Tech review: New Acer laptops have models for all budgets

One question I’m asked frequently is, “What computer should I buy?”

That’s a really tricky question, as it really depends on what you want to do with it and how much money you want to spend.

Today I’m looking at two new laptops from Acer — the Aspire Go 14 ($349.99, acer.com) and the Swift Go 14 ($849.99). These are retail prices, but you may find them a bit cheaper.

As I review these two laptops, I’m going to touch on the major features and what makes one cost more than the other and why you’d pick one over the other depending on your needs.

These two laptops look very similar. They are the same size and shape, but they are very different on the inside.

Before we begin, let me tell you the exact models I tested. The Aspire is the AG314-21P-R3F7 and the Swift is the SFG14-73-58EP. This is important because, like any computer line, Acer has lots of options, which change the configuration and the price.

Screens

The Aspire has a 14-inch WUXGA Acer ComfyView widescreen LED with a resolution of 1,920 by 1,200 pixels and a brightness of 300 nits with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It runs an AMD Radeon 610M graphics system.

The Swift has a 14-inch CineCrystal 2.8K OLED display with a resolution of 2,880 by 1,800 pixels with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certification. It has a 90-hertz refresh rate and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The Swift runs the Intel ARC graphics system.

The Swift’s screen is glossy and has an obvious higher resolution and image quality. Does the better image make for a better computing experience? Yes, but the screen on the Aspire is still quite good. If you are spending a lot of your day looking at the laptop’s screen, your eyes will have an easier time with the Aspire, but if you connect to an external monitor for your main screen, the built-in screen will matter less.

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