Acer Swift Three (2019) vs. Asus ZenBook 14 UX433

Mark Coppock/Digital Developments

For a lot of customers, 13.Three-inch laptops are only a bit too small whereas 15.6-inch laptops are only a bit too massive. The PC trade is nothing if not numerous, although, and so there’s an choice — a number of 14-inch laptops that straddle the road between too tiny and too large.

And there are actual alternate options even inside a distinct segment like this. You may select a laptop computer just like the Asus ZenBook 14 UX433 that makes use of tiny bezels to suit that 14-inch show right into a 13-inch chassis, or you may go along with a inexpensive and barely bigger laptop computer just like the 2019 Acer Swift Three that provides in a discrete GPU for rather less cash. Which of those two choices is extra well worth the cash?

Design

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The ZenBook 14’s declare to fame is its tiny bezels and its diminutive body. It actually matches a 14-inch show into what was only recently thought-about a really small chassis for laptop computer with a 13.Three-inch show. The Swift Three has smaller bezels than earlier variations, however it doesn’t fake to compete with the ZenBook on this regard. That makes the Asus laptop computer considerably smaller in depth and width, particularly coming in at simply 12.56 inches vast by 7.83 inches deep in comparison with the Acer at 12.72 inches by eight.98 inches

Asus additionally construct the ZenBook 14 to assembly the MIL-STD-810G customary, which provides it extra inflexible lid, chassis, and keyboard deck than the Swift Three. And when it comes to aesthetics, the ZenBook 14 is extra hanging in its Royal Blue shade scheme with gold trim and the long-lasting Asus concentric swirls on the lid. The Swift Three is moderately pedestrian as compared with its extra widespread silver all-aluminum chassis.

Each laptops take pleasure in keyboards with ample journey, though Acer’s model is firmer than the Asus. When you like keyboards with a lighter contact, then you definitely’ll favor the ZenBook 14’s. However, each touchpads are massive and assist Microsoft’s correct Precision touchpad protocol for excellent multitouch gesture assist. And each Full HD shows lack assist for contact. Asus, although, contains its NumberPad LED numeric keypad function constructed into the touchpad, and it’s a pleasant addition for anybody who enters plenty of numbers.

The laptops are intently matched when it comes to connectivity. The ZenBook 14 has USB-A Three.1, USB-A 2.zero, and USB-C Three.1 ports (with out Thunderbolt Three assist), a full-size HDMI connection, and a microSD card reader. The Swift Three is an identical besides each of its USB-A ports are model Three.1

The ZenBook 14 is extra sturdy, extra enticing, and sports activities a a lot smaller chassis. It wins this spherical.

Efficiency

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Each the ZenBook 14 and Swift Three construct within the newest Intel Eighth-gen Whiskey Lake quad-core CPUs, and each of our evaluation models outfitted the Core i7-8565U. The Swift Three was sooner within the Geekbench four multi-core take a look at, whereas the ZenBook 14 accomplished our video encoding take a look at 32 seconds extra rapidly. Primarily, although, you received’t inform a lot distinction in how these two laptops carry out on the standard productiveness duties. Storage speeds had been additionally intently matched, with each laptops utilizing PCIe solid-state disks (SSDs) that had been equally as quick.

Gaming and artistic software efficiency is a distinct story, although, relying on which model of the ZenBook 14 you take into account. Proper now, virtually each retail outlet in North America sells the ZenBook 14 with Intel’s UHD 620 built-in graphics. In case you have a Costco membership, although, you may decide up a model with the Nvidia GeForce MX150 entry-level discrete GPU. The Swift Three, however, is available with the MX150 inside. For most individuals, then, you’re evaluating a discrete GPU to built-in graphics, and the Swift Three wins out.

Shows joined the CPU and SSD in offering roughly equal efficiency. The ZenBook 14 sported barely higher distinction (820:1 versus 710:1), however the Swift Three had a wider shade gamut (73 p.c of AdobeRGB versus 71 p.c) and extra correct colours (1.34 versus 2.24, the place lower than 1.o is taken into account wonderful). The ZenBook 14’s show was brighter at 312 nits versus 260 nits.

Each laptops are lots quick and have good shows for productiveness work. However the Swift Three wins out because of a discrete GPU that’s simpler to purchase and comes outfitted by default.

Portability

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Though the ZenBook 14 is smaller in width and depth, the Swift Three is thinner at zero.59 inches in comparison with zero.63 inches. The Swift Three, nevertheless, is heavier at 2.98 kilos versus 2.62 kilos. Neither is simply too massive or heavy to hold round, nevertheless — the ZenBook 14’s smaller chassis principally turns out to be useful while you’re working in cramped quarters.

Battery life turns into a extra vital issue, then, when contemplating portability. Right here, the Swift Three wins out while you’re not particularly understanding the CPU. It lasted an hour lower than the ZenBook 14 in our most demanding Basemark net benchmark battery take a look at, however it lasted an hour longer when searching the online and a whopping 4 hours longer when looping our native take a look at video.

The ZenBook 14 is smaller, however the Swift Three is extra more likely to get you thru a full working day on a single cost of the battery.

The Swift Three is the higher alternative for many patrons

Mark Coppock/Digital Developments

The Swift Three prices $1,000 for a Core i7-8565U, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and the MX150 GPU. When you drop all the way down to a Core i5-8265U and Intel built-in graphics, then it can save you $200 and nonetheless get strong productiveness efficiency.

The ZenBook 14, however, prices $1,200 for a Core i7-8565U, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. You can even spend $1,000 for a Core i5-8256U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, and you should purchase the MX150 model at Costco for $1,300 with a Core i7, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

When you purchase the ZenBook 14 from Costco then at the least you may profit from the sooner graphics. However for most individuals, the Swift Three provides you with higher gaming and artistic efficiency to go along with considerably higher battery life.