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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) depends on what's important to you. If you prioritize lightweight design and a larger, high-resolution OLED screen, the Acer Swift Edge 16 is a compelling choice. It also offers Windows 11, which might be preferable if you rely on specific Windows-based applications. Conversely, the MacBook Pro 13 with the Apple M1 chip is known for its superior battery life and performance efficiency. It's an excellent choice if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem and need a machine with fanless operation for a quieter environment. Both laptops are similarly priced, so consider if the benefits of macOS and Apple's hardware integration or the advantages of a Windows environment and a cutting-edge display are more aligned with your needs. 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 Edge 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.3
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.8
7.6
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a sharp display with great color accuracy, which enhances the visual experience for engineering and general tasks, but its lower refresh rate limits the smoothness required for high-end gaming and 3D applications. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) provides a high-resolution, bright screen suitable for detail-oriented work in engineering and comfortable everyday use, but like the Acer, it isn't optimized for gaming due to the standard refresh rate. Neither laptop caters well to the gaming or 3D realms where rapid on-screen action benefits significantly from higher refresh rates, making other devices with faster screens more suitable for those specific needs.
Battery
7.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 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
7.2
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$820
$1,249
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.7
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
20.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a larger OLED screen with a higher refresh rate, making it attractive for those who prioritize display quality and size in their typical usage, along with a generous amount of storage and RAM which makes multitasking more fluid, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) boasts a superior battery life and overall build quality including keyboard and speakers, coupled with the efficiency and power of the Apple M1 chip, which is highly suitable for general use scenarios where longevity and a robust ecosystem are valued. Given its lighter weight and silent operation, the MacBook Pro is also more portable, which might be preferable for users who frequently move around with their laptop.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.3
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 offers a superior gaming and 3D experience due to its dedicated AMD Radeon GPU and a high screen refresh rate, which are essential for smooth and detailed gameplay. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has an integrated GPU that provides fair 3D capabilities, but its lower refresh rate and the limitation that many popular games do not run on Macs make it less suitable for gaming.
Content Creation
8.1
7.8
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Edge 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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.
Software Development
7.9
7.8
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift Edge 16 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | 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 | 7 Hours | 20 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 58.2 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift Edge 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | October 2023
"The Acer Swift Edge 16 is a solid super thin-and-light that pairs a large, gorgeous 16-inch display with portable design that rivals the weight of LG’s superlight Gram 16. Remarkably, Acer achieves this at a lower price point without sacrificing performance. Boring design and disappointing battery life hold the laptop back from stardom, but its rivals frequently suffer in these areas, too. That makes the Swift Edge 16 an alluring value pick."
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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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 Edge 16 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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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
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Laptops evaluated
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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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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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