Best Acer laptops in 2024: Top machines for work and play

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REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
VERDICT
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
Best Acer laptops in 2024
(Image credit: Acer / Future)

If you're looking to get a machine from a trusted manufacturer with a stellar reputation then you'll want to consider one of the best Acer laptops. The Taiwanese brand has been building some of the best laptops for productivity and gaming for decades now, and it's never been better to consider one than right now, in mid-2024. 

With that said, there's a range of options to choose from as far as the best Acer laptops are concerned. That's why you'll find options befitting of the best Chromebooks and the best gaming laptops below, as the company has thrown its hat into the ring here, too. It's also paramount to consider your budget, that's why you'll find everything from budget picks, mid-range champions, and upper-end leading models to suit all budgets and preferences. 

This year has seen the release of some truly stellar models such as the Acer Swift X14 and the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE just to scratch the surface. But what if you have your eyes on a true powerhouse? Well, only a premium performer like the Acer Predator Triton 17 X will do. Continue reading for our full thoughts, and more hand-picked choices for your consideration. 

Best Acer laptops in 2024 

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Best Acer laptop overall

Acer Swift 14X

(Image credit: Future)
The best Acer laptop overall

Specifications

CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 155H
GPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 4070
Screen size: 14-inch
RAM: Up to 32GB LPDDR5
Storage: Up to 1TB NVMe Gen 4.0

Reasons to buy

+
Incredibly powerful
+
Beautiful display 
+
Slim form factor 

Reasons to avoid

-
Average trackpad 
-
Lacking webcam 
-
On the pricey end of things

The Acer Swift X14 tops our list of the best Acer laptops in 2024. It's backed by a powerful line of processors the latest connectivity options, a dazzling display, a sleek form factor, and powerful graphics card options for a competitive price. It's not going to be a gaming laptop, but it melds together excellent performance across the board with an unmatched style. 

Display-wise, the Acer Swift X14 packs in an OLED display with 120Hz frequency ensuring it's fast when enjoying media playback, working, and even light gaming. There's VESA-certified True Black 500 support as well, ensuring you get endless color contrast combined with deep, inky blacks. Older models may feature RTX 30 series hardware and Raptor Lake processors, but nowadays you can pick up this model running an Ada GPU paired with Intel Meteor Lake for the best futureproofing. 

Read our full Acer Swift X14 review 

Best budget Acer laptop

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE

(Image credit: Future)
The best budget Acer laptop

Specifications

CPU: Up to Intel Core 5 120U
GPU: Up to Intel Arc Graphics
Screen size: 16-inch
RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR4X
Storage: Up to 256 GB PCIe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Fast performance 
+
Leading display 
+
Affordable price point 

Reasons to avoid

-
Availability is limited
-
Poor audio quality 
-
Still pricey for a Chromebook

Acer has a sterling reputation for its budget and mid-range machines and the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE explemifies all aspects. After all, this isn't your average everyday Chromebook. Backed by a respectable GPU, a fast SSD, a sizable memory pool, and powerful Arc-integrated graphics, there's a lot to like about this machine for the price. 

Speaking of the price, you can expect to pay around $649.99 (around £515 / AU$980) for the Chromebook Plus 516 GE which undercuts the bulk of its competition. Acer isn't pulling any punches here, ChromeOS aside, as there's a solid build quality, impressive battery life (lasting around seven hours in use) and a 120Hz WQXGA display which is tailor-made for game streaming through Nvidia GeForce Now and PC Game Pass. 

Read our full Chromebook Plus 516 GE review

Best Acer gaming laptop

Acer Predator Triton 17 X

(Image credit: Future)
The best Acer gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: Up to Intel Core i9-13900HX
GPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 4090
Screen size: 17-inch
RAM: Up to 64GB LPDDR5
Storage: Up to 256 GB PCIe SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Leading WGXGA display 
+
Incredible 250Hz refresh rate 
+
Powerful gaming performance

Reasons to avoid

-
Premium price tag 
-
Gets both and loud 

While there are many high-quality Acer gaming laptops to choose from, our top pick goes to the Acer Predator Triton 17 X for its unparalleled gaming performance and build quality. It falls into some of the typical trappings of the form factor, getting both hot and loud when under stress, but if you're in the market for a pretty and powerful machine made by the brand, this one wins out with flying colors. 

