Acer Swift 3 review – solid-value budget ultraportable

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Specs Sheet
Design and exterior
Keyboard and trackpad
Screen
Hardware and performance
Noise, heat and speakers
Battery life
Price and availability
Final thoughts
Comments

By Andrei GirbeaAcer Swift 3, last updated on January 23, 2023

Acer Swift 3

Summary: The Acer Swift 3 is a budget ultrabook and at the same time a surprisingly good device for the price. It gets the looks, the build quality, the typing experience, the performance, and long battery life, for a fraction of what many other ultraportables are selling for. It's not without flaws though, such as a dim screen and fuzzy speakers. Make sure to check our full coverage of the more recent Swift 3 lineup as well, I've linked it in the first part of the article.

Our score: 4.25 / 5
Price when reviewed: $549 - $899

THE GOOD

very well built; slim and light for a 14-incher; gets an IPS screen, decent keyboard and excellent trackpad; fast hardware and it performs smoothly with all sorts of tasks; good wireless performance; efficient; long battery life; well priced, especially in the US

THE BAD

dim screen; the speakers distort on a desk; some ugly design elements and some sharp edges on the bottom

Table of Contents

Specs as reviewed – Acer Swift 3
Design and first look
Screen
Keyboard and trackpad
Hardware, performance and upgrade options
Noise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers and others
Battery life
Price and availability – Acer Swift 3
Wrap up – Acer Swift 3

There’s a big market for ultraportables with an affordable price tag, sleek looks, fast hardware, and a decent screen, and the Acer Swift 3 is one of the better budget devices that checks all these boxes.

We’ve spent time with it and we’re going to share our impressions with you in this review.

Update: In the meantime, Acer have released a multitude of newer Swift 3 generations, and I’ve linked our updated reviews down below:

2022 Acer Swift 3 SF314-512 – 12th gen Intel Core P hardware, 14-inch IPS or OLED screen, 56 Wh battery, 2.75 lbs – 1.25 kg;
2021 Acer Swift 3 SF314-59 – 11th gen Intel Core U hardware, 14-inch IPS matte screen, 48 Wh battery, 2.55 lbs – 1.15 kg;
2021 Acer Swift 3 SF313-53 – 11th gen Intel Core U hardware,13.5-inch 3:2 IPS screen, 56 Wh battery, 2.55 lbs – 1.15 kg.
2020 Acer Swift 3 SF313-52 – 10th gen Intel Core U hardware, 13.5-inch 3:2 IPS screen, 56 Wh battery, 2.55 lbs – 1.15 kg.
other Swift 3 models have been covered in these reviews. The more powerful Acer Swift X models are also covered in these articles.

In a few words, the Swift 3 is a portable computer that starts at $499 in the US and for that kind of money you’re getting a well-built device with a metallic case and a slim profile, a 14-inch FHD matte screen with an IPS panel, a backlit keyboard, Core U hardware with SSD storage and a 48 Wh battery. All these for $499 for the base Core i3 configuration, or around $650 for a Core i5 with more RAM and storage space.

A few corners were caught in order to make this a real product, as you’ll see in the article, but at the same time there’s nothing utterly wrong with it, so those of you on a budget should definitely have it on your list.

Keep reading to find out all about the Aspire Swift 3, where it shines and what could have been done differently.

Specs as reviewed – Acer Swift 3

	Acer Swift 3 (Aspire S14) SF314-51
Screen	14.0 inch, 1920 x 1080 px, IPS, non-touch, matte
Processor	Intel Skylake Core i7-6500U CPU
Video	Intel HD 520
Memory	8 GB LPDDR3 1066 MHz (soldered)
Storage	512 M.2 SATA SSD (80 mm)
Connectivity	Wireless AC (Qualcomm QCA6174), Bluetooth 4.1
Ports	2x USB 3.0 slots, 1x USB 3.1 Type-C gen 1, HDMI, card-reader, mic/headphone, Kensington lock
Battery	48 Wh
OS	Windows 10
Size	340 mm or 13.38” (w) x 235 mm or 9.25” (d) x 18 mm or 0.70” (h)
Weight	3.36 lbs (1.525 kg)
Extras	backlit keyboard, VGA webcam, fingerprint reader, available in Gold or Silver

Design and first look

I have to admit I was surprised by how well this laptop is built, knowing this is the entry level in the Swift family and given Acer’s past on builds and choice in materials. It gets a sturdy case with little to no flex in the hood or chassis, and even the bezel around the screen is excellently built. It doesn’t cause any significant bleeding on the panel and you can even press on it without warping at all. Aluminum is used for the entire outer case, attached to a plastic inner chassis.

We got to test the Gold option, but the laptop is also available in a more subtle Silver. I’ve added a picture of the Swift next to my XPS 13 to see how the Gold and Silver shades compare. There are also some black elements: the hinge, the large frame around the webcam and the rubberized strip around the display, which I personally find rather ugly, but that’s entirely subjective.

Overall, I feel this laptop looks a lot like a Macbook Air, with a similarly wedged shape and black hinge, but it costs a lot less and doesn’t trail it by much in terms of build quality.

