Beautiful Screens, Rusty Souls: Uncovering the Hidden Flaws of Unreliable Gadgets
Acer Swift 16 AI Review: A Laptop That Looks Good, But Falls Short in Performance and Build Quality
The Acer Swift 16 AI is a sleek and stylish laptop that boasts a beautiful 3K OLED display. However, beneath its stunning exterior, this laptop is marred by build quality issues and performance limitations.
Build Quality: The Letdown
The moment you touch the Swift 16 AI, you’ll notice that it’s a build quality nightmare. The mid-segment laptop sags when you press too hard on the keys, and the area where you rest your palms is noticeably bendy. It’s a shame, as the rest of the device, including the cover, feels sturdy. Unfortunately, the sides of the device are so thin that they can’t support the weight of the laptop’s midsection, leading to a noticeable sag.
Performance: A Mixed Bag
The Swift 16 AI comes with an Intel Core Ultra 256V Lunar Lake processor, which is decent for everyday tasks, but falls short in demanding applications. In our Cinebench scores, it outperformed a 14-inch laptop with the same chip, but lagged behind the Snapdragon X Elite and MacBook Air’s M3 chip in pure rendering performance. Our 3DMark graphics tests revealed that the Arc 140V graphics are good enough for some uses, but not for demanding tasks.
Display and Sound: A Beautiful Screen, But Limited Sound Quality
The 16-inch OLED display is the main reason to choose this laptop over the 14-inch Swift model. It boasts a peak full-screen brightness of 340 nits, making it suitable for regular use. However, the two stereo speakers are underwhelming, producing thin and tinny audio that lacks bass.
Battery Life: Decent, But Not Exceptional
Battery life is a mixed bag. During our tests, the laptop went from 55% to 0 in around 8 hours, which is close but not quite the 19.5 hours promised by Acer. The 70Whr battery and Lunar Lake processor provide decent mileage, but may not last multiple days of constant use.
Verdict: A Laptop That Doesn’t Live Up to Expectations
If I had to choose between a thin Intel Lunar Lake laptop, the Swift 16 AI would not be my top pick. Its build quality is subpar, and its performance limitations might leave you underwhelmed. Unless you’re specifically looking for a laptop with an OLED display, there are better options available in this price range. 3.5/5 stars
