Notebookcheck Logo

Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T Laptop review: Slim allrounder on EVO basis

Tiger Lake moves ahead. The Acer Swift 5 SF514 comes with Intel's EVO label and combines a Tiger Lake CPU with a slim design and good mobility. Our detailed review clarifies what buyers can expect from the 14-inch laptop.
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN

With the introduction of Intel's EVO platform, there is now a quite useful label marking laptops that possess some key specifics. Currently these always include Tiger Lake CPUs, a slim build, a specific battery life, and a required brightness of the display. How well these features are implemented is shown for example by our tests of the MSI Prestige 14 EVO, the Schenker Vision 15, and the Dell XPS 13 9310.

The Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T also belongs to the laptops with an EVO label. In our test unit configuration, it competes with an Intel Core i5-1135G7, the internal Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD against the competitors listed below. Below each section, you can also add more laptops from our database to the comparison.

Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN (Swift 5 SF514 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-1135G7 4 x 2.4 - 4.2 GHz, 64 W PL2 / Short Burst, 28 W PL1 / Sustained, Tiger Lake-UP3
Memory
8 GB 
, quad-channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, AU Optronics AUO7490, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Tiger Lake-UP3 PCH-LP
Storage
SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI, 512 GB 
, 480 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Tiger Lake-U/Y PCH-LP - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined audio port, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14.95 x 318.9 x 207 ( = 0.59 x 12.56 x 8.15 in)
Battery
56 Wh Lithium-Ion
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Norton Security, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.005 kg ( = 35.45 oz / 2.22 pounds), Power Supply: 275 g ( = 9.7 oz / 0.61 pounds)
Price
1100 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible Competitors in the Comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
85.2 %
04/2021
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs
1 kg14.95 mm14.00"1920x1080
85 %
12/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
R5 4500U, Vega 6
1.7 kg20.4 mm14.00"1920x1080
82.5 %
12/2020
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
i7-1185G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs
1.2 kg16 mm14.00"1920x1080
84.2 %
09/2020
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs
1.2 kg13.9 mm14.00"1920x1080

Case - The Acer laptop only weighs 1 kg (~2.2 lb)

Acer has manufactured the case of the Swift 5 SF514 from a magnesium-aluminum alloy, making it very light but also extremely robust. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla glass, and the whole laptop is covered by a coating layer that was created based on silver ions and is supposed to have an antimicrobial effect, according to Acer. This goes for the whole laptop, including the rubber feet, keyboard, and hinges. The latter allow a display opening angle of about 140 degrees and always keep the display tightly in its position.

Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN

In the comparison with other laptops of its class, the Acer Swift 5 SF514 offers similarly small dimensions. These are about the same as the Asus ZenBook 14, with that being even slightly slimmer. However, at a weight of only 1 kg (~2,2 lb), the Acer laptop is the lightest in our test field.

Size Comparison

331 mm / 13 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 20.4 mm / 0.803 inch 1.7 kg3.72 lbs319 mm / 12.6 inch 215 mm / 8.46 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.2 kg2.65 lbs318.9 mm / 12.6 inch 207 mm / 8.15 inch 14.95 mm / 0.589 inch 1 kg2.22 lbs319 mm / 12.6 inch 208 mm / 8.19 inch 13.9 mm / 0.547 inch 1.2 kg2.58 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Equipment - A light laptop with Thunderbolt 4

While the amount of connections is limited in the Acer Swift 5, with the available Thunderbolt 4 port, you can add numerous additional connections using the corresponding adapters. However, you have to make do without a storage card reader.