The Swift is at the same time fairly light and compact, albeit not as compact as some other 14-inchers out there, like the Asus Zenbook UX410 or UX430 lines. It weighs around 3.35 lbs and is .7″ thick, which combined with the matte finishing that doesn’t show smudges or scratches easily, make it a versatile road warrior.

This is also an ergonomic device. It gets blunt edges and round corners, perfect for grabbing and using it, but I did notice some sharp edges on the bottom, where the underbelly attaches to the inner-frame. The interior is also smooth and roomy, with a spacious palm-rest and a fingerprint-reader, useful for quickly logging into Windows.

The hinge seems to be well made and keeps the display well in place as set up, but at the same time allows to lift up the screen with a single hand and goes flat to 180 degrees on back. This particular aspect is a major selling point for those of us who use their computers on the lap or leaned on thighs while lying on the sofa or in bed.

One last aspect to mention here is the IO lined on the edges, which includes two USB 3.0 slots, an USB 3.1 port, HDMI video output and a card-reader. Some discrete status LEDs are also present on the left edge. The USB 3.1 port is not Thunderbolt 3 compatible and I don’t think Acer includes any adapters in the pack, but even so the IO is solid here and includes pretty much everything a regular user will need.

Screen

The Swift 3 gets a 14-inch screen with a matte finishing and an IPS panel. It’s not the best IPS panel out there, as it is really dim and you’ll struggle with it in well-lit environments, plus the color accuracy is rather mediocre, but it’s still miles better than an TN panel and as long as you’ll keep it indoors you should find it good enough.

I’ve added some stats and test results below for those of you interested in the technicalities, and you can also use our calibrated ICC profile if you want to get the most out of this screen in terms of color reproduction.

Panel HardwareID: Chi Mei CMN14C9 (N140HCA-EAB);
Coverage: 69% sRGB, 50% NTSC, 52% AdobeRGB;
Measured gamma: 2.1;
Max brightness in the middle of the screen: 202 cd/m2 on power;
Contrast at max brightness: 580:1;
White point: 6500 K;
Black on max brightness: 0.35 cd/m2;
Average DeltaE: 1.2 uncalibrated, 0.98 calibrated.

I did mention these before, but I’ll add them here once again. The hinge on this laptop is a top selling point, as it allows to easily lift the screen with a single hand and also allows it to lean back flat to 180 degrees, features that make a huge difference in daily use and are usually reserved for higher-end business-oriented laptops.

Keyboard and trackpad

The Swift 3 gets the keyboard we’ve seen on many Acer ultraportables before, with a rather peculiar layout that includes an extra row on keys towards the right. It’s nice to have dedicated keys for Home, End, PgUp and PgDw, but at the same time this layout will take some time to get used to and might cause some missed strokes when searching for Enter or Backspace.

The Swift 3 gets a good keyboard with backlit keys and an unusual layout, that will take some time to get used to

That aside, this is a pretty good keyboard. The keys have a soft finishing and a slightly concave shape, they feel great to touch and they also have a pretty good feedback. I’d prefer they were a little firmer and require a little more force to actuate, as they feel a little shallow. At the same time they could have been quieter, but given this laptop’s price range, I’d say it gets a really good keyboard for its class.

The keys are backlit and you can turn the illumination On or Off by hitting Fn+F9. You don’t get to choose between multiple brightness levels and the illumination is only activated by hitting a key and not by swiping your fingers over the touchpad like on the more premium options.

A large plastic trackpad sits beneath the keyboard and its surface is a little rougher and not as glidy as the glass trackpads out there. Still, it felt alright in my tests and actually performed really well both with standard swipes and taps, but also with gestures. I didn’t notice any jumpiness or stuttering, which plagues many other Windows notebooks these days. Well done.

On the other hand, if I were to find a nit with the trackpad that would be the physical clicks that have a very short travel, but at least they are quiet.

Hardware, performance and upgrade options

We got to test the beefiest Swift 3 configuration available to date, with a Core i7-6500U processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB M.2 SSD, but retail configurations also include Core i3 or i5 processors, 4-8 GB of RAM and 128, 256 of 512 GB of SSD storage.

The CPU and the RAM are soldered on the motherboard, but the storage is upgradeable. Accessing the internals is a fairly easy job, as you’ll have to get past the back-panel which is a matter of unscrewing the handful of Philips screws around its edges.

Once inside you’ll find the M.2 SSD placed beneath the two fans, with a thermal protection on top. Acer went with a standard 80 mm M.2 SSD here and from what I can tell, only SATA solutions are supported, but even these are fast enough for daily use.

While inside you’ll notice a lot of duct-tape used to hold the various cables in place, but that’s probably because our sample is a pre-production model and not the final retail unit. On the other hand, you’ll also notice there’s a fair amount of unused space, especially around the battery, which means Acer could have went with a larger one and instead chose to pick the standard 48 Wh battery to save costs.

