Acer Swift X 14 (SFX14-71G) laptop review

The first OLED displays in laptops had their drawbacks. Despite all their advantages, such screens could show an overly saturated image and some colors could be, for example, too “acid”. A similar story once happened with the first smartphones, the manufacturers of which began to experiment with a new type of matrix. Currently, some laptop manufacturers continue to implement such matrices in new models, and the screens are improving. In today’s review we’ll see how it happened with the new Acer Swift X 14 (SFX14-71G-789M) and what else this laptop is capable of.

Acer Swift X 14 (SFX14-71G-789M) specifications

Acer Swift X 14 package contents

The Swift line is usually not positioned as a flagship, so more attention here applies to the device itself. That is why there is only a small power supply in the laptop box. Taking into account the fact that this model has to perform mostly ordinary and creative work, such tasks may practically not require additional accessories. So the basic set is quite enough.

As for transportation, users who already have bags or backpacks with appropriate compartments for laptops are unlikely to need to buy something new. The case of the Swift X 14 is quite small, so it will have more than enough space in most backpacks. Of course, if you wish, you can find an additional case and do without a backpack at all, but it is difficult to call such spending on accessories fundamental.

Design and usability

The new Acer Swift X 14 is not considered an ultrabook at all, but it is still quite compact and relatively easy to transport. At the same time, the body is made of aluminum, without the implementation of crazy design solutions. In this way, the manufacturer managed to make a pleasant-to-use laptop with a minimalistic and stylish appearance. To increase this effect, you can get rid of factory stickers, which will make the laptop even neater.

Returning to the dimensions, the manufacturer notes the following figures: 322×228×17.9 mm, weight — 1.5 kg. These are quite normal dimensions for a device that involves frequent trips with its owner. Moreover, it is not difficult to overcome both the “home-office-home” route and much longer distances with it. After a number of reviews of gaming laptops, the Swift X 14 generally seems to me to be something ultra-compact. Most likely, users who previously had larger laptops will also appreciate the size of this model.

On the lower part of the top case, the manufacturer placed quite large legs, as for such a laptop. In addition to holding the device in place during operation, they also create space for air to flow. Taking into account the equipment the model received, it will not be superfluous. There are practically no significant design flaws, so the user is unlikely to have anything to complain about. The only thing worth remembering is regular maintenance in cases where the laptop is often used, for example, on the sofa, because through the lower ventilation holes you can “collect” excess lint in the middle of the case.

At the same time, the laptop can provide good opportunities for connecting accessories. On the right side there is one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 and a slot for microSD memory cards. Along with them, there is also a Kensington Lock. On the left side of the top case there are more ports: HDMI, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, which are also used for charging the battery, as well as a combined 3.5 mm jack for a headset.

The understated design combined with good materials and “steel gray” color is great for student use, office, hipster cafe, etc. And it’s really nice to use it. For not the cheapest model, the appearance and build quality of the Acer Swift X 14 correspond quite well to the total cost.

Acer Swift X 14 display

But one of the strongest sides of this model is the screen. First, the resolution. 14.5-inch screens are most often limited to Full HD. This is mostly enough, but it can be better. Therefore, this matrix got a nicer 2880×1800 pixels, which form a density at the level of 234 ppi. The aspect ratio is 16:10. It all looks great, even with the neat bezels around it.

Secondly, the display also got a good refresh rate of 120 Hz. Smartphones are increasingly actively increasing this indicator, while laptops are still widely implemented in flagship and gaming models. Therefore, for a simpler model, this is already a significant improvement.

The third significant point was image quality. OLED matrices usually have worse calibration than standard IPS. Acer Swift X 14 is much luckier. With a wide color gamut, the display has almost a reference temperature. And thanks to the type of matrix, we have a really black color and complete uniformity of illumination. As a result, the display shows a great image and is suitable for a variety of work although it has its characteristics.

In the settings, you cannot find different color profiles that would meet professional requirements, for example, designers or photographers. Yes, not everyone runs on perfectly calibrated screens, but picky users won’t have options. You can also see a “rainbow” at an angle, which, again, is a feature of the matrix. Therefore, when working together with someone, a colleague or friend may see images with some color distortions.

The brightness level of the display, on the one hand, is not a record, on the other hand, it is interesting. The maximum illumination is 310 cd/m², which will be enough in most cases. But the minimum is 0.6 cd/m², which recently began to appear in smartphones. Therefore, fans of working in the dark may be pleasantly surprised by the possibility of reducing the brightness. True, in this case, eyes sensitive to flickering can notice it. Also, the display is covered with plastic, which, although it does not reflect like glass, but such protection cannot be called matte either.

