JANUARY 2021 PCWorld 39DESIGN AND DISPLAY
Like a lot of other extremely light laptops, the
Acer Swift 5 uses a magnesium alloy chassis
instead of standard aluminum to keep its
weight down. Still, the laptop feels sturdy,
with little noticeable flex on or around the
keyboard.
Acer also deserves some credit for its
inspired color choices. Instead of the usual
dull grays, our review unit came
in a subtle green hue (with
less-subtle gold accents on the
keys and hinge). Acer also plans
to sell a “safari gold” option.
The surface has an unusual
fine-grained texture as well, and
Acer says it’s applied an
antimicrobial coating that you
won’t have to wipe down as
often.
Slick design also extends to
the Swift 5’s display, which has
extra-slim borders around its 1080p
touchscreen. The Corning Gorilla Glass
branding at the top-left corner is a little
tacky, but at least you know it can withstand
an errant scratch or two. Acer uses a drop
hinge that dips about a half-inch below the
laptop’s frame when the screen is fully
unfolded, propping up the keyboard at an
angle as you type.It’s not super-obvious, but the Swift 5’s magnesium chassis comes in a greenish gray.
Air vents beside the hinges help the Swift 5 stay cool and quiet.