Performance wise, the Swift 3 is just as snappy as you can expect from a Core U configuration with SSD storage and enough RAM. It handles everyday tasks smoothly and doesn’t struggle with multitasking either. It can also run simpler games that the Intel HD 520 GPU can handle, as well as other demanding software like Photoshop, Premiere or maybe Mathlab, as the hardware doesn’t overheat or throttle in continuous loads.

In other words, this is a good computer for work, multimedia content and fun, and its lightweight and reduced price also make it a great laptop for students.

I’ve added some benchmark results below.

3DMark 11: P1638;
3DMark 13: Cloud gate – 5927, Sky Driver – 3831, Fire Strike – 847;
PCMark 08: Home Conventional – 2918;
Cinebench 3 32-bit: Single-Core: 3193, Multi-core: 6708;
Cinebench 4 64-bit: Single-Core: 3920, Multi-core: 7327, Computer score: 48419;
CineBench 11.5: OpenGL 41.33 fps, CPU 3.60 pts, CPU Single Core 1.27 pts;
CineBench R15: OpenGL 43.24 fps, CPU 316 cb, CPU Single Core 123 cb;
x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 32-bit: Pass 1 – 111.56 fps, Pass 2 – 20.71 fps.

I do have to mention there’s a fair amount of bloatware that comes preinstalled on the Sift 3 and you should get rid of it, or better yet, do a clean Windows install once you get this out of the box.These programs aren’t that taxing on the Core i7 configuration we tested here, but they take a significant toll on the Core i3 models with only 4 GB of RAM, in case you decide to go for one of those.

Noise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers and others

As you might have noticed in the previous section, Acer put two small fans on this laptop. I can’t tell for sure if they are controlled individually by the CPU and GPU, but I believe they are not. Both are quite aggressive, spinning more often than they should. Launching a browser or a movie is enough to kick them on, but they will switch off when the computer sits idle or when you’ll use it for some basic tasks like reading and editing documents.

The fans do get a fairly high pitch hum, so you’ll hear them even at low speeds, but what’s more annoying is the constant electrical whining I noticed on our sample. Hopefully retail units won’t be plagued by this issue, but it’s something to be aware of and test on your unit once you get it. Just lower your ear on top of the keyboard and if it’s there, you’ll immediately know what I’m talking about.

On the thermal side, the Swift 3 runs cool with daily use and gets moderately warm in demanding loads. The outershell temperatures it reaches are pretty much standard for Skylake ultraportables with similar profiles.

*Daily Use – 1080p Youtube clip in EDGE for 30 minutes
*Load – playing Need for Speed Most Wanted for 30 minutes

Connectivity wise there’s Wireless AC and Bluetooth 4.1 on the Acer Swift 3. A Qualcomm QCA6174 module is used with 2×2 MU-Mimo antennae and the results are good both near the router and at 30 feet with 2 walls in between, where the speeds drop, but to still usable levels.

For audio Acer went with two speakers placed on the underbelly. They are moderately loud (88 dB at head level) and they sound alright, albeit rather tiny and with little base. I did notice that their placement on the bottom causes the sound to bounce of the desk and distort quite badly, and in fact that laptop sounds a lot better when it’s not placed on a flat surface or rather used on the lap or in any other case that doesn’t block the speakers.

Last but not least there’s the camera, placed on top of the screen, with that ugly black framing around the lens. It’s pretty mediocre, but should do for occasional Skype calls, and the microphones works decently as well, although I did find Acer’s take on them a little peculiar, as one sits at the top of the screen and another to the left of the keyboard, in a effort to isolate typing noise from voices.

Battery life

Acer puts a 48 Wh battery on the Swift 3, but they could have gone with a larger one, as there’s plenty of spare room inside to accommodate it. Still, let’s not forget this is a budget laptop and a 48 Wh battery in its class is not bad, especially since the laptop runs really efficient.

We’ve added some results below (screen’s brightness set at 50%, which is around 120 nits), and don’t forget we got to test the Core i7 configuration, the Core i5 and especially the Core i3 models will run a little more efficient with video playing or light browsing.

6.5 W (~7 h 20 min of use) – very light browsing and text editing in Google Drive, Balanced Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;
4.8 W (~10 of use) – 1080p fullscreen video on Youtube in Internet Explorer, Balanced Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;
3.6 W (~13 h of use) – 1080p fullscreen .mkv video in the Movie app, Balanced Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;
4.8 W (~4 h 10 min of use) – 4K fullscreen .mkv video in the Movie app, Balanced Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON;
11.5 W (~3 h 10 min of use) – heavy browsing in Edge, Balanced Mode, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON.
25 W (~1 h 50 min of use) – gaming at FHD low details, screen at 50%, Wi-Fi ON.

A 45 W charger is included and a full-recharge takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The Swift 3 packs a 48 Wh battery and is able to squeeze 4 to 13 hours of use from it

Price and availability – Acer Swift 3

The acer Aspire Swift 3 is available in three different configurations and I’ve also added their prices at the time of this post.

base model with a Core i3-6100U / i3-7100U processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD for $499 in the US and around 600 EUR in Europe;
mid model with a Core i5-6200U/ i5-7200U processor, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD for $649 in the US and around 750 EUR in Europe;
top model with a Core i7-6500U / i7-7500U processor, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD for $799 in the US and around 850 EUR in Europe.

