This 16-inch aer is a full-package value pick, I will happily change my main laptop

Key takeaways of zdnet

• Acer Swift 16AI is now starting from $ 1,250.
• Its 16-inch OLED display, well-designed light form, and the marathon batteries work together to make a laptop that feels more premium than its price.
• Its speaker, however, leaves a lot to be desired, and has its own proper part of the blotware.

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July / 2025

Aer’s Swift 16AI A grand OLED display, good full -sized keyboard, and the Intel Core Ultra 7 or 9 “lunar lake” is a thin and light laptop with a processor, starting at $ 1,200: a competitive price for a device that you seem to be more premium than expected.

I have been coming with Swift 16 AI for the last two weeks, and it has become a stunning favorite of the year. It stands as an ultraPortable of a great value that is versatile because it is capable and has a luxurious battery life.

Also: I tested Aer’s Swift X laptop and its performance surprised me in 3 ways

Acer Swift 16AI has a minimum physical construction, with an all-over, metallic matte black coating that looks like LG Gram Pro 16. The generous selection of its full size keyboard and I/O makes it practical for a variety of uses, and the physical form is smooth and well ready.

The configuration I tested, in an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, and 1TB SSD – a flexible loadout that could do everything a bit. It is particularly suited as a functioning tool with Wi-Fi 7 as well as a responsible, very comfortable keyboard with a minor upward tilt for Acer’s hinge design.

I am happy to see that both USB-C Port Thunderbolt 4, who is great for those who want their exterior monitor. Otherwise, you also get an HDMI port that supports up to 8K resolution. Webcam with 1440p resolution for a crisp image during video call is also surprisingly good.

Shiny, 3K OLED display on 120Hz is one of the strongest characteristics of laptops. It is a crisp and vibrant image that looks fantastic whether you are gaming, editing videos, or just working in productivity software. Despite its very thin chlamshell design, I experienced very little screen walbal – when I display this thin, I see one of the first things.

You can also get some surprisingly good gaming performance from this laptop with Intel Arc GPU until you are furthering the boundaries on the top-tier title. I ran a handful of my normal steam titles, and although it is not a gaming laptop, it seems competitive and liable, maximized only by stuttering with textured shades.

Also: I replaced my work PC with this del laptop, and it was one of my best decisions

The only thing is that the performance is incredibly shiny-we are talking about a close state. If you are in an office or somewhere you will need to accommodate with overhead lighting, then something that I found myself repeatedly. If you are sitting at a bright window with your back, this borderline becomes unusable.

The display looks otherwise fantastic, so I will still recommend this laptop to most users unless you do not look for the device to use outside or are not fans of a bright display.

I have another criticism of this laptop (which is an indispensable result of its price point) is its speaker system, which is not great. Although it is true that laptop speakers have infamous lack in bass and depth, it takes a reputation and moves with it.

Usually, I would say that it is a business-band that I have no objection, but it is a bit of a boomer that the sound is so shallow when gaming performance is so good. If you are someone who always has a pair of headphones, it will not be an issue.

Eventually, the strength of Acer Swift 16AI overtook its shortcomings. When it comes to everyday use, it is performed, and as a portable 16 -inch laptop, it is well designed and easy to come with it.

The battery is also a banger. The laptop has a very thin form factor, but still manages to fit into a large 20wh battery with a 65-watt charge. Depending on how you use it, you can use several days on a charge, and it rank with other efficient devices that I have done this year such as Asus Zenbook A14, Microsoft’s surface laptop, and del XPS 13 Snapdragon X Elite Chip.

During our standard video playback test, I received a video playback of about 18 hours on a charge. When it comes to using this laptop for work, you will easily be through working day and next, until you are carrying it forward with high demand charge. The power drain falls into a trickle this year, like the other lunar lake-operated equipment I have tested when it is not in use.

Also: I switching from my Windows laptop to $ 280 Chromebook for a week – and did not regret it

The Intel Core Ultra 7 chip does not produce any heat during everyday use, but it will increase the temperature as a result of pushing it with heavy task load and plugging in the charger.

In particular, the charging process looks hot during the first 30 minutes, or during below 30%, then dripping at a very high cooler temperature at high battery percentage. Also, when you start or stop charging, the laptop emits a chirp. Everyone said, it charges very fast and can reach 100% in a balanced mode in about an hour.

Beyond gaming, this laptop makes a competent laptop for creative with its fast fresh rate and beautiful performance. 16GB RAM can limit high-end workload with large video files or 4K rendering, but it is a pleasure to work otherwise.

Comparing this laptop to some peers, we see the same Intel Core Ultra 7 “Lunar Lake” chip very close to the XPS 13 of the del (with a similar) benchmarking score.

ZDNET purchase advice

Acer Swift 16AI There is a great value and a sleeper hit from Acer’s lineup. The bottom line here is that for about $ 1,250, you are getting a 16 -inch OLED display on 120Hz and 3K resolution, a smooth, minimum construction, full suite of I/O and a marathon battery. Those elements alone work together to create a practical, competent chief driver who can do everything a little bit.

As a work laptop, it seems premium and powerful despite all the speakers, which is a tradeoff that I am ready to take.

Also: Whenever I travel, I pack this portable workstation – here this bag is worth space.

Why Acer Swift 16AI receives the prize of the choice of editors

We have created Acer Swift 16 AI the choice award of our editors mainly its characteristics, hardware and Quality relative to the price. “Lunar Lake” Intel Core Ultra 7 processor proofs this laptop with commendable performance, and its physical construction seems more premium that its value point will suggest.

Ultimately, it wants a grand performance with luxurious battery life, this is an excellent choice for someone. Starting from $ 1,250, it is already a value, and if you can catch it on sale, it is even better.