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Face Off: Acer Swift 7 vs. Asus Zenbook UX310UQ vs. HP Spectre x360 13

Versatile solution. The Acer Swift 7 is solid if not overpriced against the competition. We compare it to the Asus Zenbook and HP Spectre x360 to show exactly what it's missing and why it is currently a hard sell.

Acer announced the super-thin Swift 7 back in October and it surprised us with its ornate gold color scheme, high quality chassis, and thin aluminum build. However, it's rather pricey at well over $1000 USD with limited features and a low-power Kaby Lake CPU. In this Face Off, we want to show just how barebones the Swift 7 can feel compared to the current headline-grabbing Spectre x360 13 and a more traditional Zenbook UX310UQ notebook with discrete Nvidia graphics.

We encourage users to check out our dedicated review pages below for more data and detailed analyses of each of the three models. This comparison is by no means a replacement, but a condensed aid for those on the fence.

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13

Case

Case quality is very good across all three models. Even the super-thin Acer and small HP are rigid around their bases with no uneven gaps between materials and edges. Slight twisting is possible only when applying a lot of force around the front edges.

The lids on each notebook are unsurprisingly weaker than their bases. In this case, we find the lid of the Asus to be weaker and more flexible compared to the lids on the Acer and HP. We can notice unevenness around the hinges on our Asus test model as well and the hinges themselves teeter more frequently than on the Acer and HP. This is somewhat disappointing from Asus considering that the notebook carries a thicker design than both its competitors.

In terms of size and weight, the Asus notebook is the heavier notebook by far as shown by our comparison below. Its length and width, however, are actually slightly smaller than the Acer since the bezels of the Acer are larger. The newly designed thin bezel of the HP makes it the most compact notebook out of the three with the added bonus of a more practical tablet mode. It's not as thin or as light as the Acer, but its versatility shouldn't be understated for those who can take advantage of its multiple modes.

323 mm / 12.7 inch 223 mm / 8.78 inch 18.35 mm / 0.722 inch 1.5 kg3.23 lbs324.6 mm / 12.8 inch 229.6 mm / 9.04 inch 9.98 mm / 0.3929 inch 1.1 kg2.43 lbs305.6 mm / 12 inch 217.9 mm / 8.58 inch 13.7 mm / 0.539 inch 1.3 kg2.81 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Ports in Comparison

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13

Connectivity

An increasing number of super-thin subnotebooks are including the USB Type-C in lieu of "mini" versions of existing ports such as micro-HDMI or mini-VGA. Both the Acer and HP each integrate multiple USB Type-C ports, but the Acer is at a severe disadvantage since it includes no USB Type-A ports and that both its Type-C ports are Gen. 1 only. This means that the HP has better compatibility with Thunderbolt-enabled docking stations, monitors, and adapters than the Acer notebook.

The Asus notebook houses more traditional ports including 3x USB Type-A and a dedicated HDMI-out. It's the only one out of the three with an SD reader and 2x internal storage bays, so adapters are less of a necessity here compared to its two competitors.

Ports and Connections

Acer Swift 7 Asus Zenbook UX310UQ HP Spectre x360 13
USB 2x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen. 1 1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.1 Type-C gen. 2 + Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB 3.0
Video-out 1x DisplayPort over USB 3.1 Type-C 1x HDMI 2x USB 3.1 Type-C gen. 2 + Thunderbolt 3
Audio 3.5 mm combo 3.5 mm combo 3.5 mm combo
Other None SD reader None
Storage Bays 1x M.2 2242 1x M.2 2280,1x 2.5-inch SATA III 1x M.2 2280

Input Devices

Keyboard layout between the Acer and Asus is essentially identical. Meanwhile, key feedback is nearly the same between the three notebooks as we find their keyboards to be spongy with short travel. The Acer in particular includes no backlight options compared to both the Asus and HP.

The touchpads vary in size and is largest on the Acer (14 x 6.5 on the Acer, 10.5 x 7.4 cm on the Asus, and 12 x 6 cm on the HP). While we experienced no issues for simple cursor control, the integrated mouse keys feel different on each. Feedback is softest on the Asus while the Acer and HP have firmer and more satisfactory clicks when pressed.

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13

Display

The Acer and HP are equipped with glossy 1080p IPS panels from Chi Mei each with similar response times, backlight brightness levels, and color gamut. Nonetheless, contrast levels are higher on the Acer for improved multimedia playback and outdoor visibility. Colors on the HP are slightly less accurate compared to the Acer and Asus and could thus benefit the most from a calibration.