Left side: power, HDMI, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 1x Thunderbolt 4
Left side: power, HDMI, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, 1x Thunderbolt 4
Right side: combined audio port, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, Kensington Lock
Right side: combined audio port, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen1, Kensington Lock

Communication

The Acer Swift 5 SF514 is able to create wireless connections via WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. While the WLAN speeds when transferring data using our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router turn out very good at 1329 Mbit/s on average, when receiving data it is only sufficient for the last place in our test field with an average of 744 Mbit/s.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1329 (1141min - 1418max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1200 (383min - 1438max) MBit/s -10%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (49.8 - 1775, n=324)
1161 MBit/s -13%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1110 MBit/s -16%
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s -39%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
734 (431min - 876max) MBit/s -45%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1327 (1055min - 1389max) MBit/s +78%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1273 (1158min - 1364max) MBit/s +71%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (136 - 1743, n=324)
1261 MBit/s +69%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1260 MBit/s +69%
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s +15%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
744 (578min - 950max) MBit/s
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400Tooltip
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø743 (578-950)
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1327 (1055-1389)
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1273 (1158-1364)
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1329 (1141-1418)
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1200 (383-1438)
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø720 (431-876)

Webcam

Like many manufacturers, Acer also uses only a low-resolution webcam with 0.9 MP in the Swift 5 SF514. The image quality turns out correspondingly meager, blurring the contents even in good light conditions. 

ColorChecker
17.6 ∆E
25.1 ∆E
20.3 ∆E
15.8 ∆E
17.1 ∆E
17.5 ∆E
24.8 ∆E
20.8 ∆E
21.4 ∆E
15.5 ∆E
14.8 ∆E
16 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
20.3 ∆E
24.5 ∆E
13.2 ∆E
18.1 ∆E
17.9 ∆E
2.9 ∆E
12 ∆E
21 ∆E
18.7 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
ColorChecker Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN: 16.99 ∆E min: 2.9 - max: 25.09 ∆E

Accessories

The box of the Swift 5 SF514 only contains the laptop and its power supply. However, Acer offers numerous general accessories on its own website.

Maintenance

The Acer laptop can be opened after removing all the visible screws at the bottom of the case. Once inside, you can only replace the SSD and the WLAN module, since the rest of the components are soldered in.

Acer Swift 5 SF514 - Maintenance options
Acer Swift 5 SF514 - Maintenance options

Warranty

Acer offers buyers of the Swift 5 SF514 a warranty period of 24 months.

Input Devices - Small keys with a crisp feedback

Keyboard

The keys of the Swift 5 SF514 offer a clearly noticeable pressure point that could almost be called "crisp." After a short period of getting used to the keyboard, typing tasks can be accomplished easily. There is also a single-step keyboard illumination.

Touchpad

As mouse replacement, Acer uses a ClickPad in the Swift 5 SF514. The surface is well suited for navigation of the mouse pointer, and clicks are recognized reliably via mechanical pressure as well as touch input. In addition, there is the 14-inch touchscreen which is very responsive to touch inputs, reliably implementing the commands in the system.

Acer Swift 5 SF514 - input devices
Acer Swift 5 SF514 - input devices
Acer Swift 5 SF514 - keyboard illumination
Acer Swift 5 SF514 - keyboard illumination

Display - The bright 14-inch panel is reflective

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding

The display of the Acer Swift 5 SF514 consists of a 14-inch touch-capable IPS panel that offers a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The maximum brightness is 377 cd/m² on average, which makes it the highest in our test field. On the other hand, at 79%, the brightness distribution is the lowest. In addition to the screen used here, the Swift 5 SF514 is also available without a touchscreen.

Since PWM is not used for brightness control, users with sensitive eyes should not have to expect any difficulties.

