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Updated January 10, 2024·
In choosing between the Acer Swift 14 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023), consider the following: If you prefer a more affordable, highly portable laptop with good general performance and a touch screen, the Acer Swift 14 is suitable. For demanding workloads like 3D rendering, engineering, and machine learning, the MacBook Pro offers superior performance, a longer battery life, and better speakers but comes at a higher price and increases weight. Both have similar RAM and storage capacity, but the MacBook's display is of higher quality with a Mini LED panel, higher brightness, and a greater color gamut, which may be important for creative professionals. 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
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent 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
8.2
9.1
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Acer Swift 14 is very good.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a blend of portability and performance with a quality screen, balanced by its good battery life, making it suitable for various general use cases, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels at demanding tasks due to its powerful CPU and RAM, paired with an exceptional screen and speakers, although it is less portable and pricier, it maintains a long battery life for extended work sessions. Both laptops come with a quality keyboard and sufficient storage, but the MacBook Pro's higher specifications make it better suited for more intensive tasks beyond general use.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.4
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 14 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 14, equipped with an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, handles gaming well on Windows where most games are available, but its performance in 3D tasks can't match the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which boasts a higher screen refresh rate and a superior M2 Pro GPU, making it more suitable for high-end 3D applications, although software compatibility is a concern due to the limited range of games that run on macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.9
8.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers superior screen quality with its higher resolution and brightness, as well as a more powerful GPU, making it very good for engineering and design; however, it is less portable and heavier than the Acer Swift 14, which also has competent CPU and RAM for engineering tasks but a less capable GPU and screen, yet it is lighter, making it good for on-the-go engineering and design work. Both laptops have ample RAM and high-quality displays, but the MacBook's Mini LED display and longer battery life make it a stronger choice for intensive design tasks, whereas the Acer Swift 14's IPS display and lower weight offer a balance between performance and mobility.
Content Creation
8.2
9.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the Acer Swift 14 is very 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
8.2
8.9
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and Acer Swift 14 are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) 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
7.6
9.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.2in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
Choosing the Acer Swift 14 for general activities is a practical choice due to its sufficient resolution and brightness, ensuring everyday tasks are enjoyable, but its lower refresh rate may not suit 3D applications. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) offers exceptional screen detail and a wide range of colors, ideal for engineers and designers needing accuracy, but like the Acer, its screen's refresh rate is not tailored for the high demands of 3D gaming. Overall, for both laptops, while their display qualities serve general use and professional creative work well, gaming enthusiasts looking for fluid motion may find the lower refresh rates less than ideal.
Battery
9.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
Excellent
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.2in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift 14 has excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
$2,423
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) costs $2,423.
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $2,423 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.1/10 | 7.6/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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 Pro 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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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