. The touchpad is spacious and responsive, but lacks the haptic feedback found in premium laptops like the XPS 14 and MacBook Pro 14. The absence of a touchscreen is also a notable omission.
Connectivity and Features
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The Swift X 14 offers a good selection of ports, including both USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 and USB-A ports, surpassing the XPS 14 in connectivity. Wireless connectivity is strong with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The 1080p webcam delivers a quality image, enhanced by Acer’s PurifiedView software with AI features and Windows Studio effects. While lacking an IR camera for facial recognition, the fingerprint reader embedded in the power button provides a reliable alternative.
Performance
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The Swift X 14 stands out with its RTX 4070 configuration, a rarity in non-gaming 14-inch laptops. While sharing the same Core Ultra 7 155H chipset as the XPS 14, the Swift X 14’s superior GPU significantly boosts performance in creative applications. The 80-watt TDP necessitates power balancing between the CPU and GPU, but the aggressive cooling system manages thermals effectively.
Benchmarks reveal the Swift X 14’s strong performance, outpacing the XPS 14 and competing with larger 16-inch laptops. It excels in PugetBench Premiere Pro, showcasing its prowess in video editing. While the MacBook Pro 14 with the M3 Max remains faster, it also comes at a much higher price.
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Gaming performance is also impressive for a 14-inch laptop. The Swift X 14 handles 1080p gaming smoothly and performs reasonably well at 1440p, benefiting from the OLED display’s quality and 120Hz refresh rate.
Battery Life
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The Swift X 14’s 76 watt-hour battery delivers decent but not exceptional battery life. In both web browsing and video playback tests, it achieved around 7.25 hours, falling short of the XPS 14 and significantly behind the MacBook Pro 14. Heavy workloads, especially utilizing the RTX 4070, will drain the battery considerably faster.
Display and Audio
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The 14.5-inch 2.8K OLED display is a highlight of the Swift X 14. With excellent brightness, wide color gamut coverage, accurate colors, and high contrast, it provides a stunning visual experience. It surpasses the XPS 14’s OLED display in several metrics and rivals even the MacBook Pro 14’s mini-LED display.
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Audio quality is less impressive. The front-firing speakers produce clear mids and highs but lack bass, making them inferior to the XPS 14 and MacBook Pro 14’s audio systems.
Conclusion
The Acer Swift X 14 may not win any design awards, but its powerful performance and stunning OLED display make it a compelling choice for creators. Its competitive pricing further strengthens its value proposition, offering a more affordable alternative to similarly equipped laptops. While battery life isn’t outstanding, the Swift X 14’s strengths in performance and display make it an easy recommendation for users seeking a portable and powerful creative workstation.
