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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If affordability is a priority, the Acer Swift X 16 offers solid performance for general use and some creative tasks at a lower cost than the Apple MacBook Pro 16. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, delivers top-tier performance for demanding professionals like video editors, 3D artists, or software developers. The MacBook Pro also boasts a longer battery life, a higher quality display, and arguably superior build quality. However, it comes at a higher price point. The Acer is lighter, so it's more portable, but its lesser build quality and shorter battery life reflect its lower price. Choose the Acer for value and everyday tasks or the MacBook Pro for performance and premium features in more intensive use cases. 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
- The Acer Swift X 16 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
- Excellent for general use
- 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
8.2
9.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Acer Swift X 16 is very good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is appreciated for general use due to its combination of solid processing power from an AMD CPU and Nvidia graphics, high-resolution IPS screen, along with good battery life and a comfortable keyboard, while remaining portable. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is favored for its more powerful Apple M1 Pro chip, ample RAM, superior screen quality with a Mini LED display, and significantly longer battery life, albeit at a higher price and slightly less portability.
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.7
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a high-performance AMD CPU and Nvidia GPU, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that require significant computing power, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU and integrated GPU, along with a high-resolution Mini LED screen, offering a combination of advanced processing capabilities and superior visual clarity for detailed design work. Both have ample RAM, but the MacBook Pro stands out with its larger battery and screen quality, which may allure those who prioritize longevity and a vivid display, at the cost of being slightly heavier and less portable than the Swift X.
Content Creation
8.3
8.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
8.0
8.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
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
8.2
9.4
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X 16 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift X 16, with its sharp resolution and bright display, offers vivid and clear visuals that serve well for everyday tasks and detail-oriented engineering work, but its lower refresh rate can hamper the smoothness required in fast-paced 3D environments. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 shines in screen quality with outstanding color reproduction covering wide color gamuts, making it exceptional for precise engineering and design work that demands color accuracy. However, similar to the Acer, despite its high resolution and superior panel quality, the MacBook Pro’s standard refresh rate isn't ideal for 3D applications where higher refresh rates are crucial for fluid motion.
Battery
8.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 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.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
$1,949
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) costs $1,949.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.0
7.0
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift X 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a high refresh rate display, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications on Windows, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16, despite its capable Apple M1 Pro GPU and high-quality Mini LED screen, is limited for gaming as many popular games are not compatible with MacOS.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.2in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X 16 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 497 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 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 | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Pro 16 (2021)
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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 16 or the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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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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.
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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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Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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