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Review: Acer Swift 5 (2022)

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The Swift 5 is Acer’s ultraportable laptop, which is slim, lightweight, visually appealing, and has adequate performance for most day-to-day computing needs. The laptop weighs 1.2 kg, measures 0.59 inches in thickness, and boasts a robust aluminum construction.

Open up the lid and you come face to face with a 14-inch IPS WQXGA touchscreen display that offers a resolution of 2560-by-1600 pixels. The display itself is protected by an antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass.

In terms of IO ports, you get a USB-A, full-sized HDMI, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left edge. On the right, you’ll find another USB-A along with a 3.5mm headphone/microphone port and a Kensington lock port.

Although the keyboard’s appearance may seem ordinary, it provides a satisfying typing experience due to its firm structure and ample key travel. The colour-coordinated lettering adds an aesthetic touch. The power button, meanwhile, doubles as a fingerprint scanner, which functions flawlessly.

Under the hood, the Swift 5 comes packed with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1260P processor running at a clock speed of 2.10 GHz. You also get 16GB of RAM and 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD storage. Graphics are handled by Intel Iris Xe, while wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.

The island-style keyboard on the Swift 5 features a dual-tier backlight, which allows you to adjust the keyboard’s illumination to your liking or switch it off entirely by tapping F11. The keyboard is nice to type on, with a stiff lattice and plenty of key travel.

Constructed from recycled ocean-bound plastics, the trackpad has a texture that closely resembles that of a glass trackpad. It operates smoothly and boasts a moderately-sized surface area. While the click function may require slightly more pressure than we’re accustomed to, overall, it performs excellently.

The Acer Swift 5 that we tested comes equipped with an Intel Core i7-1260P processor, 16GB of RAM, integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a 1TB SSD. The Core i7-1260P is part of Intel’s Alder Lake-P lineup of 28-watt mobile processors, featuring a new hybrid architecture that combines both performance and efficiency cores. It boasts four performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and a total of 16 processing threads.

So, in terms of performance, the Acer Swift 5 did a great job. In the PCMark 10 test, it clocked 5698 points, while in our HandBrake tests, it got 1675 points. In Cinebench, another CPU-intensive test that renders a complex 2D scene over a short period of time, the Swift 5 clocked an overall 1762 points, with single thread clocking in at 247 points. All of these benchmark results indicate a very good performing ultraportable.

The battery life of the device is decent, providing approximately 9-10 hours of usage when performing simple tasks such as web browsing and basic productivity work. However, if you engage in demanding activities like gaming or video editing, the battery life will significantly decrease.

The USB-C charging is a plus and Acer includes a sleek and compact charger in the package. The 65W fast charger is capable of providing approximately four hours of additional battery life within just 30 minutes of charging, which is brilliant. And you can use the same charger to charge your smartphone.

The Acer Swift 5 offers an excellent design and build quality, comes packed with good specs and an excellent keyboard, and has a great selection of ports. Definitely check it out if you are in the market for a brilliant ultraportable.

Price: AED 5999

Acer Swift 5 (2022) AED 5999
  • Final Rating
3.5

Summary

In terms of IO ports, you get a USB-A, full-sized HDMI, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left edge. On the right, you’ll find another USB-A along with a 3.5mm headphone / microphone port and a Kensington lock port.

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OnePlus Unveils Nord 5 Among Five New Product Launches

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OnePlus is expanding its product ecosystem with the announcement of five new devices, including the latest addition to its popular Nord smartphone lineup. These new products are slated to launch in Europe and India next month, with full specifications and pricing to be revealed at the official launch event on July 8th.

Leading the charge is the Nord 5, the newest mid-range smartphone from the company. Notably, it’s the first Nord device to incorporate a flagship Qualcomm chip – the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3, designed for more affordable flagship phones. The Nord 5 will also boast an upgraded cooling system and support for LPDDR5X RAM. While full details are pending, initial images show a distinctive “Dry Ice” pale blue finish and a dual rear camera setup.

Joining the Nord 5 is the Nord CE5, expected to be a more budget-friendly option, though details are currently limited to its “Marble Mist” finish. Celina Shi, OnePlus’ European head of marketing, confirmed in an interview that both the Nord 5 and Nord CE5 will feature the new customizable Plus Key (replacing the signature Alert Slider) and enable the AI Plus Mind feature.

OnePlus is also introducing the OnePlus Pad Lite, described as an “entry-level” tablet. It retains the central, circular camera design seen on older OnePlus tablets, differentiating it from the newer Pad 3. While official specifications are scarce, a recent leak suggests it will feature an 11-inch LCD display, run on the MediaTek Helio G100 chipset, and be available in an optional cellular version.

