When looking for the best laptops, a few brands will constantly appear on various lists. Companies like HP, Dell, and Acer all make fantastic devices, so they're almost always at the top of our recommendations. But if you're looking for a specific brand, some laptops can sometimes fly under the radar, even though they're still fantastic. And if you're a fan of Acer's offerings, we've rounded up some of the best options you can buy today right here.

Acer makes great laptops in all kinds of segments. Whether it's premium thin-and-light devices, powerful gaming rigs, or even affordable Chromebooks, you're sure to find something you like here.

Our top Acer laptop picks in 2023

Front view of the Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023)
Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023)
Best overall

A lightweight laptop with a beautiful OLED screen

The Acer Swift Edge 16 is one of Acer's best laptops. It has an OLED screen and features AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. It's also super lightweight and portable, making it an ideal laptop for use on the go.

Pros
  • Super sharp OLED display
  • Thin and light
  • Had AMD Ryzen 7000 sieres CPU
Cons
  • OLED might kill battery life
  • No GPU for content creation

OLED displays are becoming more and more common in the laptop space, and Acer's most recent attempt knocks it out of the park. The new Acer Swift Edge 16 features not only a fantastic OLED panel but also some top-tier specs and an ultra-light design.

Let's start with those specs. Models available right now are powered by AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs — the Ryzen 7 7840U on the newest model or the Ryzen 7 7735U from a previous refresh. This powerful Ryzen 7 7840U CPU gives you eight cores and 16 threads, so you can count on excellent performance for everyday tasks. It also includes 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, so you're set up for a great experience across the board.

The display on the Acer Swift Edge 16 is one of its main draws, however. This new model has a 16-inch OLED panel with a tall 16:10 aspect ratio, and it comes with a super-sharp 3200x2000 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate on the model with the new Ryzen 7 7840U or a 3840x2400 resolution on the model with the Ryzen 7 7735U. Either way, you're getting a great all-around display, especially for watching movies. There's a 1440p webcam above the display, so the video quality should be solid for video calls and meetings.

Something else that makes the Acer Swift Edge 16 special is that it's incredibly light. At 2.6 pounds, you're not going to find 16-inch laptops lighter than this one, and the 12.95mm thickness is equally impressive. The laptop also comes in a dark green colorway called Olivine Black, so it's subdued without being overly boring.

Finally, in terms of ports, we're looking at two USB Type-C ports, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack. For a laptop this thin and light, that's a great selection of ports, and it's hard to ask for more.

Angled front view of the Acer Swift 14 facing right
Acer Swift 14
Second best

A solid laptop

The Acer Swift 14 is a productivity laptop with a striking dual-tone design and the latest 13th-generation Intel H-series CPUs. It's plenty fast, it looks great, it has a sharp display, and even a 1440p webcam, which is very rare in a laptop.

Pros
  • Very fast 13th-gen H-series Intel Core processors
  • Sharp Quad HD+ display with a 16:10 aspect ratio
  • 1440p webcam with noise reduction
  • Solid port selection
Cons
  • Battery life suffers due to the processor choice
  • No Windows Hello facial recognition (though there is a fingerprint reader)

The Acer Swift 14 is the follow-up to the Swift 5 of years past, and it's more powerful than ever, featuring a 13th-generation Intel Core i7-13700H processor with 14 cores and 20 threads. That's a fairly uncommon processor for an ultrabook, but it does mean performance should be great, though it will impact battery life somewhat. It also comes with 16GB of RAM and up to a 1TB SSD, making for a great experience overall.

The display is also fantastic. This laptop comes with a 14-inch panel that has a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it packs a very sharp Quad HD+ resolution, so everything looks crystal clear. It's pretty much the only configuration available, which isn't a bad thing because it looks great. Above that display is a 1440p webcam, so you'll get one of the best laptop webcams around, though it lacks Windows Hello support (you get a fingerprint reader for that, though).

Design-wise, the Acer Swift 14 is pretty much the same as last year's Swift 5, and that's not a bad thing. It uses a mix of dark green surfaces with golden accents, and it looks great, on top of simply being unique. It's also a very thin laptop and very light, at 2.65 pounds, making this a great machine for portability. As for ports, we're looking at two Thunderbolt 4 ports, USB Type-A, HDMI, and a headphone jack, which is a better setup than most premium 14-inch laptops.

