Acer's Swift 3X Is The First Tiger Lake Laptop To Flex Intel Iris Xe MAX Discrete GPU

Acer Swift 3X SF314 510G High 05
Over the summer, Intel announced its 11th generation Tiger Lake processors, which power the latest thin and light notebooks from various OEMs. In addition to bringing faster overall CPU performance compared to the preceding 10th generation Ice Lake processors, Tiger Lake also introduced the world to 12th generation Iris Xe integrated graphics (which offers a significant uptick in GPU performance).

Keeping that in mind, Acer has announced a first with its new Swift 3X laptop. At first glance, the Swift 3X doesn't seem to be that remarkable of a machine. It's available with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 or Core i7-1165G7 processor, up to 16GB of LPDDR4X memory, up to a 1TB SSD, and it comes with a 14-inch Full HD IPS display. But where things get interesting is that fact that it is the very first PC to ship with Intel's discrete Iris Xe MAX discrete GPU, which we previously discovered in Intel marketing materials.

Unfortunately, no other details were given regarding Xe MAX, although we've seen some leaked specifications and performance that show that it should offer competitive performance in entry-level market for discrete laptop GPUs. 

Acer Swift 3X SF314 510G High 01

“The Swift series has always been about pushing the envelope, trying to fit as much power into as portable a package as possible,” said Acer Co-COO Jerry Kao. “The new Swift 3x continues that mindset, with discrete graphics in a sleek chassis for those who need style and performance on the go.”

In addition to the Iris Xe MAX discrete GPU, Acer says that the Swift 3X weighs in at just 3.02 pounds and can last up to 17.5 hours per charge, which is quite respectable in this size class. In addition, it's claimed that the Swift 3X can be juiced up to 4 hours of runtime after just a 30-minute charge. As for connectivity, you won't be left wanting, as you'll find Bluetooth 5.x, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C and Thunderbolt 4 onboard this machine.

According to Acer, the Swift 3X (SF314-510G) will begin shipping in December priced from $899.

Brandon Hill

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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