The Swift Go is one of Acer’s most popular laptop series. Especially in the 14-inch format, it’s not too big, not too small, and convenient for travel. It’s important to note that these models come with various processors from Intel, and this year there’s also a more affordable option with the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS chipset. Today, we’ll take a detailed look at the 2024 Acer Swift Go 14.
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Positioning and price
The laptop isn’t very expensive, with prices starting at $940 | €860. Yes, for some, this might be a significant amount, but it’s important to understand that this isn’t an ultra-budget device. It’s a model with an OLED screen (like those in high-end smartphones – the quality is superb) and modern, powerful internals. We received the SFG14-63-R19Q version for testing, which features an AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB storage drive. There’s also a model with the more powerful Ryzen 7 8845HS.Ryzen 7 8845HS.
The Acer Swift Go 14 lineup includes more powerful and more expensive models. However, the Swift Go 14 AMD is a kind of golden middle ground. It’s a versatile device both for work (with a fairly large, high-resolution screen, comfortable keyboard, and good webcam) and for entertainment (the display makes it a pleasure to sort/edit photos for your album, watch movies, and even handle games without issues, as we will see).
Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) SFG14-63-R19Q Specifications
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS (6 cores, 12 threads, 4.30-5.00 GHz, 22 MB cache)
- Video card: Integrated, AMD Radeon 760M
- RAM: 16 GB (LPDDR5x, 4800 MHz)
- M.2 PCIe SSD: 512 GB
- Screen: OLED, 14.0″, 3K (2880×1800), 16:10 90 Hz, glossy, matrix brightness 400 nits, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, contrast ratio 1000000:1, response time less than 0.2 ms
- Audio: stereo speakers, two microphones, 3.5 mm mini-jack audio port
- Camera: QHD
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0
- Connectors:
- USB 3.2 Gen. 1 – 2 ports
- USB 4 – 2 ports
- HDMI 2.1 – 1 port
- MicroSD card slot – 1 slot
- Headphone/speaker output – 1 port
- Battery and charging: 50 W, lithium-ion, 100 W power supply
- Fingerprint scanner: no
- Keyboard backlight: Yes
- Security: cable protection (Kensington Lock port), TPM encryption, camera with built-in cover
- Operating system: Microsoft Windows 11 Home
- Dimensions: 14.9×313.0×218.0 mm
- Weight: 1.32 kg
- Color: gray
Package contents
In the package with the laptop, you’ll find a set of documentation and a 100W charger, which comes in two parts. It’s not too bulky or heavy and has a Type-C connector. The box itself is simple and made from recycled cardboard, and the laptop is well-protected against shipping surprises.
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Design
Some claim that Acer’s current lineup of laptops looks dull. I disagree; they look good, stylish, and solid, without drawing unnecessary attention. The highlight is the polished, “cut” edges. Yes, the body uses metal, but the laptop can’t be called entirely metallic. The top cover and top case (the panel with the touchpad and keyboard) are made of aluminum. Everything else is high-quality, durable plastic.
The lid is easy to open with one hand (and conveniently, thanks to a special notch), and it stays perfectly in place at any angle. The manufacturer claims that the laptop can open to 180 degrees, but I still see just shy of 180, though it’s not a major issue.
Note that the lid has small rubber “feet” designed for one purpose – when you open the lid, the keyboard lifts slightly, making typing more comfortable! It’s a small touch, but it’s a nice one.
I’d also point out that the ventilation grilles are positioned between the screen and the body – a smart design choice, as the hot air from the fans doesn’t interfere.
On the bottom panel, there are ventilation grilles and four rubber feet that keep the device firmly in place and prevent it from slipping. Additionally, speaker openings are located on both the right and left sides.
The display bezels are relatively narrow. The protruding section houses a webcam with a physical privacy shutter. It doesn’t support Windows Hello facial recognition, but this feature isn’t as necessary since the power button has a built-in fingerprint scanner.
