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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) depends on your preferences and needs. The Acer is lighter and typically less expensive, offering a high-resolution OLED screen and ample storage, making it a good choice for general use and media consumption. In contrast, the MacBook Pro, while heavier and typically more expensive, delivers stronger performance, suitable for more intensive tasks like 3D work, machine learning, or professional-grade software development. Additionally, the MacBook Pro's Mini LED display and longer battery life are significant for those who prioritize screen quality and mobile work time. Both have solid build quality and modern designs, but the MacBook Pro includes a longer track record of build quality due to Apple's reputation. If you need Windows-specific software or prefer a less expensive machine, go for the Acer. If budget is less of a concern and you want top performance or are embedded in the Apple ecosystem, the MacBook Pro is the better choice. 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
- The Acer Swift Edge 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.5
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a higher quality build, better keyboard, speakers, and manages heat more efficiently compared to the Acer Swift Edge 16, which translates to a more premium experience for general use. While both laptops are equipped with strong CPUs and sufficient RAM for general tasks, the MacBook Pro offers longer battery life and a more vibrant screen, which enhances usability and viewing pleasure over longer periods.
Software Development
7.9
8.4
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 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
8.8
9.2
16.0in
SIZE
14.2in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Swift Edge 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) both offer superior screen characteristics like high resolution and brightness that enhance visual clarity and detail, making them excellent for everyday tasks and professional engineering or design work where color accuracy is crucial. The MacBook Pro stands out with its wider color gamut support, ensuring more precise color representation vital for professional-grade engineering and design applications. However, for 3D applications and gaming, which benefit from higher refresh rates for smoother visuals, both laptops may fall short compared to specialized gaming laptops, as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over refresh speed.
Battery
7.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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.
Build Quality
7.2
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) 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
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.0
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) to be good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Edge 16, with its AMD Radeon 780M GPU and high refresh rate screen is well-equipped for gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the Apple MacBook Pro 14, despite having a capable M2 Pro GPU and similar refresh rate, may not support many popular games due to macOS limitations. Both laptops offer quality screens, but the Swift Edge prioritizes GPU performance, which gamers will appreciate, while the MacBook Pro offers strong CPU and GPU performance for 3D work within macOS-friendly environments.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.4
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Acer Swift Edge 16 are both very 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
8.1
8.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Acer Swift Edge 16 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.2in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) 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 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Apple M2 Pro (10C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 489 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 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 | N/A | 4 | |
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 14 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Edge 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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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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.
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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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