Configurations with 512 GB of SSD storage are also available, and the prices are subject to change in the months to come, so you should follow this link for up-to-date configurations and prices at the time you’re reading the article.

Looks like Acer are going the same route as Asus and seriously discount their products in the US, while keeping prices 10-20% higher in Europe. The base model is a good buy at $499, but not that much at 600 EUR, as those 4 GB of RAM are rather limiting, especially if you aim to keep this computer for a longer time, so the mid level configuration is the one I’d recommend buying.

The Swift 3 starts at $499 in the US

Wrap up – Acer Swift 3

Acer did a really good job with their Swift 3 and I expect this to be popular in the months to come, especially in the US where it’s priced aggressively.

Update: As of 2018 Acer offers a few updated version of the 14-inch Swift 3 line, all of them more compact, better built and with higher-quality screens. You can find all about the SF314-55 and 56 updates from our detailed review.

Of course, you have to fall within its niche to consider it, and that means being someone who’s looking for a well-priced mid-sized laptop with a matte non-touch screen, the power to handle everyday activities and a big enough battery to run for 5-7 hours unplugged. On top of those, the Swift 3 is also a well built device with beautiful aesthetics and a good keyboard/trackpad, all in a $650 package at launch and probably cheaper down the road. On the other hand, you’ll have to live with the dim screen and rather mediocre speakers, but this aside there’s not that much to complain about here.

The Aspire Swift 3 is a surprisingly good ultraportable with an excellent price and very few flaws

At the same time the Swift 3 is both more affordable and an overall better device than its direct competitors, like the Lenovo IdeaPad 320s and 510s, the HP ProBook 440 or the more premium Zenbook UX410 and UX430 series. It’s also an excellent alternative for the mid-level 13-inchers like the Acer Aspire S13, Lenovo ThinkPad 13, HP Envy 13 or the Asus Zenbook UX305UA, all built on similar hardware. Hidden quality control issue might have an impact on how well this product will be received. I haven’t noticed any with our test sample, but that doesn’t mean they might not by there.

On the other hand, I feel the Swift 3 doesn’t give European buyers the same value for their ~~buck~~ euro, but even if it’s more expensive over here it still remains a really good ultraportable and an option to consider.

In conclusion, the Acer Swift 3 scores a 4.25 out of 5 in this review, its price bumping up the score by .25 of a point.

With that in mind we’ll wrap this up here, but please let us know what you think about the Acer Swift 3 in the comments section below and get in touch if you have any questions or anything to add to the article.

Disclaimer: Our content is reader-supported. If you buy through some of the links on our site, we may earn a commission. Terms.

Review by: Andrei Girbea
Andrei Girbea is a Writer and Editor-in-Chief here at Ultrabookreview.com. I write about mobile technology, laptops and computers in general. I've been doing it for more than 15 years now. I'm a techie with a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering. I mostly write reviews and thorough guides here on the site, with some occasional columns and first-impression articles.

79 Comments

José

October 26, 2016 at 5:06 pm

Thank you so much for this review! It has been very useful. Also for the ICC profile.

Did you have any problem with "blurry DPI in Windows 10"? My model is experiencing it.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 26, 2016 at 6:13 pm
  
  Some programs don't scale well, yes, but that's standard with all laptops. I'm not experiencing any blurriness with the Windows interface, browser (edge, firefox), etc, and I'm using 125% scaling.
  
  Reply
Raj

October 26, 2016 at 9:20 pm

Can you tell me what trackpad hardware is being used? synaptics or elantech? If its elantech, then its better to avoid. Also, comparing this laptop with acer v13 touch, what are the downsides and upsides of swift 3?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 27, 2016 at 4:00 am
  
  I don't remember exactly, but I think it's Synaptics.
  
  Reply
Cristian

October 27, 2016 at 5:58 pm

Hi Andrei,

I've been reading some of your reviews and I found them really good and in-depth. I am currently looking for a new laptop/ultrabook within a budget of 750 pounds (was checking the new razer blade stealth but it strains my budget / i live in UK) and I've stopped at three models:

1. Aspire S 13 S5-371 (i5-6200u, 8gb ram, 256 sdd) @ 650 pounds
2. ASUS ZenBook UX330UA (same as above) @ 750 pounds
3. Asus Swift 3 (same as above) @ 600 (but pre-order on amazon.co.uk – not sure when they will stock it)

Regarding the battery life, it seems s13 has a 4030 mAh li-po battery and the swift 3 a 3220 mAh li-ion one.

Is the price difference worth to pay for the asus or should I wait for the swift 3 to be stocked on amazon? I kinda like it more than the s13 because of the build and looks and a 14 inch screen vs 13.3 but is the battery life affected by the smaller battery?