There's no doubt the Acer Swift 14 is one of the best laptops the company makes, with a great combination of specs and features across the board. You can't really ask for much more here.

Angled view of the Acer Spin 5 in tent mode facing right
Acer Spin 5
Best convertible

A versatile form factor with high-end specs

The Acer Spin 5 is a convertible laptop with 12th-generation Intel processors, as well as other high-end specs. It has a more subdued design than the Acer Swift 14, but it has a touchscreen with pen support, and it even includes a garaged stylus for easy access.

Pros
  • Sharp Quad HD+ display with touch and pen support
  • Garaged stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure
  • High-end performance
Cons
  • It no longer has the latest processors available
  • Hard to find at most retailers
  • Not quite as good-looking as its clamshell counterpart

If you're looking for something a bit more versatile, the Acer Spin 5 is a convertible version of the Swift 14, and the two have a lot in common. It hasn't been refreshed for 2023 yet, but the 2022 model is still very good.

First off, the Acer Spin 5 uses last year's Intel's 12th-generation Core processors, up to a Core i7-1260P, which has 12 cores and 16 threads. This CPU might be a year old, but it's still capable of delivering very good performance in day-to-day tasks. It may actually yield better battery life than an H-series processor, too, so that's a potential benefit over the Swift 14. That's also paired with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage.

When it comes to the display, the Acer Spin 5 is nearly identical to the Swift 14. It has a 14-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and Quad HD+ resolution, so the viewing experience is very good right off the bat. Since it's a convertible, this model also supports touch and pen input, and there's even a stylus built right into the laptop, with 4,096 levels of pressure, so it's pretty good for writing and drawing. Above the display is a 1080p webcam, which is always nice to see, though not quite as good as the one on the Swift 14. Windows Hello support comes via a fingerprint sensor, as with most Acer laptops.

The Acer Spin 5 doesn't look as unique as the Swift 14, however, opting for a single-color chassis that's a bit more subdued. However, it's still thin and light, weighing just 2.87 pounds. It still has a good selection of ports, too, including two Thunderbolt 4 and two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader, similar to the clamshell model above.

All things considered, the Acer Spin 5 is a fantastic laptop, as you'd expect from a convertible counterpart of the Swift 14.

Angled front view of the Acer Predator Helios 16 facing right
Acer Predator Helios 16
Best gaming laptop

Beastly performance with a sleek design

The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a powerful gaming laptop with 13th-gen Intel Core HX-series processors and up to GeForce RTX 4080 graphics. It can run the most demanding games without issue, and it has a sharp and smooth display.

Pros
  • 24-core Intel processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series graphics
  • Quad HD+ display with up to 240Hz refresh rate
  • Plenty of ports
Cons
  • More powerful models get pretty expensive
  • No Windows Hello support
  • Super heavy

One market where Acer does an especially good job is gaming, and the latest Predator Helios 16 is an easy one to recommend if you're looking for a great gaming laptop.

It's already packing the latest goods, including 13th-generation Intel Core HX-series processors, which means you get up to 24 cores and 32 threads (with the Core i9-13900HX). The laptop also comes with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, so you have a ton of power to run all the latest games without issue. It also comes with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

You'll also have a great display to enjoy your favorite games on. The 16-inch panel comes in Quad HD+ resolution, and it has a 165Hz refresh rate in the base model, though you can upgrade to a 240Hz panel if you get a more powerful GPU. A 250Hz Mini LED model is also planned but isn't available yet. There's a 1080p webcam atop that display, which is always nice to see in a gaming laptop. Unfortunately, Windows Hello support is missing altogether here.

Being a powerful gaming laptop means portability is secondary, and with a starting weight of 6.39 pounds, that holds true here. But the Predator Helios 16 looks fairly sleek, and it's accented by per-key RGB lighting and a light strip at the back. It also packs a ton of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 connections, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, a headphone jack, and even a microSD card reader. It's a great setup all around, as is typical for gaming laptops.

It can get fairly expensive if you want a high-end model, but the Acer Predator Helios 16 is an easy laptop to recommend to anyone who's serious about gaming at the highest settings.

