Acer has announced new Swift 3 and Swift 5 laptops, which include Intel’s 11th Gen “Tiger Lake” processors. Both models will launch in November. The Swift 5 starts at $999.99 and the Swift 3 starts at $699.99.
The Swift 5 is one of the first batch of laptops to be verified through Intel’s new Evo platform. Systems that earn this badge are supposed to deliver nine or more hours of “real-world” battery life, have less than a second of wake time, fast charging, Wi-Fi 6, and Thunderbolt 4, among other requirements. Acer says it’s still working on getting the Swift 3 verified as well.
The Swift 5 starts at $999.99 and the Swift 3 starts at $699.99
The Swift 5 can come with either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, and Acer claims it provides 17 hours of battery life (based on synthetic benchmarks, so real-world use will probably be lower).
Apart from the new processors, there don’t seem to be many other groundbreaking updates. The new model is a bit heavier than last year’s Swift 5 at 2.29 pounds (1kg). Acer says its 14-inch touchscreen can reach 340 nits of brightness, which is a bit brighter than that of its predecessor. It’s also covered with Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass, which Acer says will reduce odors and stains.
The chassis itself is pretty familiar — Acer has carried over the fold-under hinge design that elevates the keyboard deck when the screen is open, giving the vents more room to circulate air (and conveniently hiding a chunk of the bottom bezel).
If you’re looking for something on the more affordable side, you have two Swift 3 options. The SF313-53, which has a 13.5-inch 3:2 display and weighs 2.62 pounds (1.19kg) will start at $799.99. This device is rated for 400 nits of brightness and 18 hours of battery life, Acer claims. The SF314-59, which has a 14-inch 1080p display and weighs 2.65 pounds (1.2kg) will start at $699.99.