363
cd/m²
377
cd/m²
367
cd/m²
343
cd/m²
404
cd/m²
397
cd/m²
329
cd/m²
418
cd/m²
399
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AU Optronics AUO7490 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 418 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 377.4 cd/m² Minimum: 22 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 79 %
Center on Battery: 407 cd/m²
Contrast: 1616:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.47 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.84
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
63% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
68.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
98.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
AU Optronics AUO7490, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
N140HCA-EAC, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
AUO B140HAN06.2 (AUO623D), IPS-Level, 1920x1080, 14.00
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
AU Optronics B140HAN06.8, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
-37%
3%
1%
Display P3 Coverage
67
41.96
-37%
68.8
3%
68.6
2%
sRGB Coverage
98.3
63
-36%
99.4
1%
98.3
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
68.3
43.37
-37%
70.9
4%
69.8
2%
Response Times
-76%
-117%
-77%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
30 ?(2, 28)
42 ?(21.6, 20.4)
-40%
59.6 ?(26.4, 33.2)
-99%
49.6 ?(27.6, 22)
-65%
Response Time Black / White *
14 ?(3, 11)
29.6 ?(15.6, 14)
-111%
32.8 ?(16.4, 16.4)
-134%
26.4 ?(13.2, 13.2)
-89%
PWM Frequency
Screen
-114%
-36%
-22%
Brightness middle
404
259
-36%
293
-27%
375.1
-7%
Brightness
377
244
-35%
277
-27%
371
-2%
Brightness Distribution
79
92
16%
89
13%
91
15%
Black Level *
0.25
0.21
16%
0.18
28%
0.34
-36%
Contrast
1616
1233
-24%
1628
1%
1103
-32%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.47
4.3
-193%
2.95
-101%
1.79
-22%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
2.6
17.7
-581%
6.03
-132%
3.05
-17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.84
3.8
-352%
0.9
-7%
1.79
-113%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.7
1.5
12%
4.2
-147%
2.3
-35%
Gamma
2.35 94%
2.04 108%
2.099 105%
2.29 96%
CCT
6662 98%
6609 98%
6622 98%
6405 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
63
40
-37%
71
13%
63.9
1%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
98
62.9
-36%
93
-5%
98.8
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-76% / -94%
-50% / -39%
-33% / -25%

* ... smaller is better

Color space coverage (sRGB) - 98%
Color space coverage (sRGB) - 98%
Color space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 63%
Color space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 63%

According to our measurements, the display of the Swift 5 SF514 offers a very good contrast ratio of 1616:1 and a good black value of 0.25 cd/m². With 98% (sRGB) and 63% (AdobeRGB), the color space coverage is also very good. 

In addition, the CalMAN analysis show that colors are reproduced with only few deviations already in the state of delivery. However, a calibration still brings some small improvements. You can download the corresponding ICC file in the link above, to the right of the graphic on the brightness distribution of the display.

CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)

Due to the reflective display surface, the Acer Swift 5 SF514 is only suitable to a limited extent for usage outdoors. While the high brightness still allows you to work in the shade, there are too many reflections in direct sunlight.

Using the Acer Swift 5 SF514 outdoors
Using the Acer Swift 5 SF514 outdoors
Using the Acer Swift 5 SF514 outdoors
Using the Acer Swift 5 SF514 outdoors

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
14 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 29 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 2 ms rise
↘ 28 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 33 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The viewing angles of the Acer laptop's IPS panel are very stable. The display contents can be read from almost any angle without too many distortions or color deviations.

Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance - Tiger Lake delivers a good performance

With the Swift 5 SF514, Acer targets users who are looking for a light laptop with a good system performance to take along with them on the road. Buyers have the choice of several processors from Intel's Tiger Lake generation that also have an influence on the price. There are also several configurations of storage and working memory, depending on your selection of equipment. 

For users with a slightly higher demand on the 3D performance, some models with Nvidia's GeForce MX350 are also available.

Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - CPUz
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - CPUz
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - CPUz
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - CPUz
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - GPUz
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - HWInfo
 
 

Processor

The Intel Core i5-1135G7 used here is a quad-core processor from Intel's Tiger Lake generation. Its clock speeds lie between 2.4 and 4.2 GHz, with the configured TDP and cooling system being the determining factors on the performance. Acer has configured the Swift 5 with a PL2 of 64 watts and PL1 of 28 watts, allowing it to reach the maximum performance of the i5-1135G7 at least in theory.

