Acer Aspire 14 AI: Budget-Friendly Laptop with AI Capabilities

Acer Aspire 14 AI Review: Cheap Copilot Plus PC Offers Great Battery Life and Future-Proofing

With the Aspire 14 AI, Acer delivers a modern AI processor to its budget laptop line in the form of an Intel Lunar Lake CPU. The Intel Core Ultra 5 226V features a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for local AI processing, which happens to be the minimum requirement for Microsoft's Copilot Plus PC platform. The Aspire 14 AI costs just $700 at Costco, making it the cheapest Copilot Plus PC we've reviewed. So, the question becomes, In what areas does this budget model sacrifice to hit a lower price than other Copilot Plus PCs? The Asus Zenbook A14, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and the HP OmniBook X 14 each cost hundreds more than the Aspire 14 AI, as do models from Acer's mainstream Swift line, like the Acer Swift 14 AI and the Acer Swift Go 14 AI. At first glance, the Aspire 14 AI looks no different than the Swift models, but a closer inspection reveals some plastic in the design. Similarly, I noticed immediately that the display was dimmer than that of either Swift, and testing confirmed my initial impression while also revealing poor color performance. But with a matte finish, wide viewing angles and enough brightness, the Aspire 14 AI's display suffices for general use -- and that's really all you can expect from a budget laptop. It might not be one of the best laptops, but with the lengthy battery life we've come to expect from Copilot Plus PCs and with application and AI performance that's competitive with pricier models, the Aspire 14 AI offers great value for budget shoppers looking for a Copilot Plus PC. Our test model (A14-52MT-59DP) of the Acer Aspire 14 AI is sold at Costco for $700. It features an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V CPU, 16GB of RAM, integrated Intel Arc 130V graphics and a 1TB SSD. The 14-inch touch display features 1,920x1,200-pixel resolution. Through Acer's website, I found a similar model (A14-52MT-53EH) for less. Acer links to an online reseller called Atlanta Network Technologies that has the same model but with a 512GB SSD on sale for $600. There's a step-up model (A14-52M-72FH) based on an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V that, at the time of this review, was on sale for $900 at Micro Center and $950 at Newegg. Pages exist for the Aspire 14 AI on Acer's UK and Australia sites, but pricing and availability remain to be seen. Aside from the display, which I'll get to shortly, the other area where Acer cut a corner to hit such a low price is the CPU. It features a Core Ultra 5 226V, which is from Intel's latest Lunar Lake mobile processor family but is a step down from the Core Ultra 7 series. However, the differences between the Core Ultra 5 226V and, say, the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V in the more expensive Aspire 14 AI configuration are smaller than you might think. Both chips are unthreaded, with eight cores split between four performance cores and four efficiency cores. Where the Core Ultra 7 chip has the edge is with operating frequencies (and then only slightly) and a higher TOPS count from the GPU (64 versus 53 TOPS) and NPU (47 versus 40 TOPS). The Aspire 14 AI trailed other Copilot Plus PCs on our application and graphics benchmarks but was still in their general vicinity. And its AI performance was right in the middle of the pack, so I wouldn't read too much into the difference in the TOPS count between the Aspire 14 AI's Core Ultra 5 chip and a Core Ultra 7 or a Qualcomm Snapdragon X series processor. Likewise, the Aspire 14 AI's battery life was a bit shorter than the exceedingly long capacities of other Copilot Plus PCs, but it's still impressive, especially for the price. It ran for nearly 19 hours on our YouTube streaming battery-drain test, which is enough to merit a spot on our best battery-life laptops list. The Aspire 14 AI looks strikingly similar to Acer's Swift laptops. It's a basic and boxy design with sharp corners and square edges. Everything is dark gray -- from the top and bottom panels to the keyboard deck and the keyboard itself. Unlike Acer's all-aluminum Swift laptops, the Aspire 14 AI supplies aluminum for the top and bottom panels but uses plastic for the keyboard deck. The keyboard deck feels rigid, however, so at least it's a high-quality piece of