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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize higher graphics power for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming and don't mind carrying a slightly heavier laptop, the Acer Swift X with its dedicated Nvidia graphics card is suitable. The MacBook Pro, however, offers a stronger build quality, a high-resolution display, and runs macOS, which is preferable for certain software applications. It also typically offers a superior touchpad and longer battery life, making it more suitable for general use and professionals on-the-go, although it is more costly. Consider your balance between performance requirements, specific software needs, and budget when choosing. 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 (2022).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022)
- 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
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, making it well-suited for engineering and design work, although it has a standard high-definition screen. On the other hand, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) offers a more powerful in-house M2 chip with integrated graphics and a higher screen resolution for crisper visuals but might not handle GPU-intensive tasks as well as the Acer's dedicated GPU.
Software Development
7.3
7.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
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 (2022) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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
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
497.0 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.
The Acer Swift X offers a good balance of resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and engineering applications, but its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming or 3D work where smooth motion is key. The MacBook Pro 13, with its superior color accuracy covering broader color gamuts, excels in providing vivid and precise colors for professional design and engineering work, while also offering an excellent screen for everyday use with its high resolution and brightness. However, like the Swift X, the MacBook Pro 13's screen doesn't prioritize high refresh rates, making it less ideal for 3D applications where fluid visuals are crucial.
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 (2022) 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
$1,219
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) costs $1,219.
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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
497.0 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 (2022) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) excels with a substantial storage capacity and a dedicated GPU, making it quite adept for general use with multitasking and occasional graphic-intensive tasks, although it has a shorter battery life compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022), which offers exceptional battery longevity and superior display quality, ensuring a more portable device with a vibrant screen, albeit at a lower storage starting point. Both laptops feature quality processors and RAM that can handle everyday operations smoothly, and while the Acer is slightly heavier, both are fairly portable with quality keyboards and manage heat well, though the MacBook Pro offers a quieter, fanless operation.
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.5
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.3/10
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 Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) and Acer Swift X (2021) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X (2021) features an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, a common choice for entry-level gaming, allowing fair performance for gaming and 3D tasks on its 60Hz screen, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has an integrated Apple M2 GPU which provides decent 3D performance, but its MacOS limits game availability and it also has a 60Hz screen. Despite both having similar refresh rates and capable processors, the Acer's dedicated GPU outperforms the MacBook's integrated one for gaming, but the MacBook's screen has higher quality with better color accuracy, which may be valuable for non-gaming 3D applications.
Content Creation
7.5
7.9
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) 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.
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 (2022) 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 (2022) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,219 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | June 1, 2022 | |
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 M2 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
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 | 497 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 | Yes | |
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 (2022)
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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 (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.
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