Acer has revealed its upcoming laptop – the Swift 3x – will feature a new ‘Intel Iris Xe MAX discrete graphics solution’, which looks to be Intel’s very first consumer GPU.
Intel has long been working on discrete graphics cards, with its new Xe graphics architecture offering scalability for everything between integrated graphics and super computer GPUs. But this marks the very first time we’ve seen news of a discrete Intel graphics solution being shipped to consumers.
Very little is known about the ‘Intel Iris Xe MAX’ graphics at this stage, with Intel expected to offer more information in the near future. However, in a press release for the Swift 3x, Acer said the new component helps to offer ‘powerful on-the-go performance for work and gaming’.
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Acer also revealed the Swift 3x will only weigh around 1.3kg, while also offering a claimed battery life up to 17.5 hours. Both figures suggest the Intel Iris Xe MAX won’t be as powerful as Nvidia’s GTX and RTX graphics cards.
We assume Intel will instead rival Nvidia’s MX graphics, which are often found in ultrabooks and budget laptops for a slightly more powerful boost than what integrated graphics typically offers.
Chris Walker (Corporate Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Client Platforms at Intel) said, “With the Swift 3x, we’ve partnered with Acer to unlock new capabilities for creators on thin-and-light laptops with the unmatched performance of 11th Gen plus the all-new Intel Iris Xe discrete graphics.”
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The Swift 3x laptop also features an 11th Generation Intel Core processor, WiFi 6 support and a generous number of ports that includes USB-C, Thunderbolt 4, and USB 3.2 Gen2.
The 14-inch FHD IPS display offers a 84% screen-to-body ratio, squashing down the bezel to slender size. Acer claims the display covers 72% of the NTSC colour gamut, but we’ll be waiting until we can test the laptop for our ourselves before making any final judgements.
The Acer Swift 3x will be available in Europe from December, with a starting price of £899 / €849. It will arrive in North America in the same month for $899.99.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.