We can gauge exactly how powerful the Acer Predator Triton 17 X is by looking at the benchmark figures which flex this machine's muscles proudly. This is evidenced by well over 60fps in demanding PC games when maxed out in 1440p such as Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Total War: Three Kingdoms. However, the power comes at the cost of battery; you'll get just over an hour, so you'll want to keep the rig plugged in for a night of gaming sessions. 

Read our full Acer Predator Triton 17 X review 

Best Acer ultrabook laptop

Acer Swift Edge 16

(Image credit: Future)
The best Acer ultrabook

Specifications

CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 7 7840U
GPU: AMD Radeon Shared Graphics
Screen size: 16-inch
RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Virtually paperthin and weightless
+
Incredible display 
+
Strong battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Typing experience is a little awkward
-
On the pricey side for the hardware

The Acer Swift Edge 16 is remarkably thin and light in its design philosophy backed by excellent performance thanks to the utilization of Ryzen 7000 series processors. What's more, it's made all the more aggressive from its mid-range pricing, as you can find this unit around the $1,299.99 / £1,300.00 (about AU$3,215) mark. This includes a full 1TB SSD, a super clear 1440p webcam, and a dazzling 16:10 OLED 120Hz 16-inch panel all in. 

When we say light, we mean it. The Acer Swift Edge 16 measures in at a mere 2.73 lb (1.24kg) and still manages to include a sizable battery. In our testing, we observed playback nearing the eight-hour mark, meaning this machine can last your entire workday, whether that's browsing the web, word processing, image/video editing, and more. 

Read our full Acer Swift Edge 16 review

Best value Acer laptop

Acer Swift 3 OLED

(Image credit: Future)
The best value Acer laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Screen size: 14-inch
RAM: Up to 16GB LPDDR5
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning OLED display 
+
Sleek, compact build quality 
+
Powerful CPU even in 2024

Reasons to avoid

-
Average battery life 
-
Middling webcam 

The Acer Swift 3 OLED may not be the most powerful of its ilk anymore but it offers excellent value for money given what's packed inside of this machine. While it debuted at $1,300 (around £1,065 / AU$1,815) at release a handful of years now, it's now possibile to find this ultrabook discounted at major retailers in these terriorities only strengthening its appeal. 

Traditionally you're paying more of a premium the sleek and smaller that a laptop goes, and that's the case given the 14-inch panel on the Acer Swift 3 OLED. That said, the panel tech, featuring a 2.8K resolution, looks incredibly sharp. It's backed by a metal construction which adds not only durability, but style, too. 

Read our full Acer Swift 3 OLED review for more. 

Best Acer Laptops in 2024 - FAQs

We're here to answer any and all of your burning questions regarding the best Acer laptops available in 2024. 

What Acer laptops are good?

If you're looking for a confident all-rounder then the Acer Swift X14 is our top pick overall. It has an excellent build quality, beautiful screen, and decent battery life at a price which is more than fair. However, if you want more power under the hood (and have cash to spend) then the Acer Predator Triton 17 X wins out. 

How long do Acer laptops usually last?

Acer laptops can last upwards of five years (or more) if you look after them properly. This means using the laptop on a desk with ventilation (if there are fans) and only charging the machine when the battery is low to preserve the lifespan. 

Aleksha McLoughlin
Contributor

Aleksha McLoughlin is an experienced hardware writer. She was previously the Hardware Editor for TechRadar Gaming until September 2023. During this time, she looked after buying guides and wrote hardware reviews, news, and features. She has also contributed hardware content to the likes of PC Gamer, Trusted Reviews, Dexerto, Expert Reviews, and Android Central. When she isn't working, you'll often find her in mosh pits at metal gigs and festivals or listening to whatever new black and death metal has debuted that week.

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