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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Go 14 is a wallet-friendly option that offers a decent balance for everyday tasks, with touch capabilities and a lightweight design for better portability. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) carries a higher price tag but delivers superior performance, especially for engineering, 3D work, and better screen quality. The MacBook Pro also boasts a longer battery life and a sturdier build with a higher portability score. If you prioritize top-tier performance, screen quality, and can afford a higher price, the MacBook Pro is a strong choice. Choose the Acer if you seek touch functionality, a lower cost, and plan to use the laptop for general purposes without demanding tasks. 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 Go 14
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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
7.7
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) stands out for general use with its high-resolution Mini LED screen delivering exceptional brightness and color accuracy, coupled with the powerful Apple M1 Pro processor and superior battery life, which contribute to a smooth and lasting experience. In contrast, the Acer Swift Go 14, while offering commendable portability and a quality IPS touch display, has less screen brightness and lower color accuracy, and relies on an Intel processor that, although competent, doesn't match the efficiency of Apple's offering.
Engineering and Design
7.2
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is considered very good for engineering and design because it features a powerful custom Apple chip with dedicated GPU cores and a high-quality Mini LED screen with significantly higher brightness and color coverage compared to the Acer Swift Go 14. While the Acer provides commendable performance with a capable Intel processor and sufficient RAM for engineering tasks, the MacBook stands out with a better screen for design work, a more robust GPU for engineering tasks, and its overall build and speaker quality make it a stronger choice for demanding professional use, albeit with a higher weight that slightly impacts portability.
Content Creation
7.6
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift Go 14 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
8.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift Go 14 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
9.2
14.0in
SIZE
14.2in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
479.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Swift Go 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers a balance in screen attributes such as panel type, resolution, and brightness, making it suitable for general tasks and engineering applications where precise color representation is less critical. The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its advanced color gamut coverage, provides exceptional color accuracy for professional engineering and design work, reinforcing the importance of color fidelity in these fields. However, both laptops fall short for 3D purposes due to lower refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth rendering and an immersive experience in gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
8.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 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
7.4
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift Go 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$793
$1,905
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) costs $1,905.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
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 14 (2021) and Acer Swift Go 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its Apple M1 Pro GPU and a higher screen refresh rate is better suited for 3D applications and gaming compared to the Acer Swift Go 14, which has an Intel i7-1355U Iris Xe GPU and a standard refresh rate. However, it's important to remember that a wider array of games is available for Windows on the Acer, which might limit gaming choices on the MacBook despite its better hardware for graphics-intensive tasks.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.2in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Go 14 to have excellent portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$793 | $1,905 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 479 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 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 | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 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 Go 14
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | May 2023
"The Acer Swift Go 14 is a surprising machine. Its performance, display, and battery life leave little to be desired from a device at this price. You might think it’d be cheaper given the “Go” in the name, or thinner given its close competition with thin-and-light laptops, but it manages to strike a decent enough balance between its capabilities and hardware to really stand out as an exceptional value."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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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 Go 14 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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