Hands on: Acer Spin 5 (2022) review

Acer Spin 5 (2022): Two Minute Preview

The Acer Spin 5 (2022) is the successor to one of the best 2-in-1 laptops out there and from what we’ve seen so far, it’s sure to continue the Spin 5 legacy.

We’ve previewed an early pre-production unit of the Spin 5, so we’ll need to see an actual production unit before we can comment specifically on the performance stats against its predecessor or its competitors. Still, the new Intel Alder Lake processor is definitely a snappy little CPU that chews productivity tasks and general computer work with ease.

Specification Sheet

Here is the Acer Swift 5 (2022) preview configuration sent to Ditching for review:
PROCESSOR: Intel Core i7-1260P
Graphic: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
Screen: 14″ 16:10, 2560 x 1600p
Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
Ports: 2 x Thuderbolt 4, 2 x USB Type-A, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 1 x HDMI, 1 x MicroSD, 1 x Kensington
Camera: 1080p

Design-wise, the preview unit we received is a fairly utilitarian product that doesn’t put much emphasis on premium aesthetics, and it shouldn’t. But we don’t expect much to change on that front either, as the Spin 5 has never been particularly flashy, and that’s okay. There’s room on the market for a 2-in-1 laptop that does exactly what it’s supposed to do at a great price, and the Spin 5 certainly fills that niche very well. However, once we get more details on the production units later this year, we’ll be able to say if it will price itself out.

That’s not to say the Spin 5 isn’t a well-designed product. It’s a pretty solid laptop in terms of construction and it’s comfortably lightweight. It doesn’t get too hot and there are plenty of ports, which is good to see, especially given the thin laptop.

The 16:10 screen is great for taking notes with the included stylus, which has its own garage to the side that both secures and charges it with the laptop.

The Wacom stylus is a bit small, so if you’re looking for a more pen-like option, you might have to make your own. Still, we definitely think the trade-off is worth it for the safety that comes with having a place to store the stylus and charge it on the go.

The webcam is Full HD and the screen is sharp and bright, but not necessarily bright enough to be used outside on a particularly sunny day. The keyboard and trackpad are comfortable, so it’s definitely a laptop you can use for a few hours without any problems.

The screen is also quite responsive to the stylus, which has 4,096 pressure levels with tilt detection, making it good for both taking notes and lightly sketching on the go. With up to 16GB of LPDDR5 and a Core i7 CPU, you should be able to run Adobe Photoshop and the like without too much trouble, although there’s only so much you can do even with the best 2-in-1 laptops.

This would definitely be an on-the-go solution to start some basic design work on your commute, then a full-fledged replacement for a creative workspace at home or office. The 16:10 screen doesn’t hurt, though, and makes note-taking easier than a 16:9 2-in-1 laptop.

This is a step back from the Acer Spin 5 (2020) in our opinion, which had a 3:2 aspect ratio, so it was even better for this purpose, but 16:10 could be a better compromise for those using the wider display ratio, but don’t want to feel like they’re locked in while taking notes.

We’ll be interested to see how the final design of the laptop takes shape, but even if nothing else changes, there’s a lot to like about this 2-in-1. Especially as a back-to-school item, the Acer Spin 5 (2022) is going to be a great choice for anyone looking for more power than a Chromebook can offer, but don’t want to spend a fortune on flashier venture 2-in-1s. , although business users will definitely get their money’s worth here.