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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is priced lower and may be less expensive than the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which comes at a premium price. If budget is a primary concern and you need a machine suitable for intensive gaming, the Acer is a good choice. The MacBook Pro, while more costly, offers powerful performance suited for intensive tasks and gaming, and it carries the added benefits of Apple's ecosystem in terms of software integration and build quality. When deciding, consider the importance of affordability versus performance and the value you place on software compatibility and hardware design. 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 portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.8
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
383.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a more powerful CPU and better screen quality, leading to its higher rating for general use, while the Acer Swift Edge 16 is lighter and offers longer battery life, making it more suitable for those prioritizing portability and off-charger use. Both laptops have sufficient RAM and high-quality screens, but the MacBook's superior performance and display attributes come at the cost of less portability due to higher weight.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.5
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is 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, high refresh rate OLED screen, lighter weight, and Windows operating system, is positioned for better gaming performance and 3D tasks, especially since many games are not compatible with macOS.
Engineering and Design
8.1
8.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Acer Swift Edge 16 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is equipped with a high-performance Ryzen CPU and Radeon GPU well-suited for most engineering applications, and a high-contrast OLED screen, but the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) surpasses it with even more powerful M3 Pro CPU and GPU, plus a brighter and higher-resolution Mini LED display for particularly demanding engineering tasks. While both offer sleek design and are relatively portable, the MacBook Pro has a larger battery offering more hours of use, but it is heavier, which might affect portability for some users.
Content Creation
8.1
8.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Acer Swift Edge 16 are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
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
8.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
9.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
383.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift Edge 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Swift Edge 16 provides a clear and bright display with sharp resolution, ideal for everyday tasks like web browsing and video streaming, but the Apple MacBook Pro 16 has an even more vibrant and sharper display, enhancing the visual experience. In engineering and design, both laptops offer wide color coverage, essential for color accuracy, with the MacBook Pro typically excelling in this area due to its industry-leading color fidelity. For gaming and 3D work, however, both laptops fall short as they prioritize resolution and color precision over high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion in fast-paced visuals.
Battery
7.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has 7 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
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
$3,099
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Swift Edge 16 has a price of $820 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) costs $3,099.
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How the Acer Swift Edge 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Edge 16 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$820 | $3,099 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.7'' x 0.51'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.73 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Apple M3 Pro (12C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 18 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 | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 383 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 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 16 (Late 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 Edge 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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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CEO and Laptops Editor
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