Acer Swift 3 SF314-52-517Z
Specifications
Price comparison
Average of 4 scores (from 4 reviews)
Reviews for the Acer Swift 3 SF314-52-517Z
Source: Htxt Africa Archive.org version
As has been the case with previous Acer Swift 3 notebooks, this latest offering ticks all the necessary boxes. The problem is that there are no bells and whistles, which one expects there to be a couple of considering the notebook costs R11k. Yes, it will take care of the basics and see you through a normal work day, but there is nothing about the Swift 3 that makes you want to open it after you clock off.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 12/13/2018
Rating: Total score: 70%
Source: Gotta Be Mobile Archive.org version
You can order a Razer Blade Stealth with as little or as much power as you need. It supports up to a quad-core 8th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 1TB solid state drive and 16GB of RAM. It has a 3.5mm headset jack, 2 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI port and a Thunderbolt 3 port. That Thunderbolt 3 port communicates with the Razer Core add-on.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 02/09/2018
Rating: Total score: 80%
Source: Techspot Archive.org version
The Acer Swift 3 is not the slimmest, nor the lightest, nor the most powerful laptop I’ve used, but it’s also significantly more affordable than those other options. The line includes models with an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD for $499, all the way up to a model with an Intel Core i7 processor, discreet NVIDIA GPU, 8GB RAM and a 256 SSD for $999. The model I tested out falls in the middle and retails for $680.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/08/2017
Rating: Total score: 90%
Foreign Reviews
Source: Komputerswiat PL→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 09/02/2018
Rating: Total score: 77%
Comment
Model: The Acer Swift 3 SF314-52-517Z is one of the best value laptops. However, it differs from its predecessor in many ways: it has a different build and design, a glossy non-touch screen this time, a backlit keyboard with a new layout, new hardware inside and optional Nvidia MX150 dedicated graphics. The new Swift 3 gets a slight design change as well. The old version looked a lot like a MacBook Air, this one looks like a standard Acer laptop, with lines and branding elements that Acer puts on all their computers, like the Switch engraving on the piece of plastic between the screen’s hinges. The updated Swift 3 has gained some weight from the previous generation. It weighs nearly 1.72 kg (3.8 lbs) and is about 18 mm thick, which makes it pretty much averagely sized: portable enough to grab along in your bag or backpack, but a little heavier than the new generation 14-inchers like the Lenovo IdeaPad 320S or Asus Zenbook UX410, for example. It’s also a few millimeters bigger, as the bezels around the screen are fairly chunky, but it’s worth noting that all the 14-inchers with more compact builds are also more expensive. The 14-inch display is protected by Gorilla glass. There’s no touch though, Acer just decided to go with the glossy cover for extra strength and protection. It gets an IPS panel, so the viewing angles and contrast are fairly good, but it’s otherwise dim and limited in terms of color coverage.
Under the hood, this laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5-8250U, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. Crucially, unlike even cheaper laptops, the level of performance here is fine for multi-tasking. Acer’s laptop is not alone here, since every laptop with Intel UHD 620 graphics suffers from the same shortfall in gaming performance. While this is unlikely a strong gaming machine, technically, it would be just about possible to play older titles on it, at very low resolution. As far as the speakers go, they’re actually punchy and a step-up from the older Swift 3. They’re still placed on the bottom, but no longer distort at high volumes and no longer sound weird on a desk or when using the laptop on the lap and occasionally covering them. They’re also fairly loud at up to 80 dB at head level and the sound is surprisingly rich and clean. As for the webcam, it’s placed on top of the screen and flanked by microphones and it’s an average option with HD resolution that should do fine for occasional Skype calls. Acer puts a 48 Wh battery on this Swift 3, which is not bad for a budget laptop, especially since there’s no energy-hungry screen on this thing, but still a little smaller than what some of the competition offers.
Hands-on article by Jagadisa Rajarathnam
Intel UHD Graphics 620: Integrated GPU (GT2, 24 EUs) found on some Kaby-Lake-Refresh CPU models (15 W ULV series). Technically identical to the previous Kaby-Lake GPU called HD Graphics 620.
Modern games should be playable with these graphics cards at low settings and resolutions. Casual gamers may be happy with these cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
i5-8250U: Kaby-Lake-Refresh based low power quad-core processor. The four cores are clocked between 1.6 and 3.4 GHz (Turbo Boost) and support HyperThreading. The integrated GPU is clocked between 300 and 1,100 MHz. The SoC is manufactured in a 14nm+ FinFET process. » Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
14.00":
There are hardly any tablets in this display size range anymore. For subnotebooks, on the other hand, it is the standard format.
The advantage of subnotebooks is that the entire laptop can be small and therefore easily portable. The smaller display also has the advantage of requiring less power, which further improves battery life and thus mobility. The disadvantage is that reading texts is more strenuous on the eyes. High resolutions are more likely to be found in standard laptops.
» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.Acer: In 1976, the company was founded in Taiwan under the name Multitech and was renamed Acer or Acer Group in 1987. The product range includes, for example, laptops, tablets, smartphones, desktops, monitors, TVs and computer peripherals. Since 2007, the group has merged with Gateway Inc. and Packard Bell, which also market their own laptop product lines.
Acer computers are designed for a variety of purposes, including ultrabooks for mobile use, gaming laptops for gamers, affordable options for everyday tasks, and 2-in-1 convertible laptops for versatility. Acer's product portfolio also includes tablets that offer portable computing and multimedia capabilities.
79.25%: This rating is not earth-shattering. This rating must actually be seen as average, since there are about as many devices with worse ratings as better ones. A purchase recommendation can only be seen with a lot of goodwill, unless it is about websites that generally rate strictly.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.