Acer Swift X 14 security

Swift X 14 was also not left without additional safety and comfort features. It was not taught how to scan the face, but it has a dactyloscopic sensor. This will allow you not to enter a password during authorization and in third-party applications. A separate place for it was not allocated but installed in the power key.

In practice, it works well and does not lead to unnecessary delays. Despite the seemingly small size of the key itself, this scanner is quite sufficient for fast and accurate scanning.

Manipulators and multimedia

Swift X 14 has standard manipulators for this category of laptops. The rather compact body is not able to accommodate a full keyboard, so there is an option without a NUM block, even with a reduced F-row. At the same time, such an island keyboard is convenient, the “blind” dial on it does not require getting used to, as does, for example, the navigation unit. Also, the keys have enough travel and a pleasant sound, which should not interfere with the surroundings. And along with it, there is an adjustable bright backlight with a couple of brightness levels.

A 125×80 mm trackpad is located in the center of the top case under the keyboard. It is quite enough for comfortable work even without additional settings. The glass surface also helps in this. During testing, no problems with the operation of the sensor were noticed, it handles both cursor movement and gestures well. With such a trackpad, you can easily do without a mouse if there are no demanding tasks in the workflow.

This model does not emphasize the sound. Built-in speakers are enough to accompany podcasts, videos from the Internet, or movies. But, unfortunately, you will have to use an external source (headphones or speakers) for music. This is due to the lack of bass. At the same time, the volume will be sufficient only for domestic conditions, but it will be insufficient for large rooms. So the sound is not a strong point of this laptop.

The capabilities of the built-in webcam are better. With Full HD resolution, it removes excess “noise” from the image and adjusts the white balance quite well with the help of AI processing. Yes, a smartphone may be better for video communication, but the image of the built-in webcam is also suitable for work calls or conversations with loved ones.

Similarly, AI helps the microphones fight unnecessary noises that can get into the conversation. And it really works as it should. Unlike the standard problems of such microphones, these are still able to separate the human voice and leave out of the conversation the sounds of the keyboard, the clinking of the cup, etc. So this laptop is in complete order with regard to communication issues.

Performance and software

According to the manufacturer’s website, there are two configurations of Swift X 14 in Ukraine, the difference between which is the RAM capacity — 16 or 32 GB. The laptops are equipped with a 14-core Intel Core i7-13700H processor (6 productive cores up to 5 GHz, 8 energy-saving cores up to 3.7 GHz, 20 threads, 24 MB cache, up to 45 W), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 (6 GB GDDR6, up 1585 MHz, up to 50 W), and one-terabyte drive. Communication is provided with support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1.

The Acer Quick Access application provides four system operating modes, including Silent, Normal, Performance, and Turbo. You can quickly switch them using the Fn+F keys. As experience has shown, active cooling works in almost all cases, but the intensity really changes depending on the selected mode. And that’s all the user can tell the system.

In tests, Swift X 14 will show results suitable for “software”. And for work with, for example, photo processing or a small video, it can really be arranged, even playing a little will work. There are no problems at all with simpler tasks. However, when running on battery power in the appropriate power-saving mode, you can see the expected performance loss. But it does not affect the comfort of working with the browser, mail, documents, media playback, etc. at all.

Swift X 14 has only one cooler. It is enough to keep the temperature within 64°C under load and prevent throttling. This is not bad for one cooler. But it works almost all the time. Even with only one browser running and in Silent mode, the fan will run most of the time. It does not interfere with work, but it is still audible. In other productivity modes and more complex tasks, the noise level will logically only increase. At the same time, the manufacturer visually hid most of the cooling, leaving the usual grill below, above which there are holes with a radiator, as well as perforation on top of the top case. It looks neat together.

As usual, Acer did not overload the system with a lot of additional software. Here, the user will only need the Care Center and Quick Access applications. In the first one, you can find information about the system, perform basic diagnostics and maintenance, as well as receive brand updates. The second will allow you to manage some settings. Along with this, you can also find an application with sound settings, but you still won’t be able to significantly improve the dynamics with it.

Acer Swift X 14 battery life

As expected, there is no extra large battery in such a case. The battery capacity of the Swift X 14 is 76 Wh. Again, with constantly working cooling, you should not count on record battery life indicators. During normal operation, the laptop loses more than 15% per hour, and a two-hour movie can cost more than 40% of the charge. The gaming battery life test drained the battery in 1 hour and 20 minutes, and the office test lasted almost 7 hours.

The supplied power supply unit is compact and weighs only 385 grams, while it has a power of 100 W. A fully discharged battery will “fill up” in 1 hour and 25 minutes. And due to the fact that charging takes place using USB-C, the laptop will also accept a third-party power supply unit from another laptop or any universal one.