I know it's a long comment but i've been looking for a couple of days and the options are everywhere. If you have another recommendation within the budget (750 pounds) please let me know :)

Thanks!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 30, 2016 at 2:03 pm
  
  HI, I've reviewed all of them here on the site, you can read what I think about them. Unless you plan to use the computer outside or in strong light, I'd wait for the Swift 3.
  
  Reply
  - Cristian
    
    November 2, 2016 at 5:32 pm
    
    thanks! I think i'll just do that, although the asus 330 seems like a nice option I think i'll go for the acer swift 3 as it has a better price and is a 14"
Cristian

October 27, 2016 at 6:10 pm

Update to my previous comment: it seems there is a 10% discount for the asus laptop, so the update price is 675 pounds! thanks

Reply
- David_NY
  
  December 16, 2016 at 1:16 pm
  
  Hi Cristian,
  So which laptop did you finally buy? I have the same dilemma on Swift3 vs UX330..
  Any update appreciated.
  
  Thanks!
  
  Reply
Wes

October 28, 2016 at 5:38 am

Thanks for the review! Whats the diff between swift3 and swift5? No word yet on the 14" zenbook? Im looking for a 14" premium laptop with good battery life and screen. For now istill cant find a 14" one.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 30, 2016 at 2:05 pm
  
  The Swift 5 is a thinner, lighter and hence more expensive 14-incher than the Swift 3. I don't have any more details on the Zenbook UX410 for now.
  
  Reply
MTN Ranger

October 28, 2016 at 2:46 pm

Can you use the USB C port to charge the laptop? I have access to a Mac USB C charger which is very small compared to most others and better for travel.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  October 30, 2016 at 2:10 pm
  
  No, this won't charge via USB-C
  
  Reply
  - Ryan
    
    November 3, 2016 at 3:00 pm
    
    Andrei,
    
    I have the Swift 3 here in front of me, and it says on the legend "USB-C data, display and charging".
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    November 3, 2016 at 4:26 pm
    
    Huh… That's wird, perhaps it means you can charge other devices via USB-C, not that the laptop can be charged via USB-C?
  - Ryan
    
    November 3, 2016 at 5:29 pm
    
    Yes, I confirmed with Acer you can charge with it, but you can't charge the laptop itself. Bummer!
Quen63

October 29, 2016 at 6:34 am

Hi, i'm french and i'd just want to say that this laptop is available for the same price in europe. thanks you for this review ! ( there are none currently in French )

Reply
nohaybanda

October 31, 2016 at 9:29 pm

Hi Andrei, thank you for your review !
I think i'm gonna buy this laptop, should i get the i5 or the i7 model ?
Thanks

Reply
Omar

November 2, 2016 at 7:03 pm

Do you have plans on reviewing the Spin 5?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 3, 2016 at 4:37 am
  
  Yes, I'm working on it right now, should be up in a few days
  
  Reply
  - Omar
    
    November 3, 2016 at 3:08 pm
    
    Nice!! thanks a lot.
Mahi

November 13, 2016 at 8:57 am

I have a $650 budget. Now should I buy Swift 3 or should I go with Spin 5 or Aspire v13. I am really confused. I am an electrical engineering student and not a gamer. Please suggest me what should I buy.

Reply
Ken

November 14, 2016 at 10:05 pm

Any one know how to get drivers on Win 7 64bit ?
Just can't get used to Win 10

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 15, 2016 at 7:16 am
  
  There are ways to make WIn 10 look like WIn 7, perhaps you can try this approach first. Google it :)
  
  Reply
Frederik Højer Andersen

November 20, 2016 at 8:15 pm

Hey! Is the HDMI 2.0 or? I want to run it with a 4k monitor.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 21, 2016 at 11:13 am
  
  Good question. The thing is, I can't tell for sure because I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure it's HDMI 1.4, due to the Skylake hardware inside.
  
  Reply
Victor

November 21, 2016 at 1:39 pm

Hi Andrei!

I'm considering the purchase of this laptop, but I have some doubts regarding its build quality after reading following phrase in review of Swift 5:

@ It looks very nice, but it's frustrating that the hood flexes significantly, especially in the area of the rear end. There is absolutely no inconvenience while using it, but there is a risk during transportation. @

What can you say about Swift 3 and its hood? Is it a good choise for frequent travels?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  November 21, 2016 at 4:12 pm
  
  Well, there's some flex, but imo it's not as bad as that quote is saying. The build quality is very good for this price range, again, imo.
  