plastic. Many budget laptops are plagued by thin, flimsy plastic surfaces, but that's not the case here. At 3.1 pounds, the Aspire 14 AI is nearly identical in weight to the 3-pound Acer Swift Go 14 AI. The Acer Swift 14 AI and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 are each ever-so-slightly lighter, at just under 3 pounds. If you're looking to shave weight on a 14-inch laptop, the Asus Zenbook A14 is the easy choice; it's substantially lighter, at just under 2.2 pounds. The keyboard has a similar feel to what I encountered on the aforementioned Swifts. The keys have shallow travel and a soft, spongy response. I prefer firmer feedback, but the keys are at least quiet when pressed, which I appreciate as someone who likes to type in a coffee shop and in my kitchen when others are around. I like to fade into the background when writing and not draw attention with loud, clacky typing. The touchpad offers a firm response with a quiet click and is a great example of a mechanical touchpad done right. You'd have to spend more for the lively and customizable feedback you get with the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7's haptic touchpad, so I consider the Aspire 14 AI's touchpad a positive in this budget package. And I also appreciate that Acer left off the gimmicky "AI Activity Indicator" that it slapped on the touchpads of the Swift models I reviewed. The display is a ho-hum 14-inch IPS panel with 1,920x1,200-pixel resolution and a standard 60Hz refresh rate. It does offer touch support, which is a nice surprise, however the display tested poorly. You can't expect to use a budget laptop for detailed, color-accurate work, even if it has the graphics for such a task. Even so, the Aspire 14 AI's color performance was dreadful. On my tests using a Spyder X Elite colorimeter, it covered only 63% of the sRGB and 47% of the P3 gamuts -- adequate for general use but not much else. Stepping up from the budget class to the midrange category brings greater color performance. For example, the Swift 14 AI hit 82% of Adobe RGB and 85% of P3, and the Asus Zenbook A14 covered 100% of both color spaces. If you do need better color performance, there's a full-size HDMI out port for an external monitor. The Aspire 14 AI's display isn't especially bright, either. In testing, it hit a peak of 313 nits and presented a dimmer image than the display of the Swift 14 AI or Zenbook A14, each of which was brighter, with a max of 391 nits. What saves the Aspire 14 AI's display from being an all-around dreadful budget display is its matte finish and wide viewing angles. I had the brightness slider all the way to the right during my time with the Aspire 14 AI, but I still had no trouble viewing the screen under bright indoor light and even in my sunny breakfast nook. The speakers are predictably underpowered and produce underwhelming sound. That's par for a budget laptop. Then again, the speakers on the pricier Swift models I reviewed weren't any better. The Swift models, however, have the edge in webcam resolution. The Aspire 14 AI has a 1080p camera, which produces a slightly fuzzier image than the Swifts' 1440p cams. Still, the picture appeared well-balanced and crisp enough for video chats. A pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports highlight the strong port selection. You also get two USB-A ports and an HDMI connection. The USB-A ports are split on either side of the Aspire 14 AI, which is good for lefties looking to connect a mouse on the left side of the laptop. The Thunderbolt 4 ports, however, are both located on the left, which means you'll need to run the power cord around the laptop if the nearest outlet is on your right. Then again, this placement is less of a concern when you consider the Aspire 14 AI's long battery life. This is not a laptop that you'll need to keep plugged in all that often. Yes, it's a great pick among budget laptops. Its performance and battery life exceed what you can expect for the price, and the design is nearly the same as you get with Acer's more expensive Swift models. You're forced to sacrifice display quality in order to hit such a low price, but that's an item that's usually not very high on a budget shopper's priority list. More important is getting a modern CPU that delivers sufficient performance for everyday use that's also efficient to allow for lengthy battery life -- plus a bit of future-proofing with its AI capabilities.