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Acer Chromebook 516 GE
For cloud gaming

For streaming games

While it is powered by ChromeOS and might come with a learning curve, if you're looking for a laptop to stream your favorite games through a cloud gaming service like Xbox Game Pass or Nvidia GeForce now, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE will impress you.

Pros
  • Great 20Hz screen with 16:10 aspect ratio
  • Flashy RGB keyboard
  • Has a good port selection
Cons
  • No touchscreen
  • ChromeOS will have a learning curve

So far, we've focused on traditional Windows laptops. But if you're subscribed to cloud gaming services like Xbox Game Pass or Nvidia GeForce Now, and you're always streaming your games to your laptop or phone, the Acer Chromebook 516 GE will be a good choice for you. You might have a learning curve due to ChromeOS, but this laptop has a fantastic display, a great keyboard, and speakers, and it's plenty fast.

The Acer Chromebook 516 GE sports 12th-generation Intel CPUs. It's a Core i5-1240P onboard this unit. That won't matter much for cloud gaming, but for playing games locally on Steam in beta, those specs will make this Chromebook decent enough. The screen on this Chromebooks is also top-notch since it has a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is going to make your games play smoothly, and the tall aspect ratio is also good enough for general productivity.

Elsewhere, this is a solid Chromebook when it comes to design. It's made of aluminum, and this Chromebook also has an RGB keyboard, which can light up your life when typing and gaming. Usually, that's something you'd only see on a Windows laptop. Port selection is pretty solid here, too, since you get one USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, one HDMI port, one Ethernet (RJ45) port, one 3.5 mm headphone jack, and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2. If you're wondering about all the other reasons we love this laptop, check out our hands-on review of the Acer Chromebook 516 GE.

ANgled front view of the Acer Swift X 16 facing left
Acer Swift X 16 (2023)
Best laptop for creators

Powerful performance and a color-accurate display

The Acer Swift X 16 is a great laptop for content creators. It comes with Zen 4-based AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors and also has the power of 75W Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics. Best of all, it has an OLED display that'll bring content on the screen to life.

Pros
  • Has OLED display
  • Features Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics
  • Great connectivity
Cons
  • Expensive
  • No Thunderbolt

Some laptops need power for gaming, but others need it for professional reasons. If you need a laptop to handle advanced content creation, the Acer Swift X 16 is for you.

Indeed, this is a powerful laptop, featuring an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS with eight cores and 16 threads, paired with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card with 75W of power that should make quick work of all kinds of creative workloads, whether you're editing video or rendering 3D scenes. In addition, this configuration includes 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

The display is also a big factor with creator laptops like this, and the Acer Swift X 16 has a large 16-inch OLED panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a very sharp 3200x2000 resolution. There's also an alternate model with an IPS screen that has a 2560x1600 resolution. The screen also covers 100% of DCI-P3, so it's great for color-sensitive work like photo and video editing. Above that display, you also get a Full HD 1080p webcam, ensuring you look your best during video calls and online meetings. The webcam has support for Acer’s TNR technology, which means you get a high-quality video feed in low-light conditions.

Design-wise, the Acer Swift X is fairly simple. It comes in an all-black chassis, and while there's no RGB, the keys are backlit in white. The laptop weighs 3.41 pounds, which isn't exactly light, but it's about what you might expect for a powerful machine like this. It has a lot of ports, too, with two Thunderbolt 4 and two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader.

Front view of the Acer Aspire Vero 15-inch laptop
Acer Aspire Vero 15-inch
Best budget laptop

A solid, eco-friendly laptop that doesn't break the bank

The 15-inch Acer Aspire Vero comes with 12th-generation Intel Core processors and other solid specs, packed into an eco-friendly chassis using recycled plastics. It also has a lot of ports, so it can connect all your peripherals, and it even has a 1080p webcam.

Pros
  • Solid performance with a 12th-gen Intel Core i5
  • Eco-friendly and upgradeable design meant to reduce waste
  • 1080p webcam, rare at this price point
Cons
  • Plastic design may feel a bit cheap
  • The keyboard isn't the most comfortable

High-end laptops can get ridiculously expensive, but you don't have to spend a fortune to have a good experience with your laptop. The Acer Aspire Vero is a great example of that, and it's also surprisingly affordable.