  Reply
  - Victor
    
    November 22, 2016 at 9:22 am
    
    I've also noticed interesting thing – judging by Acer website the Swift 3 is available in 4 different configurations including a model with !!!i5-7200U!!! at the price of $650 in US. acer.com/ac/en/US/content/models/laptops/swift3
    How do you think, can we really expect this model will be available on the market?
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    November 22, 2016 at 11:10 am
    
    I'd reckon it will be available as some point
alex

December 3, 2016 at 11:52 pm

is there much of a difference between a panel with 60% srgb and >100% srgb? i'm trying to decide between this and the aspire s13. i went in to the store and couldn't really detect any difference in maximum brightness and colors with my naked eye. they are about the same price, with the aspire having i5, 8GB/128GB and the swift 3 having i5, 8GB/256GB. i will be using it for coding and i felt the extra .7" of diagonal screen real estate can come in very handy (my 13.3" now feels a little cramped) but then again i'm spoilt by my current toshiba chromebook 2 which has an excellent screen. do you think i'd notice the drop in color gamut in the swift 3 in day to day use once i've used it for a while, or is it not really something that should factor in to my buying decision?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 4, 2016 at 7:47 am
  
  As long as both panels are IPS, I'd say you're not going to actually notice significant difference with daily use. Also, you mentioned you've already seen the screen in store and found it good enough, which means it should be a good option for you.
  
  Reply
  - alex
    
    December 4, 2016 at 8:49 am
    
    ok, thanks for your feedback. i was just worried that with prolonged use i might actually start to notice things i didn't in the few minutes i had with it in store. just my ocd kicking in haha! anyway i think i'll have to review it a bit more. will post an update here once i make a decision. thanks!
Fred

December 16, 2016 at 3:41 pm

2 brand new swift 3 got black screen after restart within 2 days. many complaints about this issue.Check online reviews and it may cause by Acer bios.

Reply
- Maja
  
  December 26, 2016 at 3:20 pm
  
  I had the same problem. Bought a new Swift 3 which died after 11 days then the shop offered me another one, which died within 24 hours. Apart from that it was a lovely computer as long as it lasted.
  
  Reply
PAM

December 17, 2016 at 10:38 am

Thanks for all your helpful reviews. I am a general user considering an acer swift 3 or spin 5. Both have similar specs, core i5, 256 SSD, 8GB RAM. Both have the same price of $499. Which on do you think has a quieter fan? Do you think the swift 3 is a better buy?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 17, 2016 at 11:48 am
  
  Yes, I'd pick the Swift among the two, based on my experience with them.
  
  Reply
David NY

December 18, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Hi Andrei, will you review the Swift5 with Kaby Lake? Seems like a better ultra book. Better processor, lighter than Swift3, about $799.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 18, 2016 at 2:24 pm
  
  I can't tell for sure, but I'll ask for it in the new year.
  
  Reply
Eugene

December 19, 2016 at 7:08 pm

Hi! Good review! Is the screen terrible dim?
I'm gonna get this one, but it really confuses me, because I'm always using my notebook at 100% brightness and idk is it sufficient for indoors use in front of a window, thanks!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 20, 2016 at 6:11 am
  
  It is one of the dimmest in this category. There are pics with the screen in front of my window in the post, should help you make an idea of what to expect
  
  Reply
sam

December 20, 2016 at 3:19 am

Hi i am looking for a school laptop, one which is lighter.i used to be working w a surface pro 4, so i would prefer my replacement to hv similar conditions to this. I am currently thinking on :
Lenovo yoga 510 /asus zenbook 305 /310UQ
/acer swift 3/ hp pavilion x360 / 14

sorry for the long list btw i cant seem to makeup my mind. Do recommened me any good student laptops or brands w reliable service centers. Thank u so much

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 20, 2016 at 6:13 am
  
  All these are good options, with pros and cons. I'd look at reviews here on this site and on notebookcheck.net for each series, and then decide with which cons you can live with and pick based on this aspect.
  
  Reply
Shoogy Bee

December 21, 2016 at 6:53 pm

I was going to say that the Swift 3 looks an awful lot like the Acer Chromebook 14. Very similar chassis, trackpad, screen, etc. I wonder if they share the same IPS screen, even. I bought a CB 14 a few weeks ago and I don't mind the relatively dim IPS display; at least the text is sharp and clear.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 22, 2016 at 5:31 am
  
  I've seen review on the Chromebook 14 mentioning a max brightness of around 210 nits, so there's a fair chance it's similar to the one on the Swift. Couldn't find the exact panelID though
  
  Reply
Maja

December 26, 2016 at 3:27 pm

As I just commented on one of the earlier messages, I bought a new Swift 3, which died after 11 days. I shut down the computer and the next day when I wanted to turn it on the screen stayed black with the keyboard flashing on and off, so naturally I went to get it fixed at the shop I bought it from. They were kind and gave me another computer of the same model. This one lasted less than 24 hours and had the same problem as the first one. I have read that other people have experienced the same problem with their Swift 3, so it shouldn't be a result of my stupidity. Just thought people who was thinking about buying it should know before making the decision.

Reply
- Eugene
  
  December 29, 2016 at 1:00 am
  
  idk but seems like you have problems with bios version.
  there's a solution to install latest version of bios (which is 1.07), but it's strange,that the second laptop died, i thought acer is knowing about the problem…
  
  Reply
- John
  
  January 11, 2017 at 3:25 pm
  
  I got the same issue….black screen….Keep away from it…
  
  Reply
Dan

December 29, 2016 at 6:33 pm

Thanks for the review! We're looking at this model to replace a 5 year old laptop, so it's quite a step up. Do you know if it can be charged through its USB 3.1 port? We'd like a laptop that can be plugged into a modern port replicator with a single cable and charge the laptop too.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  December 30, 2016 at 9:28 am
  
  I'm not 100% sure on this, but from what I know it cannot charge via USB-C. On top fo that, even the few laptops available with USB-C chargers can't charge from a Docking station via USB-C, but only with the included charger, with few exceptions. I'll look into this matter in the new year and have a post about it.
  