In our Cinebench R15 constant load test, the CPU starts with a good value. Even though this drops over time, it still turns out better than the Intel Core i7-1165G7 in the Asus ZenBook 14, for example. The Swift 5 SF514 also shows itself significantly more powerful than other laptops with the i5-1135G7 such as the Lenovo ThinkPad L13. In the single benchmarks, the CPU in the Acer laptop achieves an above-average result, with the multi-core value in particular turning out higher than for other laptops with the Intel Core i5-1135G7.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900Tooltip
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN Intel Core i5-1135G7: Ø780 (716.77-891.96)
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø865 (852.57-888.2)
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005 Intel Core i7-1185G7: Ø892 (873.52-933.34)
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA Intel Core i7-1165G7: Ø653 (629.83-862.05)
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE Intel Core i5-1135G7: Ø566 (545.75-631.08)
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE Intel Core i5-1135G7: Ø566 (545.75-631.08)
Cinebench R20: CPU (Single Core) | CPU (Multi Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Single 64Bit | CPU Multi 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
579 Points +11%
Average of class Office
  (181.3 - 764, n=120, last 2 years)
553 Points +6%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
543 Points +4%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
523 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
521 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
521 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (375 - 527, n=62)
507 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
451 Points -14%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Office
  (356 - 5904, n=120, last 2 years)
3055 Points +45%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
2283 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2253 Points +7%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
2105 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (979 - 2382, n=62)
1827 Points -13%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
1728 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1466 Points -30%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1466 Points -30%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
224 Points +13%
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +9%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
214 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
199 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
199 Points +1%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
198 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (141.4 - 205, n=61)
194.4 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
174 Points -12%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +51%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
933 (873.52min - 933.34max) Points +2%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
916 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
888 (852.57min - 888.2max) Points -3%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
810 (629.83min - 862.05max) Points -12%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (431 - 941, n=65)
792 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
631 (545.75min - 631.08max) Points -31%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
631 (545.75min - 631.08max) Points -31%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
794 Seconds * -33%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
794 Seconds * -33%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
694 Seconds * -16%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (499 - 1044, n=60)
662 Seconds * -11%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
598 Seconds *
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
562 Seconds * +6%
Average of class Office
  (214 - 2844, n=121, last 2 years)
543 Seconds * +9%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
533 Seconds * +11%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
5096 MIPS +8%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
5029 MIPS +6%
Average of class Office
  (2233 - 6687, n=122, last 2 years)
4967 MIPS +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4785 MIPS +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4785 MIPS +1%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4727 MIPS
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (3924 - 4921, n=62)
4674 MIPS -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4312 MIPS -9%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Office
  (4226 - 62349, n=121, last 2 years)
34257 MIPS +40%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
24996 MIPS +3%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
24882 MIPS +2%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
24386 MIPS
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (14745 - 24873, n=62)
21407 MIPS -12%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
21036 MIPS -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
19113 MIPS -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
19113 MIPS -22%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
1523 Points +11%
Average of class Office
  (510 - 1974, n=123, last 2 years)
1452 Points +6%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
1398 Points +2%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1373 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (1147 - 1428, n=58)
1373 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1369 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1369 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1085 Points -21%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Office
  (1018 - 11980, n=123, last 2 years)
6503 Points +25%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
5560 Points +7%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
5456 Points +5%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
5197 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (3475 - 5472, n=58)
4663 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4597 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4597 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4409 Points -15%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Office
  (1.55 - 17.4, n=121, last 2 years)
9.04 fps +41%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
7.12 fps +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
6.93 fps +8%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
6.39 fps
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (3.57 - 7.6, n=57)
5.93 fps -7%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
5.34 fps -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4.74 fps -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4.74 fps -26%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
60.5 s * -20%
Average of class Office
  (31.3 - 117.5, n=121, last 2 years)
57.3 s * -13%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
56.1 s * -11%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (44.2 - 62.9, n=60)
52.8 s * -5%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
50.5 s *
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
47.9 s * +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
47.8 s * +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
47.8 s * +5%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
0.648 sec * -2%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (0.619 - 0.727, n=59)
0.642 sec * -1%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7
0.638 sec *
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
0.635 sec * -0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7
0.635 sec * -0%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7
0.593 sec * +7%
Average of class Office
  (0.4244 - 1.397, n=120, last 2 years)
0.593 sec * +7%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7
0.591 sec * +7%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
198 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
916 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
96.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark 10 benchmark, which evaluates the system performance, the Acer Swift 5 SF514 is able to achieve the second place in our test field. Particularly the values for "Digital Content Creation" and "Essentials" turn out very good here. In everyday operation, the Acer laptop also always runs smoothly and there are no micro stutters or anything like that.

