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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize affordability and still want reasonable performance for everyday tasks and light creative work, the Acer Swift X would be a suitable choice. However, if your budget allows and you need top-tier performance for professional creative work, video editing, or other intensive applications, and prefer a larger, high-quality display, then investing in the Apple MacBook Pro 16 would be beneficial. The MacBook also boasts a longer battery life and a more robust build quality but is less portable due to its larger size and weight compared to the Swift X. 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)
- 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
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is good.
The Acer Swift X offers a capable Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks, and its portability is enhanced by a lighter weight. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro includes a more powerful Apple M3 Pro CPU and GPU, superior screen quality with higher brightness and resolution, and a longer battery life, making it better suited for more demanding general use, despite being slightly less portable due to its higher weight.
Gaming and AI
6.9
7.5
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
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 X (2023) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is better suited for engineering and design due to its higher screen resolution, superior GPU performance, and longer battery life, which are crucial for intensive tasks and detailed visuals, whereas the Acer Swift X (2023) offers a competitive option with a quality GPU and a good display but doesn't match the MacBook Pro in overall performance and screen quality. Both laptops have sufficient RAM and solid CPUs, but the Mac's superior screen and Apple M3 Pro chip give it an edge for demanding engineering applications, although the Acer brings good portability and is quieter, which could be preferable for on-the-go use and work environments sensitive to noise.
Content Creation
8.0
8.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and Acer Swift X (2023) 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
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
18.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
9.3
14.5in
SIZE
16.2in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
487.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 high-resolution, bright display suitable for general use and design work, providing clarity and vibrant colors, but lacks the high refresh rate desired for smooth 3D rendering. The MacBook Pro outshines with its exceptional color accuracy across professional color gamuts, making it ideal for engineering and creative tasks, yet similarly falls short for 3D due to its standard refresh rate. Both laptops prioritize visual fidelity and color representation over gaming-centric features, hence their displays are not optimized for the high-frame-rate experience that 3D applications benefit from.
Battery
10.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 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
14.5in
SIZE
16.2in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X (2023) 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
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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
$3,099
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) costs $3,099.
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How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $3,099 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | 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 | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 487 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 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 | 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 | |
Shopping
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 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 X (2023) 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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