Acer Swift AI 16 review: a large and lovely OLED display is the difference

Acer Swift AI 16 MSRP $1,250.00 Score Details "The Acer Swift AI 16 has a beautiful OLED display, and that scores some serious points." Pros Excellent OLED display Solid productivity performance Good, if slightly cramped, keyboard Quality build Attractive price Cons Mediocre battery life Touchpad is too small Slightly aesthetic Table of Contents Table of Contents Specs and pricing Design Keyboard and touchpad Webcam and connectivity Performance Battery life Display and audio An expansive OLED display saves the day There's an argument to be made for laptop that's reasonably thin and light while still offering up a bunch of screen real estate. While some 16-inch laptops are thicker and heavier thanks to power-hungry components, others manage to be just fast enough to support the multitasking made possible by a larger display while remaining reasonably portable. Recommended Videos The new Acer Swift AI 16 is one such laptop. It uses Intel's latest Lunar Lake chipsets to provide reasonably fast and much more efficient performance, mated with a 16-inch OLED display. It's also reasonably priced, making it an attractive option for road warriors who need to do more than one thing at a time. Specs and pricing Acer Swift AI 16 Dimensions 14.02 x 9.92 x 0.58-0.69 inches Weight 3.37 pounds Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Graphics Intel Arc 140V RAM 16GB unified memory Display 16.0-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 120Hz Storage 1TB SSD Touch Yes Ports 2 x USB4 with Thunderbolt 4 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1 x HDMI 1 x 3.5mm audio jack Wireless Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 Webcam QHD (2560 x 1440) with infrared for Windows 11 Hello Operating system macOS Sequoia Battery 70 watt-hour battery Price $1,250 As of when this review is being written, I'm seeing just one available configuration of the Swift AI 16. It costs $1,250 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V chipset, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 16-inch OLED display. That's an attractive price for a well-built laptop with a beautiful display. The Apple MacBook Air 15 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 both start out lower with less RAM and storage, but they get more expensive as you configure more options. Design The Swift AI 16 is a reasonably sized laptop given its 16-inch display, with display bezels that are small enough to keep its width and depth in check. It's at most 0.69 inches thick, which is slightly thinner than Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 with its 15-inch display and a lot thicker than the Apple MacBook Air 15 that's an insane 0.45 inches thick with a 15.2-inch panel. And the Acer is reasonably light at 3.37 pounds, compared to the Surface Laptop 7's 3.67 pounds and the MacBook Air's 3.3 pounds. Yes, the Swift AI 16 will take up some space in your backpack, but it won't weigh you down. Its construction is just okay, though. Its chassis is aluminum, as is the lid, but while the keyboard deck resists flexing the lid is a bit bendable. The Microsoft and Apple laptops are more solid, which certainly comes from the denser construction. The Acer isn't exactly bad, though. It's not like you'll be concerned that it will fall apart anytime soon. I'd say it's just good enough, and its price helps. Aesthetically, the Swift AI 16 isn't exactly exciting. It's all-black, with a chrome Acer logo on the lid and minimal bling on the inside. The edges are streamlined with a flair to the rear side where the ports are located. Most laptops are minimalist today, but the Surface Laptop 7 and MacBook Air 15 do give off more of an elegant vibe. Again, the Swift AI 16 is good enough, but it's nothing special. Keyboard and touchpad The keyboard has snappy switches with a light touch, something I tend to favor. It's a little like the Apple Magic Keyboard in this respect, making it comfortable for long-term typing (like writing this review). However, the keycaps are a little smaller and the spacing is more cramped than it needs to be, because Acer squeezed in a small numeric keypad that's a bit anachronistic today. I suppose if you input a bunch of numbers then you'll appreciate it, but I think a lot of people would rather have had a more expansive keyboard. The keyboard props up at a bit of an angle when you open the lid, which is nice. The touchpad is smaller than it could be, as well, and because of the numeric keypad it's not centered enough. Acer could have utilized some additional space on the palm rest to make it considerably larger, and that's something you'll get from the MacBook Air 15's excellent Force Touch haptic touchpad. In addition, the Acer touchpad is mechanical, and it's okay. But I look forward to when haptic touchpads make their way to more laptops. The one interesting feature is an LED that lights up in a cool pattern when the Copilot key is engaged, but it seems like more of a gimmick than anything. The display is touch-enabled, and I appreciate it more given the smallish touchpad. Many users won't really care about touch, but it's a nice feature to have with no meaningful downside. Webcam and connectivity Connectivity is very good, with a mix of fast, modern ports and legacy connections. You'll give up one of the USB4 ports for power, something that both the MacBook Air 15 and Surface Laptop 7 avoid with their dedicated power connectors. However, thanks to the extra USB-A and HDMI ports, the Acer has better overall connectivity than those two. Wireless connectivity is fully up-to-date with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, although the former won't be of practice use for a few years while the new standard rolls out. The webcam (complete with reverse notch) is a high-res 1440p version, and it provides a quality image with decent low-light performance. A few Acer-specific utilities, like PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice, help with optimized video and audio during conferences. The Swift AI 16 features Lunar Lake's fast Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that