Acer Swift Go 14 Review | A Capable Budget Release With Some Notable Downsides

A laptop designed for AI integration, the Acer Swift Go 14 is an portable laptop that impresses with its performance and affordable price point. Powered by Intel's new Core Ultra processors, it delivers decent processing power, graphics capabilities, and it incorporates a range of AI features to elevate your computing experience. However, it does come with some drawbacks that potential buyers should consider.

Design and Build:

To be honest, I’m not a fan of the design; it looks a bit old school, and the colour is just not attractive. It weighs approximately 1.32 kg and is impressively thin at 14.9 mm. Still, I wish it could be lighter as it feels a little bit heavy in-hand compared to other flagships.

The keyboard feels a bit mushy and only offers two levels of backlight brightness, but it’s still comfortable to type on. Not to mention that the touchpad is quite cool; the “SWIFT” logo will be constantly illuminated when the laptop is on, which gives it a unique aesthetic. It is especially useful during video or music playback since the touchpad automatically becomes a media control panel for adjusting the volume, skipping tracks, pausing and muting content and switching to full screen mode.

Performance and Specifications:

The specs here are the most budget option powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor. Though it is not the highest spec, it still delivers decent performance, especially when it comes to graphics-intensive tasks, thanks to its new Arc integrated GPU. Unfortunately, the laptop’s RAM memory is not upgradable, with it being soldered directly onto the motherboard. Therefore, if you require more RAM, you essentially have to choose a configuration with higher RAM capacity when purchasing the laptop.

It’s worth noting that the fan noise can be quite loud when using the laptop, which is kind of a downside for me.

We tested gaming on it, and surprisingly it can run Valorant smoothly at around 150 fps. In CS2, it managed to run at a playable 70 fps. Do keep in mind that all graphics settings were set to low during our tests.

Benchmark (Geekbench 6)

CPU

Singlecore - 2029

Multicore - 9467

GPU

OpenCL - 29435

Screen and Audio:

The Acer Swift Go 14 features a 14-inch OLED display with a 2,880-by-1,800-pixel (1800p) resolution. This high resolution ensures exceedingly crisp visuals. Additionally, the display refreshes at 90Hz, providing smooth scrolling and an overall pleasant viewing experience. However, the OLED version doesn't come with touch screen features. If a touch screen is a necessary feature to you, you might need to look at another model which comes with a LCD panel. Nevertheless, the panel can get plenty bright, ensuring decent visibility even in challenging lighting conditions. On the downside, the laptop's speakers are somewhat flat and lack volume, requiring the use of headphones to have an enhanced audio experience.

Connectivity and Ports:

The Swift Go 14 provides decent connectivity options when compared to other flagship models, including a USB 3.2 Type-A port, a MicroSD card reader, and a Kensington-style cable lock slot. On the opposite edge, you'll find a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 video output, and another USB 3.2 Type-A port. This array of ports allows for easy connectivity with various devices and peripherals.

AI softwares:

As a laptop designed for AI integration, the Swift Go 14 model incorporates a range of AI features to elevate your computing experience. 

Firstly, Acer has integrated Intel’s latest dedicated AI engine—Intel AI Boost—into the Swift Go 14. This engine significantly enhances performance and responsiveness by leveraging AI acceleration for various computing tasks.

One of the standout AI features included in this laptop is Windows 11's Copilot. Copilot is a highly utilised AI software that offers centralised generative AI assistance across multiple applications. It aims to streamline tasks and provide intuitive support, although we have noted a slight delay in responsiveness.

Moving on to Acer's proprietary technologies, the Swift Go 14 boasts Acer PurifiedView features. With this feature, you get AI-enhanced video calls, Advanced Background Blur for a professional look during video calls, Gaze Correction to maintain eye contact, and Acer TNR for improved image sharpness in low-light conditions.

Additionally, the laptop incorporates Acer PurifiedVoice™ 2.0, which utilises AI algorithms and a third microphone to identify and suppress unwanted background noise. This results in distraction-free audio, enhancing communication experiences. You can even switch between multiple recording settings on it.

Battery Life and Software:

The Swift Go 14 offers average battery life, allowing for around five hours of usage on a single charge without switching to power saver mode. While not particularly impressive for students attending hours-long classes, the battery life here should suffice. AcerSense, included in the software package, provides useful system updates and health checkups, as well as screen colour profiles and battery optimisation features.

Conclusion:

Priced at only S$1349, the Acer Swift Go 14 is a budget laptop that delivers decent performance with its Intel Core Ultra processor and Arc integrated GPU. It’s more suitable for student and business purposes, in our opinion. However, the persistent fan noise and weak speakers. Despite these drawbacks, the Swift Go 14 is still worth considering for its above-average processing power and overall value.