You can find out about the performance of other laptops in our tests in our CPU benchmark list.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +11%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1185G7, Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162
4894 Points +2%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
4794 Points
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
4704 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (4026 - 4952, n=53)
4613 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
4425 Points -8%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points 0%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
9772 Points
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1185G7, Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162
9727 Points 0%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
9585 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (8149 - 9917, n=53)
9310 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
8578 Points -12%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +15%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
6619 Points +2%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1185G7, Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162
6507 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
6501 Points 0%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
6487 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (5040 - 6619, n=53)
6218 Points -4%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +21%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1185G7, Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162
5026 Points +7%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
4719 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (3548 - 5255, n=53)
4612 Points -2%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
4463 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
4218 Points -11%
PCMark 10 Score
4794 points
Help

DPC Latencies

The Acer Swift 5 SF514 shows the least latencies in our test field, making it very suitable for real-time applications.

LatencyMon - Statistics
LatencyMon - Statistics
LatencyMon - Drivers
LatencyMon - Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
1420 μs * -161%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
1030 μs * -89%
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1185G7, Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162
653 μs * -20%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
544 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Storage Solution

In our test configuration, Acer uses a 512 GB SSD from SK Hynix that achieves average results in the storage benchmarks. In the comparison with our selected competitors, the storage also shows itself to be average. However, the read and write rates are still good and are reflected by quick data access and short wait times when starting applications in everyday operation.

You can find out about the performance of other storage solutions in our tests in our HDD/SSD benchmark list.

Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8
Average SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
5%
96%
18%
-2%
Write 4K
77.8
76.7
-1%
248.4
219%
132.3
70%
111 ?(77.8 - 157.3, n=7)
43%
Read 4K
46.98
32.04
-32%
56.4
20%
51.7
10%
42.6 ?(32.8 - 49.8, n=7)
-9%
Write Seq
1054
1019
-3%
2513
138%
1264
20%
1037 ?(851 - 1117, n=7)
-2%
Read Seq
1137
2014
77%
2250
98%
1484
31%
1100 ?(1008 - 1183, n=7)
-3%
Write 4K Q32T1
474.5
415.6
-12%
589
24%
478.4
1%
410 ?(308 - 475, n=7)
-14%
Read 4K Q32T1
601
367.1
-39%
696
16%
366.9
-39%
444 ?(332 - 601, n=7)
-26%
Write Seq Q32T1
1062
1337
26%
2515
137%
1750
65%
1072 ?(1043 - 1102, n=7)
1%
Read Seq Q32T1
2309
2850
23%
4915
113%
1970
-15%
2269 ?(2154 - 2311, n=7)
-2%
AS SSD
35%
101%
-31%
-5%
Seq Read
1405
2247
60%
3760
168%
1219
-13%
1458 ?(1172 - 1975, n=7)
4%
Seq Write
1011
1079
7%
2335
131%
947
-6%
900 ?(678 - 1064, n=7)
-11%
4K Read
53.7
42.52
-21%
66.8
24%
50.9
-5%
49 ?(41.8 - 53.7, n=7)
-9%
4K Write
122.7
129.1
5%
184.3
50%
150.9
23%
114.9 ?(90.1 - 123.2, n=7)
-6%
4K-64 Read
803
1316
64%
1801
124%
587
-27%
776 ?(703 - 819, n=7)
-3%
4K-64 Write
810
1332
64%
1754
117%
862
6%
744 ?(689 - 810, n=7)
-8%
Access Time Read *
0.086
0.135
0.083
0.061 ?(0.04 - 0.09, n=6)
Access Time Write *
0.032
0.029
9%
0.018
44%
0.114
-256%
0.03329 ?(0.031 - 0.04, n=7)
-4%
Score Read
997
1583
59%
2244
125%
760
-24%
970 ?(904 - 1055, n=7)
-3%
Score Write
1034
1569
52%
2172
110%
1108
7%
949 ?(878 - 1034, n=7)
-8%
Score Total
2536
3907
54%
5500
117%
2260
-11%
2401 ?(2290 - 2562, n=7)
-5%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
20% / 22%
99% / 99%
-7% / -9%
-4% / -4%