runs at up to 47 tera operations per second (TOPS). That comfortably exceeds the 40 TOPS required for Microsoft's Copilot+ PC AI initiative, so the laptop supports fast and efficient on-device performance for the various Copilot+ features. Those are still rolling out, though, and so far, I haven't found much use for any of it. But for those who want to use today's AI features, the Swift AI 16 is ready to go. Performance Intel offers several variants of its 8-core/8-thread Intel Lunar Lake (Core Ultra Series 2) chipsets, which range from the Core Ultra 5 226V up to the Core Ultra 7 268V. The chipsets different in their clock speeds, but all are 17-watt parts aimed more at efficiency than sheer performance. Depending on the version, Lunar Lake performance falls somewhere between the older 15-watt U-series and 28-watt H-series Meteor Lake chipsets. I reviewed the Swift AI 16 with the only chipset currently available, the Core Ultra 7 256V. As you can see in our benchmarks, the Swift AI 16 isn't the fastest of the Lunar Lake machines but it's not the slowest, either. There's really not much of a difference between them. But, Apple's M4 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chipsets are both faster in multi-core tasks. The M4 is the fastest at single-core tasks, and it's not even close. All of these laptops use integrated graphics and the Intel Arc 140V in the Swift AI 16 is at the low end of performance here, with the MacBook Air 15 is the fastest. But, none of these are gaming laptops. Ultimately, the Swift AI 16 is fast enough for productivity work and its intended multitasking typical day-to-day tasks. Gamers and creators will want a 16-inch laptop with discrete graphics, however. Cinebench R24 (single/multi) Geekbench 6 (single/multi) Handbrake (seconds) 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Acer Swift AI 16 (Core Ultra 7 256V / Intel Arc 140V) 121 / 617 2670 / 10797 92 5001 MacBook Air 15 (M4 10/10) 172 / 853 3770 / 14798 87 9154 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite / Adreno) 105 / 826 2388 / 13215 N/A 5880 Acer Swift 14 AI (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 121 / 525 2755 / 11138 92 5294 HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 116 / 598 2483 / 10725 99 7573 Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 109 / 630 2485 / 10569 88 5217 Asus Zenbook S 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V / Intel Arc 140V) 112 / 452 2738 / 10734 113 7514 HP OmniBook X (Snapdragon X Elite / Adreno) 101 / 749 2377 / 13490 N/A 6165 Battery life The Swift AI 16 has a 70 watt-hour battery, which is reasonable for a 16-inch laptop but not as large as some others. But, it has a more efficient Lunar Lake chipset. I suspect, though, that the high-res OLED display is the main player in the laptop's battery life. In short, the Swift AI 16 wasn't one of the more impressive performers. None of these have the same size display, and several of them have IPS panels. That gives them an advantage. And while the Acer's battery life wasn't as good, it would have been just fine a couple of years ago. You likely won't get a full day's work out of the Swift AI 16. But it will get close. Really, that's the price you pay for such a nice display, as we'll see below. Web browsing Video Cinebench R24 Acer Swift AI 16 (Core Ultra 7 256V) 10 hours, 30 minutes 10 hours, 58 minutes 2 hours, 13 minutes MacBook Air 15 (M4 10/10) 17 hours, 13 minutes 22 hours, 33 minutes 4 hours, 28 minutes Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon Elite) 14 hours, 21 minutes 22 hours, 39 minutes N/A Acer Swift 14 AI (Core Ultra 7 258V) 17 hours, 22 minutes 24 hours, 10 minutes 2 hours, 7 minutes HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (Core Ultra 7 258V) 11 hours, 5 minutes 15 hours, 46 minutes 2 hours, 14 minutes Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (Core Ultra 7 258V) 14 hours, 16 minutes 17 hours, 31 minutes 2 hours, 15 minutes HP Omnibook X (Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100) 13 hours, 37 minutes 22 hours, 4 minutes 1 hour, 52 minutes Display and audio The centerpiece of the Swift AI 16 is easily the expansive 16-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED display. That's just sharp enough for the screen size, and the fast 120Hz refresh rates keep the Windows 11 user interface operating smoothly. Out of the box, this is a gorgeous display, with OLED's usual dynamic colors and inky blacks. It's a great experience. My colorimeter agreed. To begin with, it's bright at 407 nits, well above our 300-nit benchmark that's becoming increasingly archaic. Most laptops are much brighter lately. Contrast is incredibly high, as usual, with perfect blacks. Colors are wide at 100% sRGB, 96% AdobeRGB, and 100% DCI-P3, and accuracy is excellent at a DeltaE of 0.77 (less than 1.0 is indistinguishable to the human eye). You'll love this display no matter what you're using it for. Productivity work will benefit from the perfect blacks against bright whites, and media consumption will be excellent thanks to good high dynamic range (HDR) support. The Swift AI 16 isn't fast enough for demanding creative work, but for moderate photo editing, the display shines (no pun intended). The MacBook Air 15 and Surface Laptop 7 have very good IPS panels, but the Acer wins this battle. Audio is provided by downward-firing stereo speakers, and it's fine. It's loud enough, which clear mids and highs, but bass is lacking. This is one area where the MacBook Air 15 is much better, thanks to its four-speaker setup with force-cancelling woofers. An expansive OLED display saves the day The Swift AI 16 is reasonably priced, decently made, and has okay performance and battery life. On its own, that makes it an okay laptop that simply doesn't stand out. Toss in a too-small touchpad and a keyboard that's a little cramped, and it's not a winning combination. However, that large OLED display is beautiful. It takes a toll in battery life, but for anyone who loves brilliant colors and deep contrast, it's awesome. Given that the display is the whole point in a laptop like this, OLED is a saving grace.

