38 PCWorld JUNE 2020REVIEWS ACER SWIFT 3
pricier gaming and content-creation laptops
in CPU tasks. Keep reading to find out more
about this unlikely screamer of a PC.SPECS
The Acer Swift 3’s configuration (Model
SF314-42-R9YN) mostly jibes with its
affordable price (currently $650 from Amazon.
com [go.pcworld.com/bys3]). For instance,
the 8GB of RAM is the minimum you’d want in
a Windows 10 system for loading up a bunch of
apps and browser tabs. The 14-inch display’s
maximum brightness of 250 nits is about as
good as it gets among budget machines. But
that CPU opens up some unexpected
possibilities. Here are the details:CPU: AMD 8-core Ryzen 7 4700U
RAM: 8GB of LPDDR4X/3733 in dual-
channel mode
GPU: Integrated Radeon graphics
SSD: 512GB Samsung NVMe SSD
Display: 14-inch, 1920x1080, LG LP140WFA-
SPD1 AH-IPS display rated at 250 nits.
Dimensions: 12.73 x 8.62 x 0.63 inches
Weight: 2.6 pounds (not counting the AC
adapter)
Networking: Intel-based Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth
5.0
Biometrics: EgisTec Fingerprint reader
Webcam: The Swift 3’s 720p webcam is OK.
We did find the auto-exposure a little muddy
and dark compared to that of HP’s EliteThe Acer Swift 3’s webcam (right) compared to HP’s Elite Dragonfly (left), taken in the same lighting
condition and setting. Also: Papyrus font.