  Reply
Shoogy Bee

February 10, 2017 at 7:07 pm

Looks like they have an updated model on Amazon.com and Acer.com with the Core i5-7200U processor. I wonder if it is fanless. Any ideas?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  February 11, 2017 at 11:23 am
  
  No, Core U processors (ending in an U) are not fanless.
  
  Reply
- Frank-da-Tank
  
  February 20, 2017 at 12:57 am
  
  $515 at Costco with the i5-7200u, 8gb ram and 256gb ssd. Really great price. Has a fan but isn't loud at all. No electrical whine either.
  
  Reply
mey

February 25, 2017 at 4:17 am

is swift 3 good for programming and coding?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  February 25, 2017 at 9:12 am
  
  Depends on what you mean by that. It will do for mid-level tasks, just make sure you get a config with 8 Gb of RAM and preferably a core i7. For complex chores that demands heavy processing power might require a quad-core processor though.
  
  Reply
Ken

March 9, 2017 at 4:01 pm

Have you reviewed the newest i5-7200u model yet?

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  March 16, 2017 at 2:25 pm
  
  Not on this laptop.
  
  Reply
Vinu

March 21, 2017 at 12:54 am

Can the Memory be upgraded to 12 or 16 GB ?

Reply
Nitesh

March 22, 2017 at 10:08 pm

This seems like it shares the same chassis, speakers, and maybe even display panel as the Acer Chromebook 14, eh? May as well, guess they looked at their slightly upmarket Chromebook and decided it may sell with Windows and an SSD.

Reply
anthony

April 20, 2017 at 4:42 pm

The USB-C port will charge the laptop. The power requirements are: 19.5V 2.25A. Acer does not offer an adapter for this but you should be able to find one with these specifications.
By Acer America MANUFACTURER on March 13, 2017 (Amazon Question)

Reply
Rick

April 29, 2017 at 8:22 am

Andrei
Thanks for your reviews! They are very helpful for someone like myself that knows nothing about laptops!

I want to purchase the swift for word processing and internet surfing but can the swift i3's memory handle microsoft pro plus 2016?

thanks for

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  April 30, 2017 at 10:54 am
  
  If that's Office, yes, it can handle it no problem. I'd suggest getting a configuration with 8 GB of RAM of possible
  
  Reply
dan

May 5, 2017 at 6:47 pm

Sunt foarte multumit cu calculatorul asta , cred ca n as fi putut sa am ceva mai bun la asa pret ! recomand 100%

Reply
Darren

May 6, 2017 at 5:15 pm

Andrei,
I just bought the Swift 3. I noticed you mentioned it has a lot of bloatware, and I can see how to install a fresh copy of Windows 10. Most reviewers and commentators suggest doing this, without reservation. However, i'm not a computer "geek" and I'm concerned about necessary programs being lost by installing a pristine version of Windows 10. Although I maybe don't need "Freedom VPN", I'm pretty sure I need programs such as "Intel Graphics Driver" and "Realtek High Definition Audio Driver".

My question is, will all of these programs be erased with a fresh install of Windows 10? If so, how do I get needed programs back? How do I know what is needed and what isn't?

Thanks

Darren

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  May 8, 2017 at 3:51 am
  
  The Realtek drivers might not be automatically installed, but most others will. You'll find what's missing here, you can download them and have them on an USB stick before reinstalling Windows: acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/6938?b=1#_ga=2.262579598.364422882.1494229722-712141645.1492532475
  
  Reply
Arek

May 18, 2017 at 7:46 am

Dear Andrei,

When you write in your review: "The CPU and the RAM are soldered on the motherboard, but the storage is upgradeable. " – do you mean that one can replace the current SSD drive with another M2 SSD drive? or can one add a HDD drive ? (is there a slot for that in the Swift 3?)
Thanks!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  May 18, 2017 at 8:05 am
  
  There are pics of the internals in the article, there's no 2.5" bay for a HDD, but you can replace the existing SSD with a similar type, larger one, if needed.
  
  Reply
Juliette H.

June 27, 2017 at 7:38 am

Hi! I am buying this laptop (Intel Core i5-7200U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) this week. However, I am still in doubt about how dim the screen is. I am planning to work a lot outside this summer, on the laptop. If I work in the shade (and not directly under the sun) would it be bright enough?
Thank you! Great review!

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  June 27, 2017 at 8:45 am
  
  Imo it wouldn't. Take it like this, I own an older XPS 13 with a matte screen that's about 250 nits and I struggle to see much on it outside in sunny days, even at shade. The Swift 3's screen is dimmer by a fair amount. Personally, for outside use I'd aim at a matte screen capable of at least 300 nits.
  
