Acer Swift 3 Price: Rs 67,999 (SF314-54) Rating: ****1/2
Specs: 14-inch IPS LCD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, HDMI out, USB Type-C, card reader, fingerprint scanner, HD webcam, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.0, Windows 10, 1.45kg
Pros: Sleek and lightweight design, all-metal body, good performance, capable of medium level gaming, backlit keyboard, bright screen with slim side bezels, good battery life, loud audio from speakers
Acer recently updated their Swift 3 range of laptops with 8th generation Intel processors. However, it wasn’t only about the internals – it also got a design upgrade to match the competition.
This new laptop has an all-metal (aluminium) body and yet weighs a comfortable 1.45kg. We liked the brushed metal finish – it looks good and feels cool to the touch. The Acer logo takes centre space on the top lid and the overall shape is tapered for easier portability. Despite the sleek design, Acer still managed to cram in 2 fullsize USB 3.0 ports, a full-size HDMI port, a card reader and a USB Type-C port.
Acer Swift 3 While the overall design is about the same as a 13.3-inch laptop, you get a 14-inch display. This is made possible by using slim bezels on the sides of the screen. The screen itself is bright with rich colours and has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. We used the laptop for watching video, playing first-person shooter games as well as for document editing and reading – no complaints at all from the screen in terms of viewing angles or sharpness.
As mentioned up front, one of the major upgrades is the latest generation Intel processor – it has an Intel Core i5 processor combined with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD. This combination delivers excellent performance with a sub 10 second boot-up time and instant app launch.
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Acer Swift 3 The Intel 620 GPU is good enough for some light gaming too. We played PUBG on the laptop at medium settings without any jitters or frame-drops. Battery life is one area where the laptop couldn’t live up to the claims. Acer claimed a battery life of 12 hours but we always ended up with between 7 to 8 hours. Not bad at all, but short of the claim.
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Some of the other things we liked were the ergonomic backlit keyboard, the large and responsive trackpad, compact charger, the shockingly loud speaker output and dual microphones with good voice quality and range. What we did not like was that it still uses a proprietary charger, has poor webcam picture quality and that it comes preloaded with multiple bloatware apps.
Acer Swift 3 Acer’s promise with the Swift range of laptops is a compact and lightweight design without compromising on the performance and feature set - and we’re in agreement. The Swift 3 is one of the best 14-inch notebooks around today. The price is great too since as most other laptops in this price range (HP Pavilion 13, Dell Inspiron 14, Lenovo Ideapad 330S) offer 256GB SSD storage.
Not all innovative tech is launched by big brands. Crowdfunding is a great way that small companies with big ideas can get the cash they need to get started.
ET rounds up some of his current favourites.
Not all innovative tech is launched by big brands. Crowdfunding is a great way that small companies with big ideas can get the cash they need to get started.ET rounds up some of his current favourite..
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A multi-screen computer setup offers several advantages for work and play. This is easy to do in your home or at the office but what about when you’re travelling or working out of a café? For such instances, Taihe Gemini is a portable 15.6-inch touchscreen display which weighs just 900 grams. You can get it in full HD (touchscreen) or 4K (non touch) resolution and it has a metal kickstand design to prop up at any viewing angle. Depending on the version you choose, it can have HDMI, USB Type-C, mini DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio and multiple USB ports (UHD variant only) for connectivity. You don’t have to worry about power because the Gemini has a built-in battery for up to 5 hours of backup. You can use it in landscape or portrait mode with your laptop, phone or console in mirror mode or as a second display. It’s currently on Kickstarter and the full HD variant is for US$ 219 while the 4K variant is US$ 299 with shipping estimated to begin in May 2019.
(Image: www.kickstarter.com)
A multi-screen computer setup offers several advantages for work and play. This is easy to do in your home or at the office but what about when you’re travelling or working out of a café? For such i..
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Only when you get a good laptop stand will you realize the difference it makes in terms of ergonomics. Trouble is, laptop stands are large and heavy — you don’t really want to add that weight to your existing laptop, especially if you move around a lot. MOFT is the world’s first invisible laptop stand that sticks to your laptop without adding much bulk. It’s made using polyurethane and fiberglass — you shouldn’t notice the 3mm thickness and 65 gram weight at all. It can be adjusted to raise the laptop up by 2 to 3.2-inches. MOFT works with laptops with up to 15.6-inch screens and uses removable glue to attach/detach without leaving residue. You can get it in four colours: gold, rose gold, silver & grey. At the time of writing, it has already been 22535% funded on Indiegogo. You can get your order in for US$ 19 with delivery in April 2019.
(Image: www.kickstarter.com)
Only when you get a good laptop stand will you realize the difference it makes in terms of ergonomics. Trouble is, laptop stands are large and heavy — you don’t really want to add that weight to you..
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It may look like a fat whiteboard marker but Zanco’s Smart Pen is actually several devices in one. They claim it’s the world’s thinnest mobile phone (it’s a feature phone but has a 0.96-inch colour display). It also has physical number and navigation buttons. Other features include a nano SIM slot, microSD slot for storage, 3.5mm jack, built-in dual mics, a call receiver speaker, loudspeaker, front camera and rear camera. For connectivity, it has Bluetooth 3.0 using which it can connect with a smartphone and act as Bluetooth headset. Not to forget, it also works as a touchscreen stylus, a laser pointer, voice recorder, Mp3/Mp4 player and has a voice changer feature. Battery life is about 6 hours on a single charge. At the time of writing, the project has already been funded and you can pre-order one for US$ 59 + shipping with delivery expected in April 2019.
(Image: www.kickstarter.com)
It may look like a fat whiteboard marker but Zanco’s Smart Pen is actually several devices in one. They claim it’s the world’s thinnest mobile phone (it’s a feature phone but has a 0.96-inch colour ..
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If you want a 100-inch or larger screen using a projector, you would need one of those heavy, bulky devices that consume a lot of power. The Piqo pocket projector changes this notion by projecting a 240-inch screen from a 2-inch size cube that weighs only 210 grams! It has full HD resolution, 200 lumens brightness (most pocket projectors only do 100 Lumens) and even has automatic keystone adjustment so that you get the best possible picture. It has HDMI input, 3.5mm audio out, a microSD card slot, USB port for media playback, plus WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. There are touch controls on top, built in speakers, a quad core processor, 16GB internal storage and a 5-hour battery life. Moreover, the projector is Android powered — you can install apps from Google Play Store and watch content without connecting any device. At the moment, the projector is available for an early bird price of US$ 349 on Indiegogo (Rs 25,000 approx.) with delivery expected in May 2019.
(Image: www.piqoprojector.com)
If you want a 100-inch or larger screen using a projector, you would need one of those heavy, bulky devices that consume a lot of power. The Piqo pocket projector changes this notion by projecting a ..
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With mobile gaming on an all-time high (thanks to games like PUBG), there is a lot of interest in smartphone gaming accessories. There are gaming docks and controllers available, but nothing looks quite like the Muja gaming pad. It sticks to the back of your phone using suction cups, connects over Bluetooth and is compatible with iOS and Android. This design ensures that the phone does not overheat. The touchpad is divided into four zones which can be customized for any controls. You get front as well as rear controls which is handy for FPS games. Muja has a built-in 450mAh battery which should last about 56 hours of gameplay on a single charge. The company behind the gamepad, HandScape Inc, will be offering it at a 50% discount compared to standard retail price when it goes live for funding in February 2019 on Indiegogo.
(Image: www.indiegogo.com)
With mobile gaming on an all-time high (thanks to games like PUBG), there is a lot of interest in smartphone gaming accessories. There are gaming docks and controllers available, but nothing looks q..
