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AMD Scores Big Wins With Ryzen In New Acer Nitro 5 And Swift 3 Notebooks

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Intel may still hold onto a massive lead in terms of mobile/notebook CPU market share over rival AMD, but intense competition from AMD with its Ryzen family of processors, in conjunction to some recent Intel CPU shortages, has allowed the Sunnyvale-based chipmaker to make some serious in-roads as of late. Case in point: In advance of the massive Computex trade show that’s due to kick-off in Taipei, Taiwan in just a few days, Acer announced that it would be employing 2nd Generation AMD Ryzen mobile processors in two semi-new products, the Nitro 5 and Swift 3 notebooks.

The Acer Nitro 5 Powered By AMD Ryzen.

Acer

To be fair, the Nitro 5 and Swift 3 aren’t brand-new. Both machines already exist in Acer’s notebook line-up, but current models are powered by Intel processors and NVIDIA GPUs. These newly announced Nitro 5 and Swift 3 machines, however, have been refreshed with AMD’s 2nd Generation Ryzen processor platform and Radeon RX-series graphics.

The Acer Nitro 5 Targets Mobile Gamers.

Acer

The Acer Nitro 5 and Swift 3 target two completely different markets. The Nitro 5 is a larger, more powerful machine with a discrete GPU that targets mobile gamers. The new Nitro 5 will be powered by up to a 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen 7 3750H quad-core / eight-thread processor (boost clock up to 4GHz) paired to a Radeon RX 560X discrete GPU. The Nitro 5 also features a 15.6” HD display, backlit keyboard with highlighted WASD and arrow keys, Gigabit Wi-Fi 5 with 2x2 MU-MIMO technology and packet-prioritization software, and an array of ports including HDMI 2.0 and USB Type-C 3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps), in addition to a handful of more common, full-sized USB Type-A ports.

The Acer Swift 3 Has A 14" Display And Aluminum Design.

Acer

The Acer Swift 3 is a more compact and understated machine that targets road warriors and professional productivity use cases. It features a 14” display and aluminum design, with thin bezels on 3 sides to keep the notebook slim and portable. The display features a 180-degree hinge, so the machine can lay completely flat, and the system weighs in at only 3.2lbs (with a maximum thickness of .71 “ (or 17.95mm).

The Acer Swift 3 Powered By AMD Ryzen.

Acer

Powering the Acer Swift 3 will be up to a 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen 7 3700U quad-core / eight-thread processor (boost clock up to 4GHz) with on-die Radeon Vega Graphics, though an optional discrete AMD Radeon 540X GPU will also be available in some models.

The new Nitro 5 and Swift 3 with 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen mobile processors will be on display in Acer’s showcase in Taipei from May 28 to June 2, but so far there’s been no word on pricing or when the systems will be made available stateside. It’s likely they’ll arrive in time for the back-to-school shopping season or in time for the holidays at the latest.