* ... smaller is better

SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2309 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1062 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 601 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 474.5 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1137 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1054 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 46.98 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 77.8 MB/s

Constant Performance Reads: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics Card

The internal Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs graphics unit in the Acer Swift SF514 is responsible for the display of image content. It shares its working memory with the CPU and benefits from a multi-channel configuration as we see it here. Correspondingly, the benchmark results also turn out good, with the Xe Graphics G7 80EUs in the Acer laptop almost reaching the Xe Graphics G7 96EUs. With this, the graphics unit is suited for tasks such as simple image processing, for example.

You can compare the performance of other graphics units in our GPU benchmark list.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1185G7
7090 Points +16%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1165G7
6563 Points +7%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
6117 Points
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points -4%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (2246 - 6477, n=105)
5167 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
3401 Points -44%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1185G7
5848 Points +22%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1165G7
5139 Points +8%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
4775 Points
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points -15%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (1560 - 5305, n=107)
3782 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2285 Points -52%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1185G7
1670 Points +21%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1165G7
1401 Points +1%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
1384 Points
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points -4%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (561 - 1511, n=104)
1170 Points -15%
3DMark 11 Performance
6566 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
4325 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1556 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The graphics unit of the Acer Swift 5 SF514 is suited only for older games or those with little demands on the graphics performance.

We list the performance that you can expect in additional games in our GPU games list.

Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 high (2/3)
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
54.3 (36.8min) fps +11%
Average of class Office
  (8.9 - 110.4, n=124, last 2 years)
49.6 fps +2%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
48.7 (33.3min) fps
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
46.4 (25.8min) fps -5%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (10.4 - 70.9, n=105)
42.5 fps -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
34.7 (31.6min) fps -29%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
30.1 (21.1min) fps -38%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
30.1 (21.1min) fps -38%
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 Standard Quality
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
20.8 fps +4%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
20 fps
Average of class Office
  (3.02 - 49.9, n=106, last 2 years)
19 fps -5%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (4.47 - 25.1, n=93)
17.3 fps -13%
X-Plane 11.11 - 1920x1080 med (fps_test=2)
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
Intel Core i7-1185G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
37 fps +9%
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
35.4 fps +4%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
34 fps
Average of class Office
  (6.45 - 95.2, n=123, last 2 years)
31.5 fps -7%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (6.45 - 40.5, n=106)
28.7 fps -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
27.8 fps -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
25.9 fps -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
25.9 fps -24%
Far Cry 5 - 1920x1080 Medium Preset AA:T
Average of class Office
  (10 - 45, n=46, last 2 years)
24.7 fps +7%
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
23 fps
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (9 - 31, n=45)
20.1 fps -13%
low med. high ultra
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 81.9 70.1 48.7 47.9
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 39.5 20
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 44.5 34 31.7
Far Cry 5 (2018) 50 23

Emissions - Silent operation is possible

Noise Emissions

Noise characteristics
Noise characteristics

The Swift 5 SF514 remains silent during office and browser operation, and if the fans do happen to turn on, they run evenly, producing an audible whirr that is easy to ignore.

We did not notice any additional noises, such as coil whine or anything similar, in our test unit.