The Asus notebook uses a matte 1080p TN panel for slightly faster black-white response times to reduce ghosting in games while still providing as wide of a color gamut as its two IPS competitors. The major downside is an average contrast at about half that of the HP. Combine this with its dimmer backlight and more limited viewing angles and you have a notebook that was not designed for comfortable outdoor visibility.

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Displays at a Glance

Acer Swift 7 Asus Zenbook UX310UQ HP Spectre x360 13
Size 13.3-inch IPS 13.3-inch TN 13.3-inch IPS
Native Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Pixel Density 166 PPI 166 PPI 166 PPI
Panel ID Chi Mei Innolux N133HCE-GP1 AU Optronics AUO142D Chi Mei CMN1367
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011THP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
Display
Display P3 Coverage
64.6
61.9
65.4
sRGB Coverage
89.1
88.3
90.4
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
64.8
63
65.8
Response Times
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
31 ?(14, 17)
39 ?(20, 19)
33.2 ?(16, 17.2)
Response Time Black / White *
27 ?(7, 20)
24 ?(7, 17)
28 ?(5.6, 22.4)
PWM Frequency
50 ?(30)
Screen
Brightness middle
359
247
334.6
Brightness
344
240
319
Brightness Distribution
92
90
90
Black Level *
0.25
0.43
0.336
Contrast
1436
574
996
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.57
4.74
6.21
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
9.25
9.14
12
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.2
4.87
7.71
Gamma
2.47 89%
2.57 86%
2.36 93%
CCT
6887 94%
7450 87%
6458 101%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
58
57
58.6
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
89
88
90
Total Average (Program / Settings)

* ... smaller is better

Acer Swift 7 color profile
Acer Swift 7 color profile
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13

Performance

CPU Performance

The passively-cooled i5-7Y54 in the Acer requires less than one-third the power of the Skylake i7-6500U in the Asus or Kaby Lake i7-7500U in the HP. Is raw CPU performance cut by one-third as well? CineBench multi-threaded benchmarks show the Acer to be behind both its competitors by about 35 percent each. Meanwhile, single-threaded benchmarks show the Acer to be behind by a smaller margin of just 12 to 15 percent. Most modern applications take advantage of multiple cores and threads, so the weaker multi-core performance of the i5-7Y54 is unfortunately the more significant factor. PCMark 8 benchmarks also show the Acer to be a step below both the Asus and HP as well.

See our dedicated CPU pages on the Core i5-7Y54, Core i7-6500U, and Core i7-7500U for more benchmarks and comparisons.

Hardware at a Glance

Acer Swift 7 Asus Zenbook UX310UQ HP Spectre x360 13
CPU 1.2 GHz Core i5-7Y54 2.5 GHz Core i7-6500U 2.7 GHz Core i7-7500U
CPU TDP 4.5 W 15 W 15 W
GPU HD Graphics 615 GeForce 940MX HD Graphics 620
RAM 8 GB LPDDR3 1866 MHz, Dual-Channel, Soldered 16 GB DDR4 2133 MHz, Dual-Channel, 1x SODIMM, 8 GB soldered 16 GB DDR3, Dual-Channel, Soldered
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
111 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
130 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
126 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
207 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
327 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
314 Points
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
1.27 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
1.48 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
1.66 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
2.32 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
3.15 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
3.46 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
5545 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
6407 Points
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
8756 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
14075 Points
wPrime 2.10
1024m (sort by value)
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
485.2 s *
32m (sort by value)
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
15.06 s *
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - 32M (sort by value)
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
572 s *
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
25981 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
33817 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
47276 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
25640 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
36794 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
38294 Points
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Physics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
2163 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
3252 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
3366 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Physics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
3088 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
4632 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
4975 Points
Fire Strike Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
3046 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
4655 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
4811 Points
PCMark 7
Score (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
4857 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
5305 Points
Lightweight (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
4663 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
4808 Points
Productivity (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
3499 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
3933 Points
Entertainment (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
3510 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
3914 Points
Creativity (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
9936 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
9699 Points
Computation (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
16677 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
15922 Points
System Storage (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
4871 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
4679 Points
PCMark 8
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
4603 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
4910 Points
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
3429 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
4440 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
4699 Points
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
3064 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
3769 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
3795 Points
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 1 (sort by value)
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
110.1 fps
Pass 2 (sort by value)
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
20.57 fps

