Our Take

Acer’s Swift 3 doesn’t look amazing, but it nails the fundamentals at a surprisingly low price. We’re most surprised by its performance, which matches far more expensive laptops. This laptop deserves your attention if you need an affordable yet capable machine.

　　

Is there a better alternative?

Yes, the Asus ZenBook UX330UA. That laptop is thinner, lighter, more attractive, and lasts longer on a charge. It remains our go-to pick among affordable laptops. It now has an updated UX331UA with slimmer bezels and longer battery life. However, the Acer Swift 3 does beat it in performance, connectivity, and price.

　　The Dell Inspiron 15 5000, and potentially 7000, are also strong competitors. Those systems offer many of the same features, and the 7000 series offers 2-in-1 versatility. However, the Inspiron laptops suffer below-average battery life and, in some cases, lesser display quality.

　　If you’re willing to step up to a larger and bulkier notebook, then the Acer Aspire E 15 is a great choice. It’s just as fast, offers a better display, lasts significantly longer on a charge, and costs less at around $600. In fact, that’s are favorite 15-inch budget notebook by a country mile.

　　

How long will it last?

Surprisingly, this affordable laptop is extremely well equipped for the future. It has a fast processor, plenty of RAM, and a quick, reasonably large solid-state drive. Absent accidents or defects, this laptop should last five years or more, although the warranty will only hold out for a year.

　　

Should you buy it?

Yes, if you don’t want the ZenBook. Acer’s laptop is not as portable as the Asus, and doesn’t feel as modern, yet it’s hard to argue with the Swift 3’s performance, connectivity, and bargain pricing. While not our first pick among affordable laptops, the Swift is a good alternative to Dell’s Inspiron and HP’s Pavilion lines.