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Updated January 10, 2024·
When comparing the Acer Swift 14 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020), consider that while the Acer typically costs more, it offers a higher storage capacity, more RAM, and a more powerful Intel processor, which may provide better performance for intensive engineering tasks. The MacBook Air, despite its lower price and lower-spec hardware, has outstanding battery life and build quality. It runs silently due to its fanless design and uses Apple's own M1 chip, which still delivers good performance for general use and is optimized for longevity. If portability and battery life are a priority and you are comfortable with macOS, the MacBook Air is excellent. Conversely, if you need more power for demanding tasks and prefer Windows, the Swift 14 is a compelling option. Both laptops have their own merits, where the Acer Swift 14 leans towards performance and the MacBook Air emphasizes portability and user experience. 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 Swift 14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.6
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for general use because it provides a powerful Intel i7 processor with ample RAM and a high-resolution IPS screen, while maintaining a balance between weight and battery life for portability. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air (2020) offers good general use performance with its efficient Apple M1 chip and slightly better battery life, all in a lightweight design known for silent operation and a high-quality keyboard, despite having less RAM and storage.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for engineering and design, though the Acer Swift 14 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift 14 with its Intel i7 processor, abundant memory, and Iris Xe graphics is well-equipped for demanding engineering applications and has a high-resolution touchscreen display for detailed design work, although its battery life is shorter than the MacBook Air, which may affect portability.
Software Development
8.2
7.7
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
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
7.6
7.5
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
395.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When evaluating screen quality, the Acer Swift 14 shines in engineering and design due to its wider color gamuts, providing accurate colors necessary for precise work. For general use, both the Swift 14 and MacBook Air have screens with sufficient brightness, resolution, and panel types that ensure clarity and viewing comfort. However, gamers and 3D designers may find both laptops lacking, as their screens have lower refresh rates that can't deliver the smooth visuals required for fast-paced or highly detailed graphics.
Battery
9.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air has 15 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.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.2
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Swift 14 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 14 is equipped with a more capable GPU suitable for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a less powerful GPU that could limit performance in these areas. Additionally, the broader compatibility of Windows on the Acer Swift 14 allows for a wider selection of games, as opposed to the MacBook Air which runs MacOS and cannot support many popular games.
Content Creation
8.2
7.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
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 Acer Swift 14 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 14 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the Apple MacBook Air (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | Apple MacBook Air (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | November 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 2.8 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 49.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 395 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.1/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | 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 | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift 14
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Acer Swift 14 is good for school use. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts easily through a typical school day. You can configure the laptop with an FHD+ or QHD+ display; both look sharp and get bright enough to combat glare. The keyboard feels tactile but can be a little tiring to type on over an extended period, and while the touchpad is small, it's responsive to all movements and gestures. Its Intel 13th Gen. CPU can handle nearly every type of workload; however, its integrated graphics perform poorly, so it isn't ideal for students in technical fields like 3D graphics."
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the Apple MacBook Air (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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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
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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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