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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 is typically much less expensive than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020), offering a larger storage capacity and more RAM, which can be beneficial for multitasking and storage-intensive tasks. It runs on Windows and has a touchscreen, which the MacBook lacks. The MacBook Pro, however, has a higher-resolution screen and superior build quality, along with a better keyboard and speakers. The MacBook also provides longer battery life and operates silently without a fan, making it a good fit for those prioritizing longevity and a quiet work environment. The MacBook is also slightly heavier and more expensive, but it may justify its cost with higher overall build quality and performance scores for general, 3D/machine learning, and engineering tasks. If price is a major factor and you need Windows compatibility, the Acer Swift 3 could be a more suitable choice, but if you prioritize build quality and longer battery life and don't mind the higher price, the MacBook Pro could be a more apt selection. 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 3
- The Acer Swift 3 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- 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
Screen Quality
6.8
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, AI, and engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a decent balance with respectable resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and engineering applications but falls short for gaming due to its limited refresh rate. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 excels with a high-resolution display and wide color gamut support, providing sharp images and accurate colors crucial for both general use and professional design work, yet it's not the best fit for 3D applications due to the lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops. Both laptops are not optimal for gaming or 3D rendering purposes where high refresh rates are key to a smooth visual experience.
Battery
12.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 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.
Build Quality
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$1,249
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
20.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Acer Swift 3 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.3
3.7/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3 is fair for gaming and 3D applications because it comes with Intel's Iris Xe graphics, which is capable for moderate gaming but not top-tier right out of the box, and it has a standard screen refresh rate which is fine for casual gaming but may not be enough for competitive play. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is also fair for 3D work, supported by its Apple M1 integrated graphics; however, the limitation is the availability of games since many do not run natively on macOS, despite its high-quality display and GPU capabilities.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift 3 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift 3 with its Intel CPU, ample RAM, and Iris Xe graphics is well-suited for engineering tasks and has a touch-enabled Full HD screen, offering very good portability and a good keyboard, though its speaker quality and screen color coverage are modest.
Content Creation
7.6
7.8
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift 3 are both 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
7.6
7.8
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift 3 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift 3 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 20 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 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 | 309 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 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 | 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 | 1080p | 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 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | February 2022
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
See more
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 Swift 3 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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