There’s only one color option with a dark gray chassis. It looks quite good, but on such a surface, all the dust particles are noticeable. I had to keep wiping the laptop while taking photos.
The build quality of the Acer Swift Go 14 is excellent. Nothing wobbles, creaks, or flexes. While it can’t be called an ultrabook in the strictest sense since it’s not super-thin, the laptop is lightweight at just 1.32 kg. It’s easy to carry around all day.
Ports and connectors
On the right side of the Acer Swift Go 14, you’ll find a Kensington lock slot, a USB 3.2 Type-A port, an audio jack, and a microSD card slot. There are also two indicators for active operation and charging. On the left side, there are two USB 4 ports (not Thunderbolt, as that’s an Intel standard), an HDMI 2.1 port, and another USB 3.2 Type-A port.
Overall, it’s an excellent port selection for a compact laptop, and many competitors would envy it!
Keyboard and touchpad
This is a great laptop not only for multimedia but also for working with texts and documents. The keyboard isn’t cut-down; the keys are of normal size with adequate spacing between them. The key travel is precise, pleasant, and importantly, quiet.
The Caps Lock key is slightly shorter than usual, and the up and down arrow keys are quite small, but this is normal for a 14-inch laptop.
There are also keys you might not have encountered on laptops before. For instance, the right Ctrl key is replaced by a Copilot button. Microsoft is currently heavily promoting its AI capabilities. Pressing this key launches an assistant where you can see game recommendations, trending news, popular videos, and recipes. You can also navigate to the Copilot website from here and interact with an AI assistant similar to ChatGPT.
There’s also an AcerSense key in the top row, which opens the proprietary app for managing the laptop’s performance, battery settings, and screen options. From here, you can also run a “checkup” on the battery and memory modules.
The power button is equipped with a fingerprint scanner and works quickly and accurately.
The keyboard features white backlighting with two brightness levels. The illumination is even. The only issue I have is that the backlight doesn’t activate by touching the touchpad, only by pressing any key.
The touchpad has grown larger compared to previous generations and features a very smooth (albeit plastic) surface. The responsiveness is excellent. However, I can nitpick that the touchpad has a rather deep travel and the clicks are quite loud.
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Screen
The Acer Swift Go 14 is available in various configurations, including models with a 1920×1200 pixel IPS LCD touchscreen. I don’t see much benefit in choosing the touchscreen version; it’s much better to opt for the OLED version with a 2880×1800 resolution. If you already have a laptop with an OLED screen, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, you won’t want to look at anything else once you’ve experienced it!
The image quality is excellent, akin to a flagship smartphone. The colors are incredibly vivid, the black depth is maximal, and the viewing angles are top-notch! With such a high resolution, the clarity is phenomenal. As I mentioned, once you’ve experienced this screen, you won’t want to work with any other. This is true even if you’re just using a browser or office suite. It’s even more impressive for watching videos or editing graphics. Speaking of graphics, it’s an excellent choice because the laptop covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
The screen has a higher-than-standard refresh rate of 90 Hz, making the visuals very smooth. The 16:10 aspect ratio is extremely convenient (especially for working with web and documents – it avoids feeling claustrophobic), and it’s great to see it becoming more common in laptops.
The maximum brightness, according to the manufacturer, is 400 nits, but we measured even higher at 416 nits. The contrast ratio is 1,000,000:1. Since it’s an OLED screen, it’s very bright; a brightness level of 50% is sufficient for most conditions, even in a well-lit room. You can also work outdoors, as the matte display barely reflects light.
Performance
The Acer Swift Go 14 is available in various configurations with a full range of Intel processors, as well as AMD options like the Ryzen 7 7730U or Ryzen 5 8645HS. We received the version with the Ryzen 5 for testing, so we’ll be focusing on that model.
The AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS is a powerful laptop processor introduced in December 2023. It’s based on the Zen 4 (Hawk Point) architecture and features 6 cores with SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading) support, allowing it to handle up to 12 threads simultaneously. With a base clock of 4.3 GHz and a maximum Turbo frequency of up to 5.0 GHz (which sets it apart from Intel competitors), the processor can easily handle demanding tasks. It also includes an integrated Radeon 760M GPU with 8 CUs and a clock speed of up to 2600 MHz, providing decent graphical performance.
