Perfect for surfing, watching Netflix, working on Office and a bit more, the Acer Swift SF314-42-R1JR is a small, resource-packed 14-inch ultrabook. Inside, a major processor, the AMD Renoir Ryzen 5 4500U associated with 8 GB of RAM and fast 512 GB SSD storage, a powerful package capable of meeting a large number of profiles in the frame of everyday use with a little creation and play. The chassis is solid and well assembled around a matte Full HD IPS screen that opens to 180 degrees, the battery life flirts with the 8 hours and the amenities do not. not missing: backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader and USB-C (DisplayPort and charging). Some could blame it for the absence of Thunderbolt 3 that said (AMD obliges) or its rather dark screen.
Features of the Acer Swift SF314-42-R1JR
| Slab | 14 “Full HD IPS ComfyView (1920×1080, anti-glare) |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Renoir (2.3 GHz, 6 cores) |
| RAM installed | 8 GB (soldered) LPDDR4X 3200 MHz |
| Graphic card | AMD Radeon Vega 6 |
| Storage | 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD |
| Connectivity | 1 USB 2.0 1 USB 3.2 1 USB 3.2 Type-C (Gen2), HDMI 1.4 |
| Network | Wi-Fi ax, Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Backlit Keyboard | Yes |
| Numeric keypad | – |
| Windows Hello | Yes, via fingerprint reader |
| Audio system | 2 loudspeakers |
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit |
| battery life announced / Battery | 9 hours / Li-Ion 3 cells 48Whr |
| Dimensions (mm) / Weight | 323 x 219 x 17.95 / 1.2 kg |
Chassis, connectors, screen of the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R1JR
No doubt, we are dealing with a Swift. Acer maintains the series identity with a sober and uniform silver aesthetic around a pressure- and scuff – resistant aluminum-magnesium alloy case that is lightweight at the same time. Acer ditches all aesthetic frills like its shiny chamfered edges to return to a more understated (let’s not say ordinary) look.
A visible effort has been made on the format and on the weight of the ultrabook compared to the previous generation (SF314-41) since the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R1JR weighs only 1.2 kg on the scale. (compared to 1.45 kg for the SF314-41) and retains the same thickness (18 mm) but saves space thanks to a depth of 219 mm (compared to 228 mm / SF314-41). These are compact sizes that offer a great mobile propensity to the ultrabook and which allow you to take advantage of a rather convincing borderless screen.
Note also that the central hinge allows an opening angle of the screen of 180 degrees , a plus to install it comfortably on the knees. The keyboard is backlit in white, making it easier to type in a dark environment. Although in our experience, the effect will be the opposite in bright light on the silver keys.
Then let’s talk about the screen which is highlighted by rather thin side borders (thicker at the top and bottom). It provides a dense Full HD definition (1920 x 1080 px) which allows you to get the best of High Definition content while the IPS panel promotes immersion with a perfectly readable display whatever the angle of approach and a balanced colorimetry. Good news, it is based on a ComfyView matte panel , a plus if you have to work outdoors or travel by train for example. Note that the screen is not very bright (approximately 230nits).
For its part, the connection receives a slight cut. There are no longer four but now three USB ports including a USB 2.0 on the right edge (for the mouse), a USB 3.2 port and a versatile USB 3.2 Type-C Gen2 , with video support and power supply. There is also an HDMI output and a biometric reader (under the keyboard, on the right) to secure your data and authenticate you to your session with a simple touch of your finger, but the SD card reader has disappeared. The connection modules are state-of-the-art with Wifi 6 (802.11AX) and Bluetooth 5.0. No Thunderbolt 3 therefore, since it is a proprietary standard from Intel.
Performance, battery life of the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R1JR
The Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R1JR houses a major AMD Ryzen Renoir (2020) processor, the low power Ryzen 5 4500U Hexa Core . This shows a significant increase in performance compared to the Ryzen 5 3500U (2019), thanks in particular to the number of cores which increases but also to the finer engraving used. Basically, it allows scores close to a 10th generation Intel Core i7 on simple tasks (web, word processing, video playback) but takes the advantage when it comes to exploiting multi-cores, especially in more resource-intensive tasks such as video editing, exporting or occasional photo retouching, where its 6 cores clearly take the advantage.
Opposite, the 8 GB RAM provides the minimum at present to enjoy comfortable multitasking, without being too demanding. Know that it is united, therefore impossible to make it evolve in the future.
The ultrabook is not intended to play but the Radeon Vega 6integrated into the processor is not against some occasional parts. At the level of an NVIDIA GeForce MX230, its capabilities are more than enough for everyday work and the tasks listed above and even allow some games from time to time on games that are not very demanding graphically. Most will require you to make some concessions on screen definition and / or details however. Especially since the processor is forced to make some concessions on its power in this case (reduced TDP), due to the compactness of the chassis. Understand by this that you will not be able to take full advantage of the potential of the components but that the whole will still allow you to play and create in good conditions, a bargain already for the price and the format.
Last important point for nomads, the Acer Swift 3 SF314-42-R1JR is ready for mobility thanks to its 50Whr battery which allocates nearly 8 hours of battery life in current use with active WiFi. It is ideal for working a full day without worrying about the proximity of a power outlet.
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