Acer’s answer to the MacBook Neo is a $699 laptop with Intel chips and 8GB of RAM | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyNotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.NotificationsNotificationsHamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Acer’s answer to the MacBook Neo is a $699 laptop with Intel chips and 8GB of RAMNotificationsNotificationsComments DrawerNotificationsCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGadgetsCloseGadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GadgetsNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsAcer’s answer to the MacBook Neo is a $699 laptop with Intel chips and 8GB of RAMFor Computex, Acer is also announcing a huge 18-inch Aspire laptop and a Nitro 16 gaming model with an AMD X3D chip.For Computex, Acer is also announcing a huge 18-inch Aspire laptop and a Nitro 16 gaming model with an AMD X3D chip.by Antonio G. Di BenedettoCloseAntonio G. Di BenedettoReviewer, LaptopsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Antonio G. Di BenedettoMay 29, 2026, 1:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.The Acer Swift Air 14. To compete against the Neo, you apparently have to cop another, more common MacBook name. Image: AcerAntonio G. Di BenedettoCloseAntonio G. Di BenedettoPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Antonio G. Di Benedetto is a reviewer covering laptops and the occasional gadget. He spent over 15 years in the photography industry before joining The Verge as a deals writer in 2021.Acer is aiming to take on the MacBook Neo more directly with a new Swift Air 14, a new 14-inch laptop that starts at $699. The laptop will use Intel’s lower-cost Core Series 3 “Wildcat Lake” chips — either Core 5 or Core 7 models, both of which are six-core processors. It comes in green, pink, purple, and a gray-ish blue with an all-aluminum chassis While the Neo is often criticized for its limited 8GB of RAM, the Swift Air will start with the same amount and be configurable with up to 16GB.According to Acer’s specs, the Swift Air will be about the same weight as Apple’s Neo at 2.76 pounds / 1.25kg, but it will be a little thicker (12.9mm at its thinnest point to the Neo’s all-around 12.7mm). The Swift’s screen is just 1920 x 1200 resolution with 350 nits of brightness (lower res and dimmer than the Neo), but it supports a speedier 120Hz refresh rate and Acer claims it will cover 100 percent of the sRGB color space. And if the Neo’s two USB-C ports aren’t enough for you, Acer has the edge with two faster Thunderbolt 4 ports and even a USB-A 3.2 — not bad.PreviousNext1/3The four colors of the Acer Swift Air 14. Image: AcerThe big unknown is the chip. Intel’s Wildcat Lake has thus far only appeared in some early benchmarks, where it showed promise in competing with the A18 Pro of the MacBook Neo. If it’s also efficient like its bigger sibling Panther Lake, then it could hopefully offer excellent battery life in a laptop like the Swift Air — which has a generous 70Wh (nearly double the Neo’s 36.5Wh capacity). But that 8GB of starting RAM obviously gives me pause. It’s workable on macOS, but Windows 11 is a different monster. And after pitting a Lunar Lake-equipped Acer Aspire 14 AI against the MacBook Neo earlier this year, I wonder what corners Acer might be cutting to reach $699. That Aspire had an MSRP of $1,050 and would dip down to sub-$600 on sale, but aside from its chip and port selection the Neo trounced it.The Swift Air is set to launch in North America in August, though it should arrive in July for other regions and sometime in Q3 for Australia.PreviousNext1/6I got a very brief preview of the Aspire 18 AI and a few other new Acer laptops. And I can attest that this is a big boy. Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergeAcer has a couple more intriguing laptops it’s announcing ahead of Computex: the Aspire 18 AI and the Nitro 16. The former is a massive 18-inch everyday laptop that I imagine is best for people who just want a big screen to move around the house. It’ll come with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) chip options, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of storage (complete with a second M.2 SSD slot). But while this large laptop weighs in at a reasonable 4.83 pounds / 2.19kg (not bad for an 18-incher), its huge screen has a resolution of just 1920 x 1200 — which doesn’t sound very crisp when stretched to such a big panel. At least it’s a speedy 165Hz refresh and decently bright 400 nits.PreviousNext1/6It might be a longshot these days, but hopefully this Nitro isn’t priced ridiculously high. An X3D chip in a remotely affordable gaming laptop should be compelling. Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergeAs for the Nitro 16, it’s one of the few gaming laptops out there configurable with a 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. That’s one of AMD’s flagship laptop chips, and the one it calls “the world’s fastest mobile gaming processor” thanks to its second-gen 3D V-cache — cramming much more cache on the CPU for the most graphically-demanding games. While the Nitro 16 is stacked on the CPU side, it’s made slightly more modest by maxing out with “only” an RTX 5070 Ti GPU. That might help it maintain some level of affordability, but we can’t say yet because pricing is still TBD for both the Nitro 16 and Aspire 18. So it’s hard to say what kind of value they offer. What we do know is that the Aspire 18 should ship in August for North America and other regions in July. The Nitro 16 is expected to launch in August for all regions.PreviousNext1/17Acer’s new flagship Predator Helios 18 AI gaming laptop. This refreshed model gets Thunderbolt 5 and a dual-mode Mini LED (4K / 120Hz or 1920 x 1200 / 240Hz). Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The VergeOutside of these laptops, Acer is also introducing an Aspire X 16 AI with up to an Intel Core Ultra X9, a new flagship Predator Helios 18 AI gaming laptop with Intel Arrow Lake Refresh, and an Intel Panther Lake variant of its recently announced Swift Spin 14 AI 2-in-1 — one that includes a stylus but lacks a garage to store it in. Pricing for all of these is TBD.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Antonio G. Di BenedettoCloseAntonio G. Di BenedettoReviewer, LaptopsPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Antonio G. 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Acer is positioning its laptop offerings in response to competitors like the MacBook Neo, launching new hardware and detailing specifications for various models. Acer’s direct answer to the MacBook Neo is the Swift Air 14, a laptop priced at $699 featuring Intel chips and 8GB of RAM. This device is designed to compete directly by adopting a familiar MacBook name. The Swift Air 14 will utilize Intel’s lower-cost Core Series 3 Wildcat Lake chips, specifically the Core 5 or Core 7 models, which are six-core processors. The chassis design features an all-aluminum construction in multiple colors, including green, pink, purple, and gray-ish blue. While the MacBook Neo is often criticized for having limited RAM, the Swift Air will start with 8GB of RAM and be configurable up to 16GB. Regarding physical design, the Swift Air is slated to be comparable in weight to the MacBook Neo at 2.76 pounds / 1.25kg, although it will be slightly thicker at 12.9mm at its thinnest point compared to the Neo’s all-around 12.7mm. Despite using lower resolution and brightness than the Neo, the Swift Air boasts a 1920 x 1200 display with 350 nits of brightness, but it offers a faster 120Hz refresh rate and claims coverage of 100 percent of the sRGB color space. In terms of connectivity, the Swift Air provides two faster Thunderbolt 4 ports and a USB-A 3.2 port, offering expanded connectivity options.

The performance implications of the selected hardware are central to the Swift Air's appeal. The use of Intel’s Wildcat Lake chips remains a point of interest, as initial benchmarks suggested potential competitiveness against the A18 Pro in the MacBook Neo. If these chips demonstrate efficiency similar to the Panther Lake sibling, they could provide excellent battery life, supported by a generous 70Wh battery capacity, nearly double the Neo’s 36.5Wh. However, the 8GB of starting RAM represents a potential constraint, as the user must consider the different operating system environments, noting that while it is workable on macOS, Windows 11 presents a different challenge. The context of Acer’s other products also suggests a strategic approach. Ahead of Computex, Acer is announcing a larger portfolio, including the Aspire 18 AI and the Nitro 16 gaming model, both featuring AMD X3D chips.

The Aspire 18 AI is presented as a large, 18-inch everyday laptop, intended for users prioritizing screen real estate. It offers options with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Panther Lake chips, configurable up to 32GB of RAM, and storage options up to 2TB with support for a second M.2 SSD slot. Although the 18-inch screen resolution is 1920 x 1200, and it features a 165Hz refresh rate and 400 nits brightness, its physical size is reasonable at 4.83 pounds / 2.19kg. The Nitro 16 gaming laptop features a 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor, which is advertised as offering superior performance for graphically demanding games due to its second-generation 3D V-cache, positioning it as a capable mobile gaming processor. This model is tempered by the inclusion of an RTX 5070 Ti GPU, which may help maintain affordability, although final pricing for both the Nitro 16 and Aspire 18 remains undetermined. Acer is also introducing other devices such as the Aspire X 16 AI with Intel Core Ultra X9, a flagship Predator Helios 18 AI gaming laptop with Intel Arrow Lake Refresh, and an Intel Panther Lake variant of the Swift Spin 14 AI 2-in-1. The launch timing for these new products is planned for August in North America, with other regions receiving them in July or Q3.