The Ryzen 5 8645HS supports modern technologies like PCIe 4.0 and USB 4, and works with the latest DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory. This makes it an ideal choice for laptops designed for multimedia, gaming, and professional applications.
In summary, while it may not be the top-of-the-line chipset, it is modern and powerful. It fits perfectly with the Acer Swift Go 14, considering the laptop’s class and price. In various benchmarks, the device delivers excellent results for its level:
In terms of subjective experience, the Acer Swift Go 14 offers ample performance for typical office tasks (even with a million browser tabs open), viewing and editing photos and videos, working with virtual machines, and handling graphic and architectural design work, among other tasks.
You can also play games on it. Titles like Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, The Crew 2, Far Cry 5, CS:GO, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition, and Fortnite will run smoothly with stable frame rates of up to 60-100 FPS at Full HD (1080p) resolution and medium/high graphics settings, depending on the game. Even Cyberpunk 2077 can be played, though the frame rate will not exceed 30-35 FPS.
Our version of the Swift Go 14 is equipped with 16 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 512 GB SSD (module HFS512GEJ9X101N 512GB 2280 M.2 SATA), which is more than sufficient considering the price. The memory modules deliver good results in synthetic tests, contributing to the overall speed of the laptop.
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Volume and cooling
We’ve established that the laptop is powerful, which means it generates heat and needs cooling. It’s equipped with a dual-fan system and sufficient vents for heat dissipation. They work effectively, but it’s important to note that there is a side effect—noise.
The noise level depends on the laptop’s operating mode, which can be set in the AcerSense application. There are three options: Quiet, Normal, and Performance. In Quiet mode, the laptop is nearly silent, but this is only suitable for light tasks like web browsing, social media, and messaging. Under load, the laptop will heat up significantly in the lower part and around the keyboard.
The Normal mode is activated by default and is recommended for tasks like graphic work and office applications. In this mode, you’ll hear the fans when performing tasks such as file downloads, software installations, or photo and video editing. However, the noise remains manageable, though the heat generated by the laptop can become noticeable and uncomfortable under significant load. I would recommend using Normal mode regularly, reserving Quiet mode for situations like using the laptop in bed when you don’t want to disturb others.
In Performance mode, Acer recommends it for gaming, coding, streaming, and watching high-resolution videos. In this mode, the laptop’s fans are almost always running, but cooling is very effective. I conducted stress tests with 100% CPU load for extended periods, and the laptop remained barely warm, with the area near the ventilation grille even staying cool. According to the tests, throttling is almost nonexistent!
Software
The Swift Go 14 (2024) comes with Microsoft Windows 11 Home pre-installed. It also includes a mix of software, both useful and less so.
We’ve already encountered the AcerSense application, so let’s delve into it further. It allows you to select the laptop’s operating mode and monitor various system metrics such as temperature, memory and CPU usage, and battery status. It also offers diagnostics for the battery, RAM, and storage, along with an option to limit battery charging to 80% to preserve its longevity. Additionally, there is a useful feature that lets you use the laptop as a power bank— it can charge other devices via USB even when the laptop is closed and turned off.
AcerSense also offers various display settings. Among them is the familiar blue light filter from smartphones, which reduces eye strain in low light (the screen is certified Eyesafe 2.0 and has an RPF50) rating). You can also enable dark mode, adjust window transparency, set up a screensaver, and activate automatic hiding of the taskbar. All these options help prevent static elements on the screen from burning in—a common issue with OLED displays, which has largely been mitigated.
There is also an Experience Zone section in the app, where you can find links to Acer’s AI functions in the settings. In particular, LiveArt photo processing (removing background, adding text and stickers), Purified View for the camera (automatic cropping, eye contact effect, background blur) and Purified Voyce (intelligent noise reduction during conversations and the type of microphone operation – focuses on your voice or on your and the interlocutors’ voices, in the case of a conference).
