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Updated January 10, 2024·
When selecting between the Acer Swift X and the Apple MacBook Pro 13, consider that the MacBook offers longer battery life and is renowned for superior build quality and a higher-resolution display, which is advantageous for tasks like photo editing and design work. It also operates silently due to its fanless design and is compatible with macOS-exclusive software. On the other hand, the Swift X, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card, is better suited for 3D rendering, and intensive graphical tasks, and generally costs less. It runs Windows 11, which might be preferable for users reliant on Windows-specific applications. However, the Swift X has a brighter but lower-resolution screen and is slightly heavier than the MacBook, affecting portability. 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 (2021)
- The Acer Swift X (2021) has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.9
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Acer Swift X and the MacBook Pro offer high-resolution displays with good brightness levels, making text and images crisp and easy to read/view in various lighting conditions. When it comes to engineering and design, the MacBook Pro stands out due to its wider color gamut, delivering more accurate and vibrant colors that professionals need for their work. However, for Gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as they lack high refresh rate screens, which are crucial for smooth visuals and better gaming experiences.
Battery
10.0 Hours
20.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 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.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$1,249
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) costs $1,249.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
20.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) offers a solid CPU and GPU combo suitable for general tasks with a larger screen, while the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) stands out due to its high-resolution display, longer battery life, and exceptional build quality, making it highly portable and dependable for everyday use; both have decent RAM capacity for multitasking, though the Swift X has a slight edge in storage space. In terms of user experience, the MacBook Pro offers a quieter operation with better speaker and keyboard quality, while the Swift X boasts of better heat management.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.3
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
10.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is better suited for gaming due to its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, which is designed for gaming and 3D tasks, albeit with a standard refresh rate, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)'s Apple M1 GPU is also capable but many popular games are incompatible with macOS, and it shares the same standard screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is well-suited for engineering and design due to its powerful AMD Ryzen CPU combined with Nvidia RTX GPU, which provides considerable processing and graphical capabilities, while also featuring a high-quality IPS screen. Meanwhile, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) excels with its Apple M1 chip that integrates CPU and GPU for efficient performance, enhanced by a superior resolution and color-accurate display, but with lesser emphasis on dedicated graphical strength compared to the Acer.
Content Creation
7.5
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both 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
7.3
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Acer Swift X (2021) both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,249 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | October 1, 2020 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 11.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 8.36" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Apple M1 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 20 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 58.2 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 3 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2021)
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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 13 (2020)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"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 (2021) or the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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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