For general use and portability, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is lighter and boasts a significantly longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go activities. Its build quality and keyboard are also highly praised, which could enhance your overall user experience. On the other hand, if your tasks include 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software, the Acer Swift X 16 with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and additional RAM will handle these intensive tasks more effectively. The Acer also offers a larger screen and more storage space, which may be beneficial for multimedia work, but this comes with a tradeoff in decreased battery life and increased weight. Both laptops are priced similarly, so your decision should be based on whether you prioritize performance in specialized applications or portability and build quality for everyday use. 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 for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Pro 13 (2022) 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
8.2/10
7.5/10
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 Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher RAM and dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, which are better suited for intensive tasks and graphical processing; however, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 provides exceptional screen quality and operates quietly, making it a good choice for less demanding engineering applications and a preference for users who need a silent working environment. While the Acer is more powerful, the MacBook Pro wins on portability, with a lighter design and longer battery life.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
7.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 likely offers high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and engineering tasks as these features enhance visibility and detail. Its excellent color reproduction with broad color gamuts ensures precision in color-critical engineering and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is crucial, the Acer falls short, potentially leading to less smooth visuals and slower response times.
Battery
8.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
13.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 excels in general use due to its ample memory and potent processor, ensuring smooth multitasking and quick application response. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is recognized for superior portability, screen quality, and extended battery life which are pivotal for users who prioritize mobility and screen clarity over raw performance.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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
8.0/10
7.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
Cost
$1,250
$1,219
$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 Pro 13 (2022) costs $1,219.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
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.
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
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