A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 is a budget-friendly option, offering sufficient performance for general use, a touchscreen, and relatively light weight, making it suitable for carrying around. However, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) provides significantly more power especially for 3D, machine learning, or engineering tasks due to its advanced processor and graphics. The MacBook also boasts better build quality, a sharper and more color-accurate screen, superior speakers and webcam, and longer battery life. But it's also heavier and demands a premium price. If price is a primary concern and general use is the focus, the Acer Swift 3 might serve well, but for high-end performance and professional use, the MacBook Pro is the better choice despite its higher cost and added heft. 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
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- 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
7.7
9.1
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in general use mainly due to its superior CPU and GPU, higher-resolution Mini LED screen, and extensive battery life, which contributes to its very good rating; however, it is less portable and heavier compared to the Acer Swift 3, which has a touch-enabled IPS display, a competent CPU, and a design that emphasizes portability with its light weight and smaller screen size, making it a solid choice for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.8/10
1920 x 1080
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 3 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 3’s gaming limitations stem from its integrated Iris Xe GPU and standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz, making it fair for gaming and 3D tasks, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a more powerful M2 Pro GPU and a higher refresh rate of 120Hz, enhancing its capability for 3D work. However, despite the MacBook's better performance, its gaming potential is restricted due to the limited availability of popular games for macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.8
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.7/10
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 3 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) stands out for engineering and design due to a more powerful CPU and GPU, higher RAM speed, and superior screen quality, particularly in terms of resolution and color accuracy, which are crucial for precise design work. In contrast, the Acer Swift 3 is lighter and therefore more portable, offers a touchscreen which the MacBook does not, but has a less capable CPU and GPU combination and a lower quality screen, which might be less optimal for intensive engineering tasks and high-end design work.
Content Creation
7.6
9.1
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
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 3 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
7.6
8.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift 3 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
6.8
9.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift 3 provides a balanced screen, offering clarity and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but it falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels with a high-resolution display that offers vibrant colors and brightness levels that greatly benefit general use and professional design tasks, supported by an extensive color gamut coverage. However, like the Swift 3, the MacBook Pro's screen, despite its overall quality, isn't tailored for 3D tasks that require fast refresh rates for smooth motion.
Battery
12.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.2in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good 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 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$2,423
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) costs $2,423.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift 3 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $2,423 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 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 | 1920 x 1080 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 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 | 1080p | 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 3
See more
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 16 (2023)
See more
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 3 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Acer Swift 3 vs. Dell Inspiron 16 5620
VS
Compare Acer Swift 3 vs. Dell Inspiron 14 5425
VS
Compare Acer Swift 3 vs. HP Pavilion 15
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) vs. Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) vs. Eluktronics Mech-15 G3R
VS
Compare Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) vs. Razer Blade 14 (2023)
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
130,995
Recommendations made
28,383
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
