The Acer Nitro 16 is generally less expensive, better suited for gaming with its high refresh rate display and dedicated Nvidia graphics, and has more RAM, which is advantageous for multitasking and more intensive computing tasks. It is heavier, making it less portable, and has a bulkier gaming laptop appearance. The Apple MacBook Pro 13", on the other hand, often costs slightly more and excels in portability and battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use. Its screen quality is excellent for general use and professional tasks, and it operates silently with a fanless design. It runs MacOS, which can be preferable for those invested in the Apple ecosystem or who prefer its interface and security features. If you need high performance for tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, the Acer Nitro 16 is a better choice, but for daily productivity, media consumption, and a balance between performance and portability, the MacBook Pro 13" is a compelling option. 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 Nitro 16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.6/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 stands out for engineering and design use due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and high-end Nvidia RTX GPU which deliver strong performance for computational and graphics-intensive tasks, complemented by a large 16-inch screen with good color coverage and high refresh rate. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022), with the efficient Apple M2 chip, offers good performance with 8 GB of RAM and integrated graphics, and excels in portability, keyboard quality, and speaker quality, while featuring a high-resolution display, but doesn't match the Acer's raw power for demanding engineering applications.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
7.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Nitro 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 offer clear, bright displays with high resolutions, which make for crisp text and vibrant visuals suitable for everyday tasks like browsing the web and streaming video. Engineers and designers will appreciate the wide color gamuts on both laptops, ensuring accurate color reproduction needed for detailed design work. However, gamers and 3D artists may find the Acer Nitro 16 lacking due to its lower refresh rate, which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced games and 3D rendering compared to screens with higher refresh rates.
Battery
9.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 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
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has very good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Nitro 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 boasts a higher refresh rate screen and a dedicated GPU suited for more intensive tasks, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 13, which offers exceptional portability, a longer battery life, and is known for its excellent build and speaker quality, making it exceptionally good for general use despite its less powerful GPU. The Acer provides ample performance for computing and gaming needs, while the MacBook Pro capitalizes on its efficiency and build quality for everyday tasks.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.0/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) to be very good for content creation, while the Acer Nitro 16 is good.
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
7.7/10
7.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Acer Nitro 16 are both good for software development.
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.
Cost
$1,275
$1,299
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,275 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) costs $1,299.
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How the Acer Nitro 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) compare to other laptops
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
"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 Nitro 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
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.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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