By With six machines that have the AI power to be eligible for Microsoft’s in-development Copilot designation, Acer is fully committed to AI computing. With a gorgeous 16-inch OLED screen and the newest Intel Lunar Lake CPU, the Acer Swift 16 AI is the biggest of them to date.
This laptop has a beautiful display, many networking possibilities, and is light and slim. Despite the very superfluous LED AI indicator, the keyboard and trackpad are sturdy. However the AI functions may be more powerful, and there are faster processors available at the same price. Although it is fantastic for the MSRP, finding it on sale is even better.
Specs and features
For its AI PCs, Acer has employed some different chipsets, and some models offer several choices from the different SKUs. On the other hand, the Acer Swift 16 AI plays it straight with a 1TB SSD, 16GB of RAM, and an Intel Lunar Lake CPU. The machine, which is sold at Best Buy, has an enormous OLED screen that is a significant improvement over the IPS screens found in Acer’s less expensive AI PCs, but there are no additional variations of the machine.
- CPU: 256V Intel Core Ultra 7
- 16GB LPDDR5X memory; Intel Arc 140V graphics
- Display: 16-inch OLED 2880×1800
- 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD for storage
- Webcam: infrared 1440p Two USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) and two USB-A (5Gbps) ports, a 3.5mm audio connector, and HDMI 2.1 are the webcam’s connectivity options.
- Networking: Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7.
- Battery capacity: 65W charging, 70W hours
- 14.02 (W) x 9.92 (D) x 0.58-0.69 (H) inches are the measurements.
- 3.37 lbs (1.53 kg) in weight
- Tested MSRP: $1,199.99
Design and build quality
I was really aback by how light and thin the Acer Swift 16 AI is considering its size. With larger laptops, there is always a balancing act to be done, but Acer did a decent job here. The entire chassis of the machine is made of aluminum, and it is only around half an inch thick. The metal body is not particularly thick, though. Although the frame flexes a little too much in some areas, such as around the fan grilles, the build quality is notably better than that of the smaller Acer Swift 14 AI.
The Acer Swift 16 AI has a sophisticated, industrial appearance when closed. The AI “dots” symbol and a tiny Acer logo in opposing corners are the only branding on the flat black lid. This large laptop is easy to pick up because the edge of the machine tapers along the rest of the body, but it is flat where the ports are. However, at 3.37 pounds, it is not too difficult to pack into a bag. Compared to the typical 16-inch laptop, that is rather less.
For a computer that costs $1,200, the hinge feels reasonable. The laptop remains securely closed, yet the screen glides easily into place and may be opened with just one hand. Additionally, a tiny lip that surrounds the camera aids in opening the laptop.
The feet on the back border of the display frame raise the laptop’s back a few millimeters, creating a little inclination that improves typing comfort. At this price, I would like to see a privacy shutter, but the camera does not have one. The video quality of the 1440p webcam is decent, although not superior to that of the 1080p webcams found on the majority of laptops, and it supports Windows Hello biometric login.
Two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 and two legacy USB-A connectors are among the impressive number of ports on the Acer Swift 16 AI. Additionally, there is a headphone connector and a full-sized HDMI port. The fact that the charging wire must be on the left side because both USB-C ports are on the left side bothers me. Only one USB-A port and a headphone jack are located on the right side.
Display and speakers
Despite its impressive appearance, the Acer Swift 16 AI falls short of being a show-stopper. At typical viewing distances, the 2880×1800 resolution is incredibly sharp, and the touch reaction is quick and accurate. If you prefer smoother animations at the sacrifice of battery life, it also supports an optional 120Hz refresh rate.
The colors are stunning yet a little fanciful for an OLED. HDR content can also be enabled on this display, albeit it may not show up exactly as you would like. At its highest, the brightness is 340 nits, which is a little low for HDR. However, compared to LCDs and IPS panels often seen at this price, it is noticeably brighter.
Performance
Compared to most PC suppliers, Acer packs their computers with extra software, which could be beneficial but is generally detrimental. A few settings apps, a photo editor, several third-party games, the McAfee suite, and several unique AI features are included. Bloatware removal will take some time, but even Acer’s program will not be much use.
I commend Acer for incorporating AI features into their AI laptops, on the one hand. However, they are not particularly effective. To provide a chatbot and backdrop generation, respectively, apps such as Acer Assist and VisionArt load an AI model locally. With the model’s about 5GB gigabyte size, you will not have much free memory on this 16GB device. The model production is also really slow, and neither the wallpaper app’s lack of options nor the chatbot’s skills satisfied me. It is also strange that these tools only employ the GPU for AI tasks rather than the Lunar Lake chip’s NPU. According to Acer, the on-device models will soon be improved, including the ability to run on the NPU.
The Core Ultra 7 has good overall system performance. Even if Intel’s most recent chips are not the greatest for applications that require a lot of threading, the GPU is one of the best available without a specialized chip. Although Acer’s default power state is a little slower than that of rival computers, thermal performance is still good. The laptop does become substantially louder when operating in high-performance mode. In Normal mode, the device is whisper-quiet.
Here are our typical benchmark tests to help you get a better sense of the laptop’s performance.
Battery life
The battery life of the Acer Swift 16 AI is 70Wh, which is typical for a laptop this size. It charges at a maximum speed of 65W over USB-PD using either of the USB-C connectors. These days, that is typical of productivity computers. Although the laptop has a cumbersome charger, we tested smaller third-party chargers, and they all charged the Acer Swift 16 AI equally well.
You may use the Acer Swift 16 AI for a full workday and more. We performed our routine battery rundown test, which involves continuously playing a 4K film at a predetermined brightness until the device dies, to measure that. The Acer Swift 16 AI has a very competitive lifespan of 1,053 minutes or almost 17.5 hours. For this test, the display was in its default 60Hz mode; changing it to 120Hz will shorten the battery’s lifespan.
Conclusion
The Acer Swift 16 AI is a capable laptop for all of your general computing and productivity needs, much like its smaller version. With features like Acer Assist, Acer is making every effort to validate the AI hype. All of this work, nevertheless, does not ensure a positive AI experience. In Windows 11, Microsoft’s Copilot+ features are still hardly present.
I wish Acer had produced a Core Ultra 9 version of the Acer Swift 16 AI, but despite all the boasting, it is fast enough for practically everyone with a Core Ultra 7. The machine’s multithreaded performance would still be subpar. An AMD-based computer is now your best option if you plan to edit video.
Despite having many similarities to the 14-inch Acer AI PC, this laptop has a more attractive appearance. The upgrade to an OLED panel, with its rich blacks and vivid colors, is also valued. Even if the keys are a little small, the keyboard is enjoyable to use and it is good to have a full number pad.
Given that devices like the HP Omnibook Ultra frequently sell for about the same price, the $1,200 MSRP seems a little excessive for what you get. The Acer Swift 16 AI is now on sale for less than $900, which is a great deal. This is a fantastic buy if you can find it on sale for a few hundred dollars.