There’s nothing new here; these are the same effects available in Windows Studio Effects. Moreover, they are built into any video conferencing app like Zoom. However, when processed directly on your PC, it’s faster and more reliable compared to remote processing.
The Acer Swift Go 14 also includes an AMD app designed for gaming. In this app, you can adjust the screen settings, graphics subsystem, and memory.
There’s also Acer Care Centre for software updates, system checks, and backups, as well as a link to download Planet9, Acer’s esports platform.
What else is pre-installed on this laptop? You’ll find RAV and Safer Web (trial versions of paid antivirus and network filter), ExpressVPN, Booking, AppExplorer (a useless app catalog), Dropbox, Evernote, Spotify, the games Elvenar and Forge of Empires, as well as a few card games with ads. Overall, it’s a familiar phenomenon from smartphones called bloatware.
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Network and multimedia
The Swift Go 14 is equipped with a QHD 1440p webcam that supports TNR (Temporal Noise Reduction) technology to improve image quality in low light conditions. Don’t expect smartphone-level quality from this camera, but overall, color reproduction is decent, and sharpness is adequate. Video call participants will see you well even in less-than-ideal lighting (believe it or not, this is still rare in the world of laptops). Here are a few sample photos:
The microphone quality (there are two of them) is excellent; your speech is transmitted clearly and loudly. The built-in noise cancellation also works very well, even if you’re, for example, in a crowded café or traveling in a car.
However, the speakers located on the bottom panel aren’t very impressive; their sound is “flat” and muffled. The settings in the pre-installed DTS Sound application help a bit.
Additionally, the Swift Go 14 supports spatial audio with DTS:X technology (similar to Dolby Atmos), so the sound quality through headphones is pleasantly surprising! The DTS:X application offers various sound profiles and a graphic equalizer.
The laptop supports the latest Wi-Fi 6E standard as well as Bluetooth 5.3. Both modules performed excellently during testing, and the Wi-Fi range of the laptop was impressive: it provided acceptable speeds even in a bedroom located more than 15 meters away and through three walls from the router.
Battery life
The Acer Swift Go 14 AMD (2024) SFG14-63-R19Q features a 50Wh battery. While this isn’t a huge capacity, it is sufficient for a workday (web browsing, messaging, documents, basic graphic work) if you keep the screen brightness at 50-60%. In an online video playback test, the model lasted just over 10 hours, which is considered a good result. It’s also worth noting that the high-resolution OLED screen can affect battery life.
The laptop comes with a relatively compact 100W charger. With this charger, the Acer Swift Go 14 reaches a full charge in just over an hour.
Conclusions
The Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) is a compact laptop suitable for a wide range of uses. It’s ideal for both work and play, and it’s not just a typical “office” laptop limited to a word processor and browser. This is a genuinely powerful device that you’ll enjoy using for gaming, development, and video rendering. Moreover, the Swift Go 14 features an outstanding (there’s no other word for it!) OLED display with high resolution, making it perfect for photo editing, watching movies, and more.
Among the other advantages are the stylish partially metal chassis, flawless build quality, minimal weight, an excellent keyboard and a comfortable touchpad, a decent 1440p webcam by laptop standards, DTS:X audio effects, stable performance under load, a wide range of ports (including an SD card slot), and fast 100W charging via USB-C.
What’s missing? Higher-quality built-in speakers and somewhat quieter fans. But it’s important to remember that this is a model priced from $940 | €860, so we can’t expect everything all at once.
In my opinion, the Acer Swift Go 14 could be an excellent home computer and easily replace a bulky desktop system (unless you’re a gamer who can’t live without AAA games in maximum quality). It would also fit perfectly in an office setting, where users will enjoy the luxurious OLED display. Additionally, it makes a great travel companion due to its compact size and lightweight design. It’s truly a high-quality, versatile device that might not suit users with extremely high performance demands.
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