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Updated January 10, 2024·
When considering between the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020), you'll see that the Acer is significantly less expensive and offers good value for everyday tasks and light productivity; however, the Apple MacBook Pro provides better overall performance, which is well-suited for more demanding tasks such as video editing or graphic design. The MacBook Pro also boasts a higher resolution display, longer battery life, and typically has a higher build quality. On the other hand, the Acer Aspire has a larger storage capacity out of the box. If portability and top-notch performance are crucial for you and budget is less of a concern, the MacBook Pro is the better choice. If saving money is important and your tasks are more general, the Acer should serve you well. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Acer Aspire 3 14
- The Acer Aspire 3 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
20.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers a notably better screen quality with a higher resolution and significantly better color accuracy than the Acer Aspire 3 14, which contributes to it being good for general use. Additionally, the MacBook Pro boasts superior battery life and portability, a quieter and more efficient heat management system, which together with its high-quality keyboard and speakers, outpaces the fair ratings of the Acer in these aspects for general usage.
Engineering and Design
6.1
7.3
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair.
The Acer Aspire 3 14, with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and AMD Radeon GPU, has a good balance of CPU and RAM for engineering tasks, but its screen quality and color accuracy are just fair, affecting design work where color fidelity is essential. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is equipped with an Apple M1 chip providing a strong combination of CPU and GPU performance, along with a higher-resolution display and superior color coverage, making it better suited for design and engineering applications.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.1
7.8
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.1
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 offers sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but its color range and refresh rate aren't tailored for specialized activities like engineering designs or smooth 3D rendering. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and wide color gamuts, making it ideal for detailed engineering work and vibrant general usage; though, for 3D applications, its standard refresh rate falls short of providing the ultra-smooth visuals desired by gamers or professionals in animation. Neither laptop has a screen optimized for high-end 3D performance, which requires fast refresh rates to handle the rapid image changes without motion blur or lag.
Battery
9.5 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Aspire 3 14 both have very good portability, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$434
$1,249
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.3
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 3 14 provides fair gaming performance with its AMD Radeon 610M GPU and standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, a typical setup for casual gaming, whereas the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is limited in gaming primarily because many games aren’t compatible with its MacOS, despite its fair 3D capabilities through the integrated Apple M1 GPU and likewise standard refresh rate. Both laptops offer fair CPUs and screen quality, but gaming choices and overall experience will be constrained on the MacBook compared to the Acer, particularly for popular game titles that require Windows.
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How the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 20 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 58.2 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
About Acer
Acer is a prominent Taiwanese electronics brand which makes a wide range of laptops, with multiple product lines catering to personal use, gaming, and business use. They are renowned for having exceptional value for money, as they frequently offer good specifications at a lower price than other manufacturers.
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Recommendations made
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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