Are there any alternatives?

The Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA is an obvious competitor to the Swift 5. It’s almost as fast if you keep it pegged in performance mode, but then its fans spin up louder and more often than with the Swift 5’s. It’s as well-built and looks as good, and also offers excellent input options.

　　If you want the flexibility of a 2-in-1, then the HP Spectre x360 13 is an excellent alternative. It uses Intel’s last-generation chips and so isn’t as fast, but it offers a more striking look, a stunning OLED display, and the morphing nature of a 2-in-1.

　　Finally, you could consider the Dell XPS 13, which is one of the best laptops made. It has recently been updated to Tiger Lake and offers one of the best laptop designs around. It’s a bit more expensive and has a slightly smaller screen, but those might be tradeoffs well worth making.

　　

How long will it last?

The Swift 5 is well-built and robust, and it equips modern components that will power your productivity needs for years. The one-year warranty is disappointing in a premium laptop, but it’s industry standard.

　　

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Swift 5 is thin, light, and powerful, and it’s the first shipping Tiger Lake laptop we’ve tested that lives up to the chip’s performance promise.