Noise Level

Idle
25 / 25 / 25 dB(A)
Load
34.7 / 34 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 25 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2029.330.732.531.129.3253334.436.335.1333133.432.229.129.433.44024.833.53023.524.85023.829.124.126.523.8632321.817.824.2238023.118.417.722.123.110021.118.617.519.821.112520.517.615.717.320.51601615.614.214.51620017.115.313.614.717.125016.71613.315.416.731515.114.512.514.315.140016.917.411.612.816.950018.218.611.111.918.263020.120.411.111.220.180020.621.21111.220.6100023.124.911.311.223.1125024.223.611.311.324.2160024.223.911.811.524.2200026.726.112.111.926.7250024.423.412.512.324.43150262212.812.526400020.619.51313.320.6500018.717.813.713.618.7630018.417.313.714.118.4800014.914.314.51414.91000014.313.814.513.714.31250014.413.614.313.614.41600013.813.31313.513.8SPL34.73424.824.834.7N1.91.70.60.61.9median 18.7median 17.8median 13median 13.5median 18.7Delta3.93.71.31.33.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseAcer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

Our measurements attest the Acer laptop with surface temperatures of up to 33.9 °C (93 °F) under load. The warmest spot is in the back area of the center, with the palm rests always remaining cool. This means that you can also use the laptop also easily under load and operate it on your lap, for example.

During our about hour-long constant load test, the temperatures inside the Swift 5 SF514 rose up to 97 °C (207 °F). Until the end of the test, these were lowered by the cooling system down to an average value of about 60 °C (140 °F), with the clock speeds being lower than the basic clock speed at an average of 1.5 GHz. However, the system could still be operated smoothly. Since a load as in our stress test is almost impossible in everyday operation, users don't need to expect any limitations due to temperatures being too high.

Max. Load
 32.5 °C
91 F
33.9 °C
93 F
31.2 °C
88 F
 
 32.8 °C
91 F
34.5 °C
94 F
27.9 °C
82 F
 
 28.1 °C
83 F
27.6 °C
82 F
25.5 °C
78 F
 
Maximum: 34.5 °C = 94 F
Average: 30.4 °C = 87 F
33 °C
91 F
35.4 °C
96 F
33.8 °C
93 F
26 °C
79 F
31.4 °C
89 F
30.2 °C
86 F
25.5 °C
78 F
27 °C
81 F
27.4 °C
81 F
Maximum: 35.4 °C = 96 F
Average: 30 °C = 86 F
Power Supply (max.)  35.8 °C = 96 F | Room Temperature 22.5 °C = 73 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.4 °C / 87 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.5 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 35.4 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.3 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.1 °C / 82.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-0.4 °C / -0.7 F).
Heat map in idle operation - top
Heat map in idle operation - top
Heat map in idle operation - bottom
Heat map in idle operation - bottom
Heat map under load - top
Heat map under load - top
Heat map under load - bottom
Heat map under load - bottom

Speakers

Speaker characteristics
Speaker characteristics

The speakers of the Swift 5 play relatively quietly, and their sound spectrum emphasizes the higher notes. While you can still use it occasionally to reproduce media content in quiet surroundings, we recommend headphones or external speakers in the long run.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs202831.1282529.835.129.83128.629.428.64026.723.526.7502526.5256320.324.220.38019.922.119.910018.219.818.212515.517.315.516016.714.516.720021.414.721.425034.515.434.531541.114.341.14004812.84850046.911.946.96304811.24880051.611.251.6100054.611.254.6125055.411.355.416005911.559200060.711.960.7250054.212.354.2315057.812.557.840005713.357500057.813.657.8630061.214.161.280006514651000060.413.760.41250064.313.664.31600062.113.562.1SPL70.924.870.9N25.10.625.1median 54.6median 13.5median 54.6Delta12.41.312.435.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAcer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DNApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (65 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 30.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 90% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 86% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - The Swift 5 SF5145 offers a very good battery life

Power Consumption

According to our measurements, the Acer Swift 5 has the lowest average performance consumption in idle operation, and with a power consumption of up to 67.2 watts under load, it is also able to lead our test field in the highest power consumption. 