* ... smaller is better

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13

GPU Performance

The integrated HD Graphics solution on Intel's latest Kaby Lake CPUs still do not stand a chance against even a budget-mainstream Nvidia offering from the outgoing Maxwell generation. According to 3DMark Fire Strike, the GeForce 940MX in the Asus is roughly 150 percent and 70 percent faster in raw performance than the HD Graphics 615 and HD Graphics 620 in the Acer and HP, respectively. The performance gaps are slightly smaller in our Bioshock Infinite benchmarks, but the differences in frame rates are still dramatic nonetheless.

See our dedicated GPU pages on the HD Graphics 615, GeForce 940MX, and HD Graphics 620  for more benchmarks and comparisons. The raw power of these GPUs is not sufficient for playing the latest demanding titles and they are instead intended to run light games and editing applications.

3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
5541 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
8519 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
7969 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
647 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
1589 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
964 Points
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
28302 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
43813 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
46375 Points
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
1039 Points
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
2321 Points
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
1560 Points
Cinebench R15 - OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
31.67 fps
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
62.8 fps
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
43.81 fps
BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
40.6 (18.7min - 83.3max) fps
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
85.9 (24.1min - 180.7max) fps
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
53.5 fps
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
22.4 (8.8min - 62max) fps
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
48.7 (13.4min - 140.9max) fps
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
30.6 fps
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
17.8 (6.2min - 39.3max) fps
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
39.4 (13.3min - 143.1max) fps
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
26.1 fps
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value)
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
6 (3.3min - 36.6max) fps
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
13.3 (4.9min - 162.8max) fps
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
8.3 fps

Stress Test

We run both Prime95 and FurMark to simulate maximum stress and to test system stability. These unrealistic conditions do not represent daily workloads and are instead meant to put both the CPU and GPU at 100 percent capacity.

Both the Acer and HP throttle significantly when under extreme loads. While this is expected from a fanless system like the Swift 7, we are disappointed to see this occur on the Spectre x360 13. CPU and GPU clock rates on the HP fall to a stable 1.0 GHz and 600 MHz, respectively. Core temperature is relatively low at a flat 67 C.

The Asus system throttles as well, though only by a minor degree. CPU clock rates settle at 2.4 GHz compared to its base 2.5 GHz. The main drawbacks are the higher core temperatures of both the CPU and GPU at 86 C each or about 20 C warmer than the less powerful Acer and HP notebooks.

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
CPU and GPU Clock Rates Under Stress

Acer Swift 7 Asus Zenbook UX310UQ HP Spectre x360 13
Processor Core i5-7Y54 Core i7-6500U Core i7-7500U
Rated GPU Core Clock (MHz) 1122 - 1242 1050 300 - 1050
Stable GPU Core Clock on FurMark (MHz) 500 900 598
Rated CPU Core Clock (GHz) 1.2 2.5 2.7
Stable CPU Core Clock on Prime95 (GHz) 0.8 2.4 1.0
Average CPU temperature 63 C 86 C 67 C
Average GPU temperature -- C 86 C -- C
Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emissions & Energy

System Noise & Temperature

Acer automatically takes this round as it is a fanless low-power design for truly silent operation. What's more surprising is how close in fan noise the Asus and HP are to one another. The Asus is noticeably thicker with Skylake, a dedicated Nvidia GPU, and a single fan while the HP is almost the complete opposite with a newer Kaby Lake CPU, slower integrated GPU, and dual system fans. Even with these differences in mind, both systems can run loudly when under very high loads.

As for surface temperatures, the hot spot is warmest on the Asus at over 56 C when under extreme processing loads. This also lines up well with the warmer core temperatures of the Asus as shown in our stress test section above. Fortunately, the hot spot is above the first row of keys on the keyboard and generally away from the user's fingers and palms. This is true for all three notebooks as shown by our temperature maps below, so the frontal areas of each notebook remain relatively cool for comfortable use.

Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Acer Swift 7
Acer Swift 7
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ
HP Spectre x360 13
HP Spectre x360 13
Acer Swift 7 SF713-51Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011THP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
Noise
off / environment *
30.5
29.1
Idle Minimum *
30.5
29.1
Idle Average *
30.5
29.1
Idle Maximum *
31.5
31.2
Load Average *
36.2
37.3
Load Maximum *
40
39.6

* ... smaller is better

Power Consumption

All three systems draw about the same power when idling at around 3 W to 7 W depending on screen brightness and the Power Profile setting. This is despite the generational differences and gaps in TDP between the Kaby Lake and Skylake processors. When under load, however, their differences begin to show. The Acer system demands about 50 percent less power than the HP while the more graphically capable Asus can easily draw upwards of 50 W or more when gaming.

Acer Swift 7 SF713-51Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011THP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
Power Consumption
Idle Minimum *
4.1
3
5.5
Idle Average *
6.4
5.6
6.7
Idle Maximum *
6.8
6.8
7.1
Load Average *
16
48.7
33.1
Load Maximum *
18.7
63
35.2

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Runtimes are longest on the HP followed by the Asus and Acer. Perhaps coincidentally, internal battery capacities are largest in the HP and smallest in the Acer. The more power-efficient CPU in the Acer is not able to offset the smaller battery capacity and battery life suffers as a result. Nonetheless, users can still expect over 7 hours of real-world WLAN use out of the Acer Swift 7 and over 9 hours from the HP Spectre x360 13.

Acer Swift 7 SF713-51
41.6 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX310UQ-GL011T
48 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-w023dx
57.8 Wh
Battery Runtime
Reader / Idle
792
878
1233
WiFi v1.3
438
486
558
Load
182
103
121

Verdict

While the Acer Swift 7 looks good on its own, we find it to be overpriced when compared to the Spectre x360 13. The HP offers much more in a smaller and more powerful package than the Acer and even the Zenbook UX310 if GPU performance is not a major conce
While the Acer Swift 7 looks good on its own, we find it to be overpriced when compared to the Spectre x360 13. The HP offers much more in a smaller and more powerful package than the Acer and even the Zenbook UX310 if GPU performance is not a major concern.

Both Acer and HP have stepped up their game tremendously with the Swift and Spectre x360 series, respectively. The Swift 7 is the premium thin-and-light consumer notebook we've been waiting for from Acer while the latest Spectre x360 13 is one of the best and most practical convertibles for its size class due to its new narrow bezels.

With that said, we find it more difficult to recommend the Acer over the HP considering its disadvantages and price. The Swift 7 retails for slightly more than the Spectre x360 13 while being noticeably slower in performance with shorter battery life and no Thunderbolt 3 or USB Type-A ports. Additionally, we're bewildered than the Acer notebook can cost upwards of $1200 USD with no keyboard backlight option. The Spectre x360 13 includes all of the above while being smaller and more versatile at the same time. Its few disadvantages like CPU throttling shouldn't be major issues for most users, though we still wish it had an integrated SD reader and some manual fan controls.

The Asus Zenbook UX310 retails for about the same price as the Swift 7 or Spectre x360 13 and is the more powerful machine. However, we find that its performance advantages don't outweigh its larger build since the GeForce 940MX is not powerful enough to run many modern titles at the native 1080p resolution. The TN panel, while acceptable for games, is less ideal for word processing and general multimedia playback.

Acer Swift 7Asus Zenbook UX310UQHP Spectre x360 13

+ Thinner and lighter

+ Wider and larger touchpad

+ Brighter display and contrast

+ Fan-less design; Silent

+ More power efficient

+ HDMI, 2x storage options

+ Faster graphics performance

+ 360-degree convertible hinges

+ Smaller length and width

+ 2x Thunderbolt 3, 1x USB Type-A

+ Larger battery capacity; Longer runtimes

- Slightly larger length and width

- No Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-A, or SD reader

- No keyboard backlight

- Slower CPU and GPU performance

- Smaller battery capacity; Shorter runtimes

- More flexible lid

- Heavier and thicker

- No USB Type-C

- Spongy touchpad feedback

- TN display, dimmer backlight, lower contrast

- Warmer core temperatures

- Higher power consumption

- No SD reader

- CPU throttling under heavy loads

- Can run as loud as the more powerful Zenbook UX310UQ

Acer Swift 7

Pricecompare

Asus Zenbook UX310UQ

Pricecompare

HP Spectre x360 13

Pricecompare

See more quick comparisons in our Face Off series:

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Face Off: Acer Swift 7 vs. Asus Zenbook UX310UQ vs. HP Spectre x360 13
Allen Ngo, 2016-12-22 (Update: 2020-06- 8)