Acer Swift AI 16 vs Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4): large-screen laptop shootout

Table of Contents Table of Contents Specs and configurations Design Performance Display and audio Portability The MacBook Air 15 remains the best portable large-screen laptop If you want a large display for multitasking and getting work done, but you don't want to carry around a heavy laptop, then you have several great choices today. There's probably never been a better time to select a great 15-inch laptop or just slightly larger. Two candidates are the Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4, 2025) and Acer Swift AI 16. They both fit a large display into reasonably thin and light chassis, but one has a significant advantage over the other. Recommended Videos Specs and configurations Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4) Acer Swift AI 16 Dimensions 13.40 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches 14.02 x 9.92 x 0.58-0.69 inches Weight 3.3 pounds 3.37 pounds Processor Apple M4 (10 core) Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Graphics 10 core GPU Intel Arc 140V RAM 16GB unified memory 24GB unified memory 32GB unified memory 16GB unified memory Display 15.3-inch 16:10 2880 x 1864 LED IPS, 60Hz 16.0-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 120Hz Storage 256GB SSD 512GB SSD 1TB SSD 2TB SSD 1TB SSD Touch No Yes Ports 2 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4 1 x MagSafe 3 for charging 1 x 3.5mm audio jack 2 x USB4 with Thunderbolt 4 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 1 x HDMI 1 x 3.5mm audio jack Wireless Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 Webcam 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View QHD (2560 x 1440) with infrared Operating system macOS Sequoia Windows 11 Battery 66.5 watt-hour battery 70 watt-hour battery Price $1,199+ $1,250 Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.5 out of 5 stars As of when I wrote the review, there was only one configuration of the Swift AI 16. For $1,250 you get an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V chipset, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 16-inch OLED display. The MacBook Air 15 has more options available. It's base model is $1,199 for a 10-core CPU/10-core GPU M4 (the only option), 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 15.3-inch IPS display (also the only option). Upgrading to 24GB is $200 you can upgrade to 24GB of RAM, while $400 nets you a full 32GB. Storage options range from 512GB for $200, 1TB for $400, and 2TB for $800. The high-end configuration with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD costs $2,399. That makes the Swift AI 16 the more affordable laptop, offering a solid configuration for an attractive price particularly given the large OLED display. The MacBook Air 15 is an even more premium laptop in terms of its pricing. Design The Swift Ai 16 is a simplistic design, almost to a fault. The lines along the edge add a bit of flair, but overall it's an all-black aesthetic that's okay but won't stand out. The MacBook Air 15 is a more elegant machine, which a more minimalist design that's shared with Apple's entire MacBook lineup and that somehow comes across with more of a subtle panache. It's available in several attractive colors, and it's simply a better looking laptop. Both laptops are solid, with all-aluminum constructions, although the Swift AI 16 has a slightly bendable display while the MacBook is solid throughout. I'm sure the Acer is reasonably robust, but the Apple gives a better overall impression. That includes the hinge, which makes opening and closing the lid a lot smoother. The MacBook Air 15 is likely the thinnest large-screen laptop you can buy today at just o.45 inches, while the Swift AI 16 is a bit thicker. They weigh almost the same, which makes the MacBook Air 15 feel denser in hand. With a larger display, the Swift AI 16 is also wider and deeper, so feels considerably larger as well. The Swift AI 16's keyboard has snappy switches, but its layout is a bit cramped and its keycaps a bit small given Acer's decision to squeeze in a numeric keypad. The MacBook Air 15 has Apple's excellent Magic Keyboard with large keycaps, a roomy layout, and the best switches around. Apple's Force Touch haptic touchpad with Force Click feature is a lot better and a lot larger than Acer's mechanical