This 16-inch Acer is a full-package value pick I’d happily replace my main laptop with

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Acer Swift 16 AI is obtainable now beginning at $1,250.
• Its 16-inch OLED show, well-designed light-weight type, and marathon battery work collectively to create a laptop computer that feels extra premium than its value would recommend.
• Its audio system, nevertheless, go away a lot to be desired, and it has its fair proportion of bloatware.

extra shopping for decisions

jul / 2025

Acer’s Swift 16 AI is a skinny and lightweight laptop computer with a stunning OLED show, good full-sized keyboard, and Intel Core Extremely 7 or 9 “Lunar Lake” processor beginning at $1,200: a aggressive value for a tool that feels extra premium than you’d anticipate. 

I have been commuting with the Swift 16 AI for the previous two weeks, and it is develop into a shock favourite of the yr. It stands out as a great-value ultraportable that is as versatile as it’s succesful and has unbelievable battery life. 

Additionally: I tested Acer’s Swift X Laptop and its performance surprised me in 3 ways

The Acer Swift 16 AI encompasses a minimalist bodily construct, with an all-over, metallic matte black coating that appears lots just like the LG Gram Pro 16. Its full-sized keyboard and beneficiant number of I/O make it sensible for quite a lot of makes use of, and the bodily type is glossy and well-designed. 

The configuration I examined had an Intel Core Extremely 7 256V, 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB SSD — a versatile loadout that may do some little bit of the whole lot. It is notably well-suited as a piece system with Wi-Fi 7 and a responsive, very snug keyboard with a slight upward tilt due to Acer’s hinge design. 

I used to be glad to see that each USB-C ports assist Thunderbolt 4, which is nice for folk who need their exterior displays. In any other case, you additionally get an HDMI port that helps as much as 8K decision. The webcam can also be surprisingly good, with 1440p decision for a crisp picture throughout video calls. 

The shiny, 3K OLED show at 120Hz is among the laptop computer’s strongest options. It is a crisp and vibrant picture that appears unbelievable whether or not you are gaming, modifying video, or simply working in productiveness software program. Regardless of its very skinny clamshell design, I skilled little or no display wobble — one of many first issues I search for once I see a show this skinny. 

It’s also possible to get some surprisingly good gaming efficiency out of this laptop computer with the Intel Arc GPU, so long as you are not pushing the boundaries on top-tier titles. I ran a handful of my standard Steam titles, and though it is not a gaming laptop computer, it feels aggressive and responsive, solely stuttering with texture shaders turned as much as max. 

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

The one factor is that the show is extremely shiny — we’re speaking near-mirror standing. You will want to regulate it in case you’re in an workplace or someplace with overhead lighting, one thing I discovered myself doing slightly regularly. Should you’re sitting together with your again to a brilliant window, it turns into borderline unusable. 

That stated, the show appears unbelievable in any other case, so I might nonetheless suggest this laptop computer to most customers except you are particularly in search of a tool to make use of outdoor or usually are not a fan of a shiny show. 

One other critique I’ve of this laptop computer (which is an inevitable results of its value level) is its speaker system, which isn’t nice. Whereas it is true that laptop computer audio system are infamously missing in bass and depth, this one takes that fame and runs with it.

Often, I’d say this can be a trade-off I do not thoughts, however it is a bit of a bummer that the sound is so shallow when the gaming efficiency is so good. Should you’re somebody who all the time has a pair of headphones on, nevertheless, this would possibly not be a problem. 

In the end, the Acer Swift 16 AI’s strengths outweigh its drawbacks. Relating to on a regular basis use, the efficiency is there, and as a transportable 16-inch laptop computer, it is well-designed and straightforward to commute with. 

The battery can also be a banger. The laptop computer has a really skinny type issue, however nonetheless manages to slot in a big 20Wh battery with a 65-watt cost. Relying on how you employ it, you may get a number of days of use on one cost, and it ranks up there with different environment friendly gadgets I’ve examined this yr such because the Asus Zenbook A14, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop, and the Dell XPS 13 with the Snapdragon X Elite chip. 

Throughout our customary video playback take a look at, I obtained practically 18 hours of video playback on one cost. Relating to utilizing this laptop computer for work, you may simply final via the work day and into the subsequent, except you are pushing it with extra demanding workloads. Like the entire different Lunar Lake-powered gadgets I’ve examined this yr, energy drain drops to a trickle when it is not in use. 

Additionally: I switched to a $280 Chromebook from my Windows laptop for a week – and didn’t regret it

The Intel Core Extremely 7 chip generates little to no warmth throughout on a regular basis use, however pushing it with heavier job masses and plugging within the charger will end in temperature will increase. 

Notably, the charging course of appears to be hotter throughout the first half-hour, or under 30%, then tapers all the way down to a a lot cooler temperature at increased battery percentages. Additionally, if you begin or cease charging, the laptop computer emits a chirp. All that stated, it fees very quick and might method 100% in about an hour in Balanced Mode. 

Past gaming, this laptop computer makes for a reliable laptop computer for creatives with its quick refresh price and beautiful show. The 16GB of RAM would possibly restrict high-end workloads with massive video recordsdata or 4K rendering, however it’s in any other case a pleasure to work on.

Evaluating this laptop computer to some friends, we see very shut (with one similar) benchmarking scores to Dell’s XPS 13 with the identical Intel Core Extremely 7 “Lunar Lake” chip. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The Acer Swift 16 AI is a unbelievable worth and a sleeper hit from Acer’s lineup. The underside line right here is that for round $1,250, you are getting a 16-inch OLED show at 120Hz and 3K decision, a glossy, minimalist construct, full suite of I/O, and a marathon battery. These components alone work collectively to make a sensible, succesful important driver that may do a little bit of the whole lot. 

As a piece laptop computer, it feels premium and highly effective, regardless of the subpar audio system, which is a tradeoff I am prepared to take. 

Additionally: I pack this portable workstation whenever I travel – here’s why it’s worth the bag space

Why the Acer Swift 16 AI will get an Editors’ Selection award

We have awarded the Acer Swift 16 AI our Editors’ Selection award primarily for its options, {hardware}, and construct high quality relative to cost. The “Lunar Lake” Intel Core Extremely 7 processor future-proofs this laptop computer with commendable efficiency, and its bodily construct feels extra premium than its value level would recommend. 

In the end, it is a wonderful alternative for anybody wanting a stunning show paired with unbelievable battery life. Beginning at $1,250, it is already a worth, and in case you can catch it on sale, it is even higher.