It’s rare that I’m actually blown away by a new laptop, but Acer’s new Swift Air 16 is almost unbelievable. It’s a full-sized 16-inch laptop that somehow weighs less than a 13-inch MacBook Air, and looks absolutely fantastic while doing so.
Acer launches a ridiculously lightweight 16-inch laptop
This ultra-lightweight laptop is a real feat of engineering. It weighs less than 1kg (2.18lbs), yet still manages to pack in a 16-inch display, something rarely seen.
But it’s not that Acer has cut corners with the Swift Air 16. The laptop’s frame is manufactured from a super lightweight magnesium-aluminum alloy, which keeps the weight down but will also protect the laptop during daily use.
The Swift Air 16 uses AMD’s Ryzen AI 300-Series CPUs, with three different configurations available: the AI 5 330, AI 5 340, and AI 7 350. Each comes equipped with integrated graphics, but you won’t be cranking out the latest Call of Duty; these are for productivity, and some lightweight gaming is a bonus.
By extension, the use of AMD’s AI-enabled chips means the Swift Air 16 is a Copilot+ laptop. That means you can use some of the integrated AI features in Windows, such as the Recall preview, Click to Do preview, and AI-powered Windows Search. Copilot should also run well on the device if that’s your go-to chatbot.
There are also choices to be made when it comes to the Swift Air 16 screen. The screen also affects the laptop’s final weight. So, the 16-inch WUXGA IPS 60Hz screen weighs 0.99kg, but if you opt for the higher quality WQXGA+ AMOLED 120Hz screen, the weight creeps up to 1.1kg (2.43lbs). Either way, it’s still incredibly lightweight.
And in terms of memory and storage, the Swift Air 16 is available with up to 32GB RAM and up to a 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD.
The keyboard is smooth and easy to type on, and I found the trackpad responsive. There are also sufficient ports around the device, with two USB-C, a USB 3.2 Type-A, and HDMI 1.4 support.
This combination of features and its ultra-lightweight design won the Acer Swift Air 16 a coveted spot on our best of IFA 2025 list.
It has a smaller battery than I was expecting
My only real concern with the Swift Air 16 is the battery. Acer opted a relatively small 50Wh Li-ion cell, which for modern laptops (and especially ones this size) is on the small-side. Acer’s Swift Air 16 press release claims battery life of up to 13 hours “based on video playback test results,” but didn’t reveal what criteria those tests used.
I could well be wrong, though. A small frame of reference comes from the Acer Swift 16 AI, released earlier in 2025, which has a 70Wh battery. In PC Mag’s battery test, the Swift 16 AI lasted for more than 20 hours of continuous video playback, making it easily one of the best on the market.
So while the new Acer Swift Air 16 has a smaller battery, Acer obviously knows a thing or two about battery efficiency. And, realistically, the chances of you being away from any source of power for 13 hours are slim. You can even find charging points on most long-haul flights, and most people carry a backup battery when they’re going on a long trip.
How can a 16-inch laptop weigh so little?
Having picked up and had a play with the Acer Swift Air 16 at IFA 2025, it really is remarkably light for a laptop of this size (and in fairness, processing power). Acer has recognized the need for larger devices that are actually portable.
The Acer Swift Air 16 is launching in November 2025 and will start at 999 euros. At the time of writing, there is no official US launch date or price.
