Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
Acer gave the Swift 16 AI a massive haptic trackpad in its 2026 refresh.
It targets stylus creators, but might limit traditional office use, requiring some adaptation.
Panther Lake boosts performance and efficiency with a premium OLED display.
The Acer Swift 16 AI was one of my favorite laptops from 2025. It was a well-rounded, complete package for the price point: thin and light with a minimalist build, a vivid OLED display, and a banger of a battery for an accessible price, earning our Editor's Choice award.
So when I saw the 2026 refresh of the Swift 16 AI with the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" processor, I was excited to take it for a ride and see what Acer had in store.
Also: CES 2026 news: Live updates on TVs, smart glasses, robots, and more we've seen so far
My initial reactions were... mixed.
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