Acer Swift 16 AI (Intel)
The 16in OLED panel and speakers are real strengths, making this an attractive choice for the price
SCORE
PRICE
Core Ultra 5226V, £1,000 (£1,200 inc VAT)
from store.acer.com
T
he 16in model of Acer’s Swift AI laptop is, on paper, all but identical to the 14in model (see p48) – only bigger. It’s still sharp-looking and deliciously thin, tapering from 15.9mm at the back down to 9.9mm at the front.
There are differences, though. Naturally, it’s a little heavier, at 1.5kg – enough to make the squared-off edges feel a little uncomfortable when you hold the laptop in your hands. On the plus side, the extra space allows Acer to squeeze in a numeric keypad alongside the main keyboard, and while the number keys are distinctly narrow, they’re usable. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the keyboard response is crisper than that of the Swift 14 AI, with a nice action and a deep but quiet clacking sound. The touchpad is the same as the one on the smaller model, although the larger chassis makes it feel less generously sized.