Acer Swift vs. Aspire Compared

Acer offers an assortment of laptops built for different types of users and purposes. Whether you’re a gamer, a student, a professional, or a corporate user, Acer has got you covered with its plethora of laptop series. Acer laptops are packed with robust specs and alluring designs that fall at an affordable price range. It has come up with two series that can handle rigid computational tasks – Swift and Aspire. Both series boast superior performance and are often compared head-to-head. With one model coming out after another, each bagging the latest specs, choosing the best laptop becomes a tedious task. To help you decide which series to choose your next laptop from, let’s compare them in detail.

Aspire vs. Swift

Acer’s Aspire series falls under the classic category of laptops. Aspire laptops are built with professionals in mind equipped with specs that can handle a wide range of day-to-day computational tasks. There are currently five models in the Aspire series, each equipped with designs and features that would fit every professional’s needs.

On the other hand, the Swift series falls under Acer’s ultra-thin laptops category. Swift laptops can likewise handle many professional and computing workloads, but it’s designed for those who are always on-the-go. Some Swift models are also capable of handling light gaming. Laptops under this category are generally more portable and lighter than those under Aspire. The Swift series currently bags nine models.

There’s a lot of grounds to cover when comparing the two series, but here are the basics:

Performance

The Aspire series houses components that will suit your multi-tasking needs. It boasts high-performance CPUs and GPUs from either AMD or Intel. The latest addition to Aspire’s family, an upgraded Aspire 1 Qualcomm, set forth using a Qualcomm processor for a performance boost from the very first Aspire 1. We are yet to see if Qualcomm processors will also drive the upcoming models. The Aspire laptops are also equipped with high-capacity RAM to boost the system’s performance. Storage usually comes in two options – up to 1TB of M.2 PCIe SSD or up to 2TB of HDD.

Aspire 7 is currently the most powerful laptop in the Aspire line-up. With the 10th Gen Intel Core CPU or AMD Ryzen 5000, up to 32GB of RAM, 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD, and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX™ 3050 Ti Series GPU built with the latest Ampere architecture, you can shuffle through your graphics-intensive tasks seamlessly while increasing your productivity.

Likewise, the Swift series laptops are built for superior performance. Save for Swift X, which houses an AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series Mobile Processor, The latest gen Intel core processors usually power swift laptops. Acer also collaborated with Intel to utilize their Intel Evo platform in the new Swift 3 and Swift 5 models. The GPUs are also the latest from Intel, including the NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card for Swift X and Intel Iris Xe MAX discrete graphics for Swift 3X.

However, when it comes to RAM, Swift has a lower capacity compared to Aspire, maximizing only at 16GB. Storage-wise, not all Swift comes with large storage capacities except for the latest Swift X with 2TB max capacity and Swift 3 with 1TB max storage. Nevertheless, the SSDs are using much faster PCIe slots for much faster data processing.

Display

Since Swift laptops prioritize portability, their screen size is usually smaller, measuring only 14”. Some models even have slightly smaller displays at 13.5”. Screen resolution is 1920×1080 for most models except for Swift 3, which has the highest resolution in the series at 2256×1504. Despite the small screen size, the Swift series usually have a higher screen-to-body ratio for a wider viewing screen. The Aspire series, on the other hand, have wider displays ranging from 15.6” to 17.3” with a screen resolution of 1920×1080, although it also has a portable version, the Aspire 1, which has a 14”-display.

Swift laptops also have more solid screen brightness, measuring 300 nits and above, compared to Aspire, ranging from only 200 to 258 nits. Both series are using LED IPS technology for a more vivid and vibrant display.

Connectivity and Ports

New models from both series have the fastest Wireless 6 for connectivity, but the Bluetooth is still lagging behind the latest 5.2. Aspire has already upgraded to Gigabit Ethernet connectivity in Aspire 5 and 7 for a faster ethernet connection. Since Swift is designed for mobile users and because of its ultra-thin platform, the LAN port has been eliminated.

When it comes to ports, Swift has plenty of multi-functional USB ports to offer than Aspire. Equipped with the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C and Thunderbolt 4 for faster data transfer, display connectivity, and USB charging needs, plus a USB Type-A that supports offline charging, you will never be left behind with Swift’s versatility. Similarly, new Aspire models offer fast data transfer through two SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps Type-A ports that also support offline charging and an HDMI port for multi-display connection. It also supports the much older USB 2.0, which the Swift series lacks.

Battery Life and Cooling System

This is where the Swift series has bested Aspire. Swift laptops generally have longer battery life as compared to Aspire, ensuring optimum dependability for mobile users. Swift’s battery lasts for 12 hours to 18 hours, depending on the model, and if that’s still not enough, it offers fast charging support. If you need longer battery time, you can charge it up for at least 30 minutes to extend the battery life for another four hours. Since Aspire laptops are expected to be used mostly indoors, the battery life is normally less than 10 hours, but they support offline charging.

Swift’s cooling system is also more advanced than Aspire’s. Swift laptops have an Air Inlet Keyboard to expel up to 10% more heat during usage, a Stereo Ring Fan to pull in more air with the inclined plane fan to deliver up to 10% more airflow, and multiple cooling modes that would suit your mode of usage. Aspire lacks all these cooling features, but its classic cooling system can sustain enough airflow to keep the laptop cool even under intensive usage.

Which is Better?

Acer came up with two great laptop series through Swift and Aspire. Each has its own feature sets suitable for different types of users. Both have superb performance, especially the latest models, although Aspire is a better fit for professionals who are immersed in the comforts of their desks, while Swift is built for users on the go. If you’re looking for laptops with bigger storage and RAM capacity for your daily tasks, you can choose among the Aspire models, but if you’re always mobile, Swift would be a better choice with its longer battery life, higher screen brightness, and its host of multifunctional ports.