The included power supply is rated for a maximum power delivery of 65 watts, so it is just sufficiently dimensioned to be able to deliver the necessary power to the Acer laptop.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.6 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.4 / 3.5 / 6.6 Watt
Load midlight 47 / 67.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, SK Hynix BC511 HFM512GDJTNI, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
R5 4500U, Vega 6, WDC PC SN730 SDBQNTY-512GB, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
i7-1185G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Phison 512GB SM280512GKBB4S-E162, IPS-Level, 1920x1080, 14.00
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Intel SSD 660p 1TB SSDPEKNW010T8, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
-36%
-57%
-30%
-41%
-41%
-39%
Idle Minimum *
2.4
4.4
-83%
5
-108%
4.8
-100%
4.4
-83%
4.46 ?(2.3 - 15.8, n=101)
-86%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
-78%
Idle Average *
3.5
7.7
-120%
7
-100%
6.5
-86%
7.2
-106%
7.33 ?(3.5 - 16.8, n=101)
-109%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
-109%
Idle Maximum *
6.6
8.9
-35%
11
-67%
7.7
-17%
9.8
-48%
9.25 ?(4.5 - 17, n=101)
-40%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
-38%
Load Average *
47
31.3
33%
54
-15%
29.6
37%
31.7
33%
36.1 ?(14.3 - 70, n=99)
23%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
14%
Load Maximum *
67.2
50.6
25%
65
3%
57.8
14%
66.6
1%
61.2 ?(24.2 - 149, n=101)
9%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
15%
Witcher 3 ultra *
33
39
28.6
33.3

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In our realistic WLAN test, the Swift 5 SF514 achieves a battery life of more than 13 hours. During the test, all the power saving functions, such as the variable frame rate in Intel's graphics control app, were turned off. This means that the Acer laptop makes very good use of its 56-Wh battery.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
13h 14min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
10h 29min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 36min
Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 56 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad L14-20U50003GE
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh
MSI Prestige 14 Evo A11M-005
i7-1185G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 52.4 Wh
Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA
i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 67 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen2-20VH0017GE
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 46 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
6%
-36%
51%
-31%
-2%
WiFi v1.3
794
487
-39%
451
-43%
786
-1%
364
-54%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
-26%
Load
96
145
51%
68
-29%
194
102%
89
-7%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
22%

Pros

+ light and robust
+ good system performance
+ good input devices
+ Thunderbolt 4 connection

Cons

- hardly any maintenance options
- reflective touchscreen

Verdict - A successful laptop, if only it weren't for the reflections

Testing the Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN. Test unit provided by Acer Germany.
Testing the Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN. Test unit provided by Acer Germany.

The Acer Swift 5 SF514 leaves a very good impression in our test. The workmanship is of high quality, and the performance is also very well-suited for mobile operation and office, as well as browser tasks. The built-in hardware is also sufficient for simple image processing and less demanding games. In addition, the package is rounded by the very good battery life.

With the Acer Swift 5 SF514 with Tiger Lake CPU, there is nothing in the way of long lasting activities without the charger. We would have liked an alternative to the highly-reflective display, however.

Unfortunately the maintenance options turn out limited, but this also benefits the slim build. At least, you can replace the SSD and WLAN module and also clean the fan. In our opinion, the reflective display also represents a disadvantage. It is not well suited for working outdoors, and artificial light sources can also lead to annoying reflections. The antimicrobial coating is a nice gimmick, but its usefulness might be limited.

Price and Availability

The Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN is available (in Germany) starting right now. In the US, several configurations are available at Acer, starting from $999.

Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T-58DN - 03/31/2021 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
97%
Connectivity
50 / 80 → 62%
Weight
75 / 20-75 → 100%
Battery
90%
Display
87%
Games Performance
70 / 78 → 90%
Application Performance
86 / 95 → 90%
Temperature
95%
Noise
96%
Audio
48%
Camera
36 / 85 → 42%
Average
76%
85%
Office - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 3 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Acer Swift 5 SF514-55T Laptop review: Slim allrounder on EVO basis
Mike Wobker, 2021-04- 2 (Update: 2021-12- 2)