Rounding out the announcements are a smaller 43mm OnePlus Watch 3, complementing the existing 47mm model, and a new pair of earbuds, the OnePlus Buds 4. These earbuds will include dual drivers, support Hi-Res audio, and be available in green or dark gray.

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Samsung Health Hub Streamlines Doctor-Patient Communication

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Samsung is stepping up its game in the health tech race with plans to develop a new hub, designed to simplify how users share health data directly with their doctors between appointments. This initiative aims to bridge the disconnect often experienced when patients struggle to recall medical advice or fitness suggestions.

Dr. Hon Pak, a Samsung health executive, highlighted the company’s commitment to cutting down this gap. They’re working on tools that will funnel data collected from smartwatches into a central location, also providing nudges to help users stay on track with doctor-prescribed goals. Pak emphasized the need to move away from fragmented health solutions. “There are a lot of innovations out there but it’s siloed,” Pak said. “We think there’s a responsibility and a potential for bringing the experience into an ecosystem so that the users have a more simple experience rather than having 10 different apps to manage your condition.”

While the full hub is still some time away, Samsung recently announced new features coming to its smartwatches as part of a One UI 8 software update. These enhancements will include tools for measuring antioxidant levels and vascular load, alongside a running coach and upgrades to sleep management. The features will be available on last year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch models, with the bedtime coach specifically coming to the Galaxy Watch 5 and newer devices. A beta program for these features is set to launch this month in the US and South Korea.

To check antioxidant levels on a new-generation Samsung watch, users will simply press their fingertip against the sensors on the device’s back. The feature can then suggest nutritional adjustments, like eating antioxidant-rich berries, to help improve readings. The vascular load feature measures pulse waves during sleep to assess arterial pressure, aiming to better identify the risk for stroke and other cardiovascular issues. The new running feature will help users train for races by analyzing baseline performance, and an enhanced sleep tool will suggest optimal bedtimes based on several days of analyzed data.

Smartwatches are evolving beyond simple notification companions, increasingly merging with sports watches and even medical-grade wearables. Competitors like Apple Inc., Garmin Ltd., and Alphabet Inc.’s Google have already made significant advancements in measuring heart conditions and sleep.

This shift towards more comprehensive health features in wearables aligns with broader trends, as noted by Pak. Increases in chronic diseases, healthcare workforce shortages, and rising medical costs are leading more people to seek care from home. “The burden is now on the patients and the families that have to provide that care,” he explained. “So with that, we have to be in the home.”

Samsung’s health platform currently boasts about 68 million monthly active customers. Looking ahead, Pak mentioned that more health sensors are planned for future Samsung devices, including earbuds. While features like cuff-less blood pressure tracking and non-invasive glucose tracking are in development, they are still years away from release.

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ASUS ROG Elevates Handheld Gaming with New ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X Models

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ASUS Republic of Gamers has partnered with Xbox to introduce the next generation of portable gaming: the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X. These premium handheld devices merge console-quality performance with PC versatility in an ergonomic design, setting a new standard for gaming on the go.

The new series features a completely reimagined chassis designed for extended play sessions, with comfort-focused ergonomics inspired by Xbox controllers. The flagship Ally X model takes immersion to the next level with advanced impulse triggers that deliver precise haptic feedback, mirroring the premium console gaming experience.

Powering these devices are cutting-edge AMD processors tailored for handheld gaming. The standard Ally model features the AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor, while the high-end Ally X boasts the more powerful Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor. Both chipsets are engineered to balance performance and efficiency, enabling smooth gameplay across all genres while optimising battery life.

Running on Windows 11 with a customised Xbox interface, the devices offer the best of both worlds: seamless access to Xbox Game Pass alongside the full flexibility of a Windows PC. The optimised software environment provides quick access to games and settings, creating a console-like experience while maintaining the open ecosystem PC gamers expect.

The ROG Xbox Ally series represents a significant evolution in portable gaming technology, combining Xbox’s gaming expertise with ASUS ROG’s hardware innovation. Gamers in the UAE can look forward to the devices launching later this year, with regional pricing and availability details to be announced in the coming months.

This collaboration marks a major milestone for handheld gaming, offering players unprecedented freedom to enjoy their favorite games anywhere without compromising on performance, comfort, or game library access. The ROG Xbox Ally series demonstrates ASUS’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of gaming technology in the Middle East and worldwide.

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