  Of course, your expectations might be different than mine. If you can get it from a place that allows easy returns, then do it and see if it works for you.
  
  You could also search for some videos showing how the screen looks in bright light, there might be some on Youtube or perhaps pictures in the users reviews on Amazon.
  
  Reply
  - Juliette
    
    June 30, 2017 at 5:57 pm
    
    Update: I've followed your advice and got it to test it. I am definitely not returning this laptop. Perfect in every way (and it's aesthetically beautiful as well). The screen dimness seems fine, but I haven't really had the chance of testing it directly under the sunlight -British weather, alas-. Thank you for your fast reply!
Moises

July 27, 2017 at 1:38 pm

¿Se le puede añadir un HDD y mas RAM?

Reply
Evan

August 8, 2017 at 2:05 am

Hey Andrei – I have been looking at your reviews and trying to decide on either the

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I really want Intel WI-DI, having read about it for years and never having a laptop with an Intel WI-FI card and would be looking to install a Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 card. You advise in the Lenovo review that upgrading the WI-FI chip would be easy – will it be easy enough to do on the Swift 3?

I am leaning towards the Lenovo as you say it is the quieter of the 2 models and appears to have a slightly brighter screen, however you also mention that the Swift was a pre-production model – do you know if they improved the fan activation on the production models?

The Lenovo only comes with a 128GB SSD so would probably swap this out in the future.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks for the regular and solid output,

Cheers

Evan

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  August 10, 2017 at 3:37 am
  
  The wi-fi chip is easily replaceable on both as far as I remember. About the retail Swifts, you should read reviews on amazon and other places and see if people complain about the fans, I didn't get my hands on a final versions and can't tell if Acer didn't tweak the fans with software updates and so on. Still, my guess is that the retail units performed just like thine test unit.
  
  My big nit with the Lenovo is the lack of a backlit keyboard. It gets a nicer screen though, which is going to matter if you plan to use the laptop in brighter rooms. Otherwise, the Acer will do just fine for indoor use.
  
  Overall I think I'd probably go with the Acer, it's cheaper and includes a bigger SSD, so a better value product imo. You'd just have to make sure you can live with the screen and those speakers and fans.
  
  Reply
  - Evan
    
    August 10, 2017 at 9:46 am
    
    Hey – thanks for the reply.
    
    The other option I have been considering is the Asus UX410UA which I can get for similar £'s but admittedly with core i3 and 128gb ssd. Nicer looking laptop and great screen but as you mentioned the fan is always active. So my question is – would it be possible to order a replacement LCD panel for the Asus and install it in the Acer? That way if I can live with the fans on the Acer then I would have a pretty sweet laptop.
    
    Also
    
    Have you tested WI-DI with a Samsung/LG/Smart TV(Miracast) 2016/17 – reviews are few and far between but I have been using a Toshiba protege z835 for years with a HDMI cable and VLC for most media consumption and the idea of running WI-DI instead really appeals – so would welcome any advice/suggestions.
    
    Thanks again.
  - Andrei Girbea
    
    August 11, 2017 at 3:22 am
    
    I don't use Wi-Di consistently so I'm not in the position to comment on it. User reviews on forums and online shops should be of good help though, just keep in mind people tend to post negative feedback online more often than good experiences.
    
    The UX410 UA is a good laptop too and the fan can be tamed with Notebook Fan Control. The i3 should do fine for everyday use but multitasking can get a little sluggish. ALso, you'll probably want to add a storage device int he 2.5" bay to supplement for that small SSD.
    
    As far as replacing the panel goes, that should be possible, but it's not that easy and will void warranty. I'd recommend getting someone skilled in this kind of things to do the swap, but you can find guides online that can help if you want to do it yourself.
Nitesh

August 15, 2017 at 12:39 pm

Andrei, do you know if the speakers on this are any different than the ones on the Acer Chromebook 14? The chassis looks very similar, I wonder if they're sharing that part too.

I'm thinking of going from the Chromebook to this, a boost in volume or quality from the speakers would be a bonus.

Reply
- Andrei Girbea
  
  August 15, 2017 at 4:10 pm
  
  I don't, I didn't review the Chromebook 14, but I'm looking at internal pics for both these laptops and the speakers on the Swift are larger, so they should be better as well.
  
  Reply
- Fred
  
  September 19, 2018 at 12:51 am
  
  Hi, I have both machines. I was very disappointed with the Swift's speakers, as I assumed they would be the same as the Chromebook. They are NOT. They sound awful compared to the Chromebook speakers. :(
  
  Reply
Ara

August 18, 2018 at 1:31 pm

I'm a chemical engineering student, I shortlisted my options to asus A510u, acer swift 3 and acer swift 5. I don't game at all but I'll be coding a bit so I'm taking core i5, ram at least 4GB and SSD (upgradeable version is also fine). I prefer portability, battery longevity and decent built (so that I don't accidentally break it in my bag but it's not that important) over other things. Which one should I pick? What's your take on this…

Reply

Acer Swift 3 review – solid-value budget ultraportable

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