Standing out in the laptop world is tough.
Many of us need a device for work and just want a few features to get through the day.
Most of us just want speed and the ability to handle multiple tasks, meaning many laptops don’t try to reinvent the wheel.
However, a $3000 new laptop from Acer – the Swift 16 AI – is strikingly different from the moment you set eyes on it.
The world’s largest haptic touchpad
Retailing for – the computer boasts the world’s largest haptic touchpad (meaning it has no physical click)— an 8.15-inch slab of Gorilla Glass that feels more like a tablet surface than a traditional trackpad. That’s comparable in size to an iPad mini display.
It takes up almost the entirety of the space below the keyboard and allows for some tasks you normally wouldn’t expect to do on a traditional laptop.
Tablets and large notepads have redefined how we use hardware by allowing us to use pens for drawing, annotations or signatures. This means many of us who want these functions need to buy one in addition to a computer for work.
This laptop positions itself somewhere between the two. The touchpad is so big it is almost like having tablet functionality while it has the power and capabilities of a laptop.
I took it out for a spin at a cafe while working from home. It’s refreshing to have a computer that allows you to sign documents between meetings while having the power to allow me to edit videos.
The big edge-to-edge glass pad allows you to carry out a range of gestures, from one to four fingers, to switch apps, zoom in and drag items.
Because it’s so large, you can make finer edits in spreadsheets, timelines, or design tools without “running out of space”.
A couple of warnings here though. It’s not a full drawing tablet, so it has no stylus pressure sensitivity which might be a deal-breaker for digital artists or designers. Also, it comes with no pen, which seemed to me an odd omission for a laptop with such a large pad.
How about the rest?
Once you’ve become accustomed to the pad, it’s clear this is a powerful little beast that has great functionality, a sleek design and decent battery life.
First up, the chassis of is a stylish, lightweight aluminium. It looks sleek and easily slips into your bag without weighing you down like a lead balloon.
The battery is also big enough to give you over 12 hours of web browsing and basic officework. I was able to get over 12-13 hours of use out of one charge — enough to get everyone through a busy day.
Under the hood, the Acer Swift 16 AI is built to handle the kind of multi-tasking most people actually need. Powered by the latest AI-enabled processors, it feels quick off the mark whether you’re juggling dozens of browser tabs, jumping between meetings, or working across large files.
It’s not trying to be a niche powerhouse for hardcore gamers or 3D animateos, but for everyday productivity, it nails the job.
The display is another standout. The 16-inch panel gives you plenty of real estate without making the device feel bulky, and colours are punchy without giving you a migraine.
AI features are sprinkled throughout, but they feel more like helpful extras than gimmicks. Things like background noise reduction on calls, automatic framing for video meetings, and on-device performance tweaks quietly improve the experience without demanding your attention.
Verdict
The Acer Swift AI 16’s main feature is its massive haptic touchpad, which makes it a great option if you are currently having to lug a tablet and a laptop around with you. It’s light and powerful, making it the perfect laptop to take with you on those busy work days.
The pricing is premium and I wish it came with a pen, but this is a very solid laptop that can handle everything you throw at it.