version. The Swift AI 16 does have a touch-enabled display for those who prefer one, and the MacBook does not. Connectivity favors the Swift AI 16. It has a mix of modern and legacy ports, while the MacBook Air 15 has just two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Acer does give up one port for power, while the MacBook has a MagSafe 3 connector that keeps both ports free. The Swift AI 16's wireless connectivity is more up-to-date. The Swift AI 16 also has a higher resolution 1440p webcam, while the MacBook Air 15 has "just" a 1080p version that supports Apple's Center Stage and Deskview features. Both provide great images, and both have fast chipsets for powering the latest AI features. Acer has built several advanced videoconferencing feature that improve video and audio quality, and the Swift AI 16 supports Microsoft's full Copilot+ PC AI initiative, while Apple Intelligence remains quite limited. Performance The Swift AI 16 is built around an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chipset, also known as Lunar Lake chipsets, specifically the Core Ultra 7 256V. That's an eight-core (four Performance and four Low Power Performance), eight-thread chipset consuming 17 watts of power, making it Intel's latest low-power chipset for thin and light laptops. With this generation, Intel is looking to offer greater efficiency with moderately fast productivity performance. The Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics aren't capable or more than entry-level gaming, and it doesn't do much to accelerate creative tasks. The MacBook Air 15 uses Apple's newest Silicon chipset, the M4, with 10 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. It's a high performance chipset with the fastest cores around, making it significantly faster in single-core tasks and very fast in multi-core. The GPU cores are also faster than Intel's integrated graphics, and the M4 also has various optimization that help speed up various creative tasks. That makes the MacBook Air 15 a faster solution for creative applications like video editing. Simply put, the MacBook is the faster laptop in productivity, creative, and gaming tasks. Geekbench 6 (single/multi) Cinebench R24 (single/multi/battery) 3DMark Wild Life Extreme MacBook Air 15 (M4 10/10) 3,770 / 14,798 172 / 853 9,154 Acer Swift AI 16 (Core Ultra 7 256V / Intel Arc 140V) 2,670 / 10,797 121 / 617 5,001 Display and audio The Swift AI 16's best feature is its 16.0-inch 16:10 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED display running at up to 120Hz. It provides the technology's usual brilliant colors and inky blacks, and it runs at a fast refresh for a smooth user interface. The MacBook Air 15 has the same 15.3-inch 16:10 2880 x 1864 LED IPS 60Hz as the previous generation, and it's quite good for an IPS display. Its colors aren't as wide or accurate as the Acer's, and its contrast isn't as deep. Also, it runs at just 60Hz. The MacBook's display is very good, but the Swift AI 16's display is simply gorgeous. At the same time, the MacBook Air 15's quad-speaker audio with force-cancelling woofers provides sound that's louder, crisper, and boomier than the Acer's stereo speakers. MacBook Air 15 (IPS) Acer Swift AI 16 (OLED) Brightness (nits) 475 407 AdobeRGB gamut 83% 96% sRGB gamut 100% 100% DCI-P3 gamut 94% 100% Accuracy (DeltaE, lower is better) 1.48 0.77 Portability The two laptops weigh almost the same, while the MacBook Air 15 is incredibly thin by comparison. It's also slightly narrower and shallower, making it quite a bit more portable. In terms of battery life, though, the MacBook Air 15 is in a different class entirely. It has the best efficiency of any large-display laptop, and it lasts up to twice as long as the Swift AI 16. That includes in more demanding tasks, meaning you'll be able to work away from a plug for hours longer. Web Video Apple MacBook Air 15 (M4 10/10) 17 hours, 13 minutes 22 hours, 33 minutes Acer Swift AI 16 (Core Ultra 7 256V) 10 hours, 30 minutes 10 hours, 58 minutes The MacBook Air 15 remains the best portable large-screen laptop The Swift AI 16 is a good laptop at a fair price. It's fast enough to get work done, and it enjoys an excellent OLED display. But the MacBook Air 15 is just better overall. It's thinner and more portable, it's a lot faster, and it lasts forever on a charge. You'll spend a bit more for it, but you'll enjoy the experience a lot more.