Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023) Review: The Edge You’ve Been Waiting For

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The Acer Swift Edge 16 is a sleek and thin yet powerful laptop that boasts a large 16-inch OLED display and AMD Ryzen 7040 “Phoenix” Series processors, AMD’s new lineup of mobile chips that feature a dedicated AI engine. As Acer’s latest offering in the realm of ultrathin laptops, it is designed to provide a seamless blend of performance and portability. If you’re an on-the-go professional, photographer, or tech-savvy consumer, you can’t go wrong with how much punch the Swift Edge 16 packs into its light frame. So without further ado, let’s take a closer look at its standout features:

• 16-inch, 3200 x 2000 OLED display, 120Hz
• AMD Ryzen 7 7840U with AMD Radeon 780M graphics
• 32 GB LPDDR5 RAM
• 2 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
• 1.23 kg (2.71 pounds)
• 357.5 x 245.9 x 12.95 mm (14.07 x 9.68 x 0.5 inches)
• Two USB Type-C (USB 4 40Gbps, USB charging 5V), two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, HDMI 2.1, MicroSD slot, headphone jack
• 1440p QHD webcam
• Wi-Fi 7 powered by Qualcomm FastConnect 7800
• Olivine Black

A Visually Delightful OLED Display

One of the key highlights of the Swift Edge 16 is its stunning 16-inch 3.2K OLED display, which looks great whether you’re browsing, working, or binging your favorite shows. Acer Swift OLED panels can display over a billion colors, offering deep blacks as low as 0.0005 nits and a peak brightness of 500 nits. They cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is the standard color space used in the digital cinema industry for precise color grading of content—and have received Eyesafe certification ensuring better protection for your eyes by reducing harmful blue light. On top of that, if you enjoy some light gaming on the side, the 120Hz refresh rate (coupled with AMD RDNA 3 integrated graphics) helps to achieve those coveted smooth and responsive frames.

Freedom to Unplug

Designed with mobility in mind, the Swift Edge 16 features a well-constructed magnesium-aluminum body that can be easily opened with just one hand, adding a convenient quality-of-life feature to the device. Its ultrathin profile of only 12.95 mm and lightweight chassis weighing just 1.23 kg makes it incredibly portable. While you're on the go and need the freedom to unplug for longer stretches, it offers the flexibility to be productive while traveling, working, or just taking a break. This is made possible by AMD's Zen 4 architecture, which optimizes the CPU’s power consumption for extended periods of unplugged use.

Unleashing the Power of AI

While we’re on the subject of the CPU, aside from delivering exceptional performance, the new Ryzen 7040 Series mobile processors from AMD also feature a dedicated AI engine dubbed Ryzen AI. With AI coming to the fore in 2023 as a mega-trend, it allows for better AI hardware integration into the CPU, for more powerful AI experiences while freeing up the processor for other workloads. In other words, it helps to ensure fast and efficient computing without compromising on tasks that rely on AI. With the way AI has influenced the world of tech lately, it should be a handy addition for the future.

Wi-Fi 7 and Windows Studio Effects 

As one of the first laptops to feature Wi-Fi 7 and Qualcomm’s FastConnect 7800, the Swift Edge 16 ensures that you stay connected and productive, even in demanding networking environments. This means enhanced speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps and ultra-low latency of under 2 ms—along with what Qualcomm calls High Band Simultaneous Multi-Link technology, a feature that optimizes connection on 5 and 6 GHz bands, for a more reliable and seamless wireless connection.

This makes for an amazing video calling experience on the 1440p QHD webcam featuring Windows Studio Effects, which is a set of features that utilizes Ryzen AI to enhance your experience while video calling with effects such as auto-framing, gaze correction, and advanced background blur.

Enhanced Security

Equipped with the Microsoft Pluton security processor, the Swift Edge 16 enjoys extra protection against potential cyber threats. If you haven’t heard of the technology, it offers improved hardware security by guarding sensitive data like encryption keys, credentials, and user identities by isolating them from the rest of the system. Having this added layer of security means you have one less thing to worry about while on the go.

It's All in the Details

Despite its thin and light design, the Swift Edge 16 doesn't compromise on usability, featuring a full-sized backlit keyboard (with number pad) that feels firm and responsive while typing. It also has two Type-C USB 4 Ports, HDMI 2.1, a MicroSD slot, two standard USB-A ports and for you audiophiles out there, the good old headphone jack.

Final Verdict

The Swift Edge 16 lives up to its promise of providing an edge where performance meets portability. With its stunning OLED display, powerful hardware, and intelligent features, it caters to the needs of modern professionals and tech enthusiasts on the go. Whether you're a content creator, a hybrid worker, or someone who values mobility without compromising on power, the Swift Edge 16 is a worthy companion. 

Get your Swift Edge 16 today from the Acer Store or Best Buy.