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Updated January 10, 2024·
To decide between the Acer Swift X and the Apple MacBook Pro 16, consider your primary uses. The MacBook Pro typically offers longer battery life and higher build quality but comes at a higher cost, and is favored by creative professionals for its display and performance in graphic-intensive tasks. The Acer Swift X offers a more budget-friendly choice with respectable performance for general use and some gaming; it is also more lightweight, enhancing portability, but it may not match the MacBook Pro's longevity or performance in demanding applications. Decide based on your budget constraints and if you need the MacBook Pro’s superior performance for video editing, music production, or design work. 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)
- Very good portability
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
- Excellent for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- 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
7.4
9.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
17.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) provides a higher screen quality with a Mini LED display, better resolution, and more vivacious colors, along with significantly more RAM which is crucial for multitasking, against the Acer Swift X (2021) which offers portability with its lighter build and good battery life, at the cost of having a lower-tier screen and less memory. Additionally, although both have ample storage and quality keyboards, the MacBook Pro stands out with its superior battery life and advanced heat management, making it very good for general use, while the Swift X, still reliable, aligns more with satisfactory general use due to its limited RAM and lower screen qualifications.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.0
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X, with a dedicated GPU suitable for lighter gaming tasks and a standard refresh rate display, offers respectable gaming performance but may fall short on the most demanding games. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro 16 boasts a more powerful GPU and a high-quality display, enhancing the experience for 3D applications and some games, but it's limited by the smaller selection of games compatible with macOS.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) stands out for engineering and design work due to its higher RAM capacity, a more powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU, and an advanced GPU, alongside a superior Mini LED screen that offers a higher resolution and color accuracy, which is critical for design tasks.
Content Creation
7.5
8.8
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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
7.3
8.9
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Screen Quality
6.9
9.4
14.0in
SIZE
16.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3456 x 2234
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
497.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 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 balance suited for general tasks and engineering with its high-resolution display and respectable brightness, making it clear and vivid for everyday activities and detailed design work, but its standard refresh rate is less ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion is key. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 outshines in screen quality with its superior resolution, brightness, and wide color gamuts, delivering crisp visuals and accurate colors essential for professional engineering and design workflows, albeit its refresh rate also falls short for high-end 3D rendering. Despite this, both laptops may not satisfy gamers or 3D artists who prioritize high refresh rate screens to ensure fluid motion during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
10.0 Hours
17.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.2in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) 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
$1,949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) costs $1,949.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.77" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 17.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 99.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3456 x 2234 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
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 | 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 | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 16 (2021)
See more
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 (2021) 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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