If cost is a primary concern, the Apple MacBook Pro may be appealing as it is typically less expensive. However, the Acer Swift X may offer superior performance for tasks that require more power, such as 3D work, machine learning, or gaming. The MacBook Pro often provides better battery life and a more robust ecosystem, especially if you already use other Apple devices. It is also known for its high-quality display and build. The Acer Swift X may be more suitable for engineering software or intensive tasks. Choose based on what you prioritize: performance for demanding tasks or cost and ecosystem integration. 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 overall display quality
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
4.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16, with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, excels in engineering tasks due to its strong performance, but its lesser screen resolution and color coverage may affect design precision compared to the MacBook Pro 16. The MacBook Pro's higher resolution and color accuracy make it better suited for design work, while its Intel i7 CPU and Radeon Pro GPU offer robust performance for engineering, and its superior portability and keyboard might appeal to users frequently on the move.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
7.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
477.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 16 for gaming and AI, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both the Acer Swift X 16 and MacBook Pro 16 have bright, high-resolution displays with panel types that offer clear and sharp images, enhancing your everyday tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and video playback. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate their wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation for tasks like photo editing and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where motion clarity is crucial, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not provide as smooth an experience as models designed specifically for those purposes, which typically have higher refresh rates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 12 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
10.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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.
Cost
$1,250
$496
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) costs $496.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X 16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 boasts a modern AMD Ryzen CPU and dedicated Nvidia graphics that outstrip the older Apple MacBook Pro 16's Intel i7 processor and Radeon Pro graphics in raw power, offering beefier performance for demanding applications. However, the MacBook Pro trumps with a higher-resolution display, delivering superior screen clarity, and also features a larger battery, potentially offering longer battery life which is a significant advantage for users on the go.
Content Creation
8.3/10
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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
8.0/10
7.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3072 x 1920
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 16 (Late 2019) 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) and Acer Swift X 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019) 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 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 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2019)
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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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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