The Breaker Times

At IFA today, Acer announced it’s expanding its Swift AI laptop line with models featuring Intel’s new Lunar Lake chips, Qualcomm’s just-announced eight-core Snapdragon X Plus and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300. And, it claims, each of them can theoretically last over 24 hours playing back video, or over 17 hours in productivity tests.

If you buy them with their IPS panels and 65 watt-hour batteries, Acer claims the new $1,199 Swift 14 AI and $999 Swift 14 Go AI can last:

• Intel: 23 hours of web browsing, 29 hours of video playback
• AMD: 19 hours of web browsing, 27 hours of video playback
• Qualcomm: 19.5 hours of web browsing, 28 hours of video playback

Those sorts of quotes aren’t unusual in late 2024! Dell just boasted its XPS 13 can get 26 to 27 hours of Netflix streaming with a new Intel or Qualcomm chip, and we expect real-world life to be less. But it’s more than these manufacturers have typically claimed in years past.

Just note that though Acer’s new laptops are all called “Swift 14,” they aren’t quite the same.

The 14-inch Swift AI can be configured with either a new Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 processor (model SF14-51), or an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 chip (model SF14-61).

Both optionally offer premium OLED screens instead of the IPS screen, and support up to 32GB of RAM, but the Intel model has 3K or 2K OLED options at 90Hz and a 2K IPS screen, while the AMD model only has a 3K OLED screen alongside 3K 120Hz and 2K IPS options.

The AMD model can also be configured with up to 2TB of storage space, while the Intel model only gets a maximum of 1TB. And while both laptops offer two USB-C ports, the Intel model gets Thunderbolt 4 ports as usual while the AMD one has generic USB4 — though both sets allow for charging. Both also have two USB-A 3.2 ports, an audio jack, an HDMI 2.1 port, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.

All have a 1440p webcam, with IR depth sensing for Windows Hello facial recognition login, a privacy shutter, and proximity sensors to lock the screen when you move away.

Both Swift 14 AI laptops start at $1,200 and should be available this month.

If you’re looking for Qualcomm Snapdragon and a lower starting price, that’s where Acer’s Swift Go comes in. The 2.91-pound laptop also has a slightly larger 14.5-inch screen, your choice between a 2560 x 1600 IPS panel with a maximum brightness of 350 nits, or a 1920 x 1200 that maxes out at 300 nits. Both are dimmer than the Intel and AMD options, but they do support up to 120Hz refresh rate.

Otherwise, the Go similarly offers up to 32GB of RAM, has a 1440p webcam with IR depth sensing and a privacy shutter as well as fingerprint reader, two USB4 type C ports that support charging, two USB-A 3.2 ports, an audio jack, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.

The new Swift Go 14 AI starts at $999 and should be available this month. 

Acer is also announcing a 16-inch model too, one that weighs 3.3 pounds and is only available with a new Intel Lunar Lake processor, either a Core Ultra 5, 7, or 9. You get up to 2TB of storage space and only one display option: a 3K touchscreen OLED. All of that is powered by a 75Wh battery, though here Acer is notably not quoting its battery life.

There are also two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports for charging and display output, two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, an audio jack, a Wi-Fi 7 adapter, and Bluetooth 5.4.

Acer’s Swift 16 AI starts at $1,200, just like the 14-inch model, and should be available in October 2024.

By the way: Acer’s new Intel and AMD-configured Swift AI laptops will join the Copilot Plus PC family in November 2024 via a free update, giving users access to the same Microsoft AI features currently only available on Qualcomm Snapdragon X PCs.