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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a larger storage capacity and more RAM than the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023), which makes it better suited for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications. It also has a more powerful dedicated graphics card, further enhancing its capacity for graphics-intensive work. However, the MacBook Air is lighter, has a longer battery life, and runs silently due to its fanless design. It's also known for a high-quality build, keyboard, and speakers. The MacBook is thus more portable and better for general use, but for performance-demanding tasks, the Acer is preferable. Both laptops have similar price points. 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 16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.5
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 features a dedicated GPU which is superior for gaming and 3D applications, offering smoother visuals and faster rendering, and also boasts a higher screen refresh rate for more fluid on-screen movement. Meanwhile, the MacBook Air, while having a high-quality screen and capable CPU, lacks a high-end dedicated GPU and is limited by fewer gaming titles available for macOS, affecting its suitability for gaming and intensive 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 shines in engineering and design owing to its superior GPU, ample RAM, and robust CPU that supports demanding software, although it is bulkier and with a shorter battery life than the MacBook. Meanwhile, the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) offers excellent screen quality, ultimate portability, and silent operation, yet its integrated GPU and lower RAM might limit performance in high-end engineering tasks.
Screen Quality
8.2
7.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for gaming and AI, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 both have high resolutions and brightness levels, coupled with quality panel types, providing sharp, vibrant displays suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work. Their wide color gamuts ensure accurate color representation, crucial for professional design and engineering projects where precision is key. However, their screens are not optimized for 3D applications and gaming, as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth motion and quick-paced activities.
Battery
8.0 Hours
15.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 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
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.4in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
501.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
15.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.3
8.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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.
Software Development
8.0
8.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1864
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for software development.
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.
Cost
$1,250
$1,299
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) costs $1,299.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,299 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 13.4'' x 9.4'' x 0.45'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 13.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Apple M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 15 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 66.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1864 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 501 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
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 | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2023
"Acer’s Swift X 16 is an excellent choice for shoppers who want a 16-inch laptop and care more for performance than attractive design or long battery life. The Swift X 16’s gorgeous OLED display, spacious keyboard, and big touchpad make it pleasant to use in basic day-to-day tasks. It also has an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, which combine to deliver good performance in a wide variety of productivity applications and games. A few minor mistakes, like poorly-placed USB-C ports that lack DisplayPort, will turn off some shoppers, but those who can accept its shortcomings will find the Swift X 16 a versatile daily driver."
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2023
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Apple MacBook Air 15 (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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Why trust us
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.
Jason Lew
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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