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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 14, with its more generous storage and memory, powerful Intel processor, and good screen resolution, is well-suited for intensive engineering tasks, though it might be less portable due to its weight. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is slightly lighter and boasts an impressive battery life, a high-resolution display, and the efficiency of the Apple M2 chip, which is ideal for longevity and general use. If the cost is a concern, the MacBook Air tends to be less expensive than the Acer Swift 14. 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
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6
7.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a screen with clear resolution and sufficient brightness for everyday tasks, but it lacks the color accuracy professionals need for design work and the high refresh rate gamers require for smooth visuals. The Apple MacBook Air's display adds superior color rendition for precision in engineering and creative applications, yet its screen still doesn't refresh quickly enough for optimal 3D experiences. Both laptops fall short for gaming due to their lower refresh rates, but they excel in clarity and color for general use and detailed design work.
Battery
9.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air 15 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 15 (2023) 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
$1,299
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) costs $1,299.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 14 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Acer Swift 14 excels in general use with its strong CPU and RAM, exceptional screen quality, and excellent portability and battery life, ensuring smooth performance and ease of use on the go. While the MacBook Air 15 (2023) also performs well for general tasks and has quality components, its slightly lower portability and battery life, compared to the Acer Swift 14, make it less suited for users who prioritize mobility and extended use away from power sources.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.5
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
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 15 (2023) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 14 is better suited for gaming and 3D due to its Iris Xe graphics, commonly more compatible with a wide range of games including popular titles, while the MacBook Air has an M2 GPU which is less versatile in game compatibility and generally supports fewer blockbuster titles. Additionally, the Swift 14's display, although having a standard refresh rate, is paired with a GPU more accustomed to gaming scenarios, whereas the MacBook Air's strengths in screen quality and battery life are countered by its fair 3D performance and limited game library due to macOS restrictions.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.6
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2
8.0
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 14 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for content creation.
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
8.2
8.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Swift 14 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very 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.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.4in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift 14 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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 15 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 13.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
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 | 66.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1864 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 501 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 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 1080p | |
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 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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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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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