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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023), consider how you prioritize price, performance, battery life, portability, and specific use cases. The Acer Swift X typically costs less, offers good gaming performance, and is slightly lighter, making it more portable. It runs on Windows, which might be more familiar or necessary for certain software. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro is pricier but delivers higher performance for intensive 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks. It also has a superior display and is built on macOS, which may be preferable for its ecosystem and integration with other Apple devices. Consider the MacBook Pro if you need a longer-lasting battery and robust build quality for demanding professional work, or the Acer if affordability and good general use performance are your top concerns. 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 X (2023)
- The Acer Swift X (2023) 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
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is good.
The Acer Swift X, with its solid CPU and dedicated Nvidia graphics, provides good performance for general use and decent screen quality, but Apple's MacBook Pro shines with its more color-accurate Mini LED display, better-integrated Apple M2 Pro processor for a smoother experience, and typically longer battery life. While the Swift X is a capable machine, the MacBook Pro offers a more complete package in terms of portability, screen quality, and battery life, alongside a higher-quality keyboard and speakers, all of which contribute to its higher standing for general use.
Content Creation
8.0
8.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2023) 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
8.0
9.2
14.5in
SIZE
14.2in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift X offers a quality display with solid resolution and brightness, making it a good option for general use and tasks that benefit from an accurate portrayal of colors, like engineering and design; however, it falls short for gaming and 3D work due to its lower refresh rate. The MacBook Pro stands out with a premium display that provides exceptional color accuracy and wide color gamuts, essential for professional design work, as well as high resolution and brightness for an outstanding general-use experience, yet it's not the best fit for 3D applications where higher refresh rates are vital. Without high refresh rates, both laptops aren't ideal for 3D tasks where smooth motion is crucial, but they cater well to users who prioritize visual clarity and color precision over gaming performance.
Battery
10.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 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
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift X (2023) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.9
7.0
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
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 X (2023) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X, with its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a higher refresh rate display, is better equipped for gaming and 3D applications, offering hardware suited for these tasks. However, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a strong GPU for 3D work but faces limitations for gaming due to fewer compatible titles on macOS.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X, equipped with an Intel i5 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, excels with its dedicated graphics card, making it suitable for engineering tasks and capable of gaming. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 14 shines with a sharper, brighter Mini LED display and Apple's M2 Pro integrated chipset, offering longer battery life and a higher-quality keyboard, making it more suited for demanding engineering work and design tasks in MacOS environments.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.5in
SIZE
14.2in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and Acer Swift X (2023) both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 12.31" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 8.71" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | 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 | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 489 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 | |
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Acer Swift X (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."
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 X (2023) 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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