Inside the Acer Aspire Vero are 12th-generation Intel processors, up to a Core i7-1255U, though our focus here is on the Core i5-1235U model. That version gives you a 10-core, 12-thread CPU that already delivers great performance. It also has 8GB of RAM and a large 512GB SSD, which is very nice to see at this price.

The display is unremarkable, but it's within expectations for a laptop in this price range. It's a 15.6-inch panel with a regular 16:9 aspect ratio, and it comes in Full HD resolution. That won't be the sharpest display, but it's more than good enough for basic use. Above that display is a 1080p webcam, which is also very nice to see for a laptop this affordable.

A big focus for the Acer Aspire Vero is the eco-friendly design, featuring an unpainted chassis made of recycled materials, showing speckles throughout the surface of the laptop and resulting in a fairly unique look. Many parts of the laptop use recycled materials, including ocean-bound plastics used for the touchpad. The R and E letters are printed backward, which can be somewhat distracting, but if you can get over that and the somewhat squeaky keys, you should be okay with this laptop.

Rounding things out with ports, you get one Thunderbolt 4 port, plus there are three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and a headphone jack. It's a surprisingly complete setup, and the inclusion of Thunderbolt support is especially interesting considering the price.

The Acer Aspire Vero is a great laptop for the price, covering all the basics you could ask it to. It has great performance, a solid display and webcam, and a unique environmentally-friendly design. We've reviewed the 14-inch model if you'd like to learn more about it.

Angled view of the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 in stand mode
Acer Chromebook Spin 714 (2023)
Best Chromebook

One of the fastest ChromeOS laptops, for a reasonable price

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is one of the best Chromebooks on the market, with 13th-generation Intel Core processors and a 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, all for a relatively affordable price. It's also a convertible, so it has some extra versatility.

Pros
  • 12th-gen Intel Core processors deliver great performance on ChromeOS
  • Great 16:10 aspect ratio screen
  • 1080p webcam
Cons
  • ChromeOS might have a learning curve
  • No biometrics

The Acer Chromebook Spin 714 is one of the very best Chromebooks on the market, even when you consider other brands. If you want a ChromeOS laptop from Acer, this is the one for you.

For starters, it comes with 13th-generation Intel Core processors, up to a Core i5-1335U. This CPU is what you'd find in the latest Windows laptops. It performs great on ChromeOS, and you'll get better battery life than you would with a Windows laptop. Additionally, you get 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD for storage.

Coming from the original Acer Chromebook Spin 713, this new model has a larger 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, which is a bit wider. The base model has Full HD+ resolution, but the top-tier configuration goes up to Quad HD+, which is even better. Since this is a convertible, it supports touch and pen input (plus, the pen is even built into the laptop itself). At the top of the screen, the webcam has been upgraded from a 720p sensor to a 1080p one, so you should look that much clearer during video calls or online classes.

On the design front, the Acer Chromebook Spin 714 uses a premium aluminum chassis, and it comes in a subdued but fairly unique Slate Blue colorway, which helps it stand out from the sea of silver laptops on the market. Coming around to the ports, we're looking at a pretty good setup with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB Type-A port, HDMI, and a headphone jack, providing solid coverage for all the needs you might have. For a relatively light and thin laptop, it's not bad at all.

It's hard to recommend any other Chromebook when this model exists, so if you're in the ChromeOS ecosystem, this is definitely one you should pick up.

Best Acer laptops in 2023: The bottom line

Out of all these picks, the Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023) takes the cake due as Acer's best laptop due to having the best possible AMD processors with fantastic performance, a beautiful design that's also lightweight, a great OLED display, and a rare 1440p webcam. It's the complete package, and it definitely earns its recommendation.

Front view of the Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023)
Acer Swift Edge 16 (2023)
The best Acer laptop

A lightweight laptop with a beautiful OLED screen

The Acer Swift Edge 16 is one of Acer's best laptops with an OLED screen. It features AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. It's also super lightweight and portable, making it an ideal laptop for use on the go.

If you want something cheaper, the Acer Aspire Vero is a much cheaper alternative that doesn't make as many compromises as you might expect. It still has solid performance and good connectivity, and while it lacks a more premium build quality, the eco-friendly design also helps make it more interesting. Considering the price, it's definitely great to see an effort to be more sustainable.

Are you not an Acer kind of person? No worries — check out our lists of the best HP laptops, or maybe even the best Lenovo laptops if that's more your speed.