The newest Acer Swift 5 and MacBook Air with M2 are each nice laptops, however which one is the very best? That’s the query we’ll attempt to reply right here.
Each packs the most recent of each Apple and Intel’s notebook-centric chipsets, making them two of the finest laptops you should purchase proper now, however you already understand how these face-offs work. Two enter and just one can go away this editorial thunderdome.
The brand new MacBook Air builds on what labored with the fanless ultraportable from 2020 with a dramatic redesign that takes on a brand new. In the meantime, the Acer Swift 5 has undergone a redesign too, each inside and outside. So, which one must you purchase? Let’s discover out.
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Worth and worth
It ought to come as completely no shock that Acer gives extra in your cash than Apple. Certain, once you take a look at the bottom doable worth, the bottom MacBook Air M2 mannequin units you again $1,199, whereas the Acer Swift 5 prices $1,549. However all you must do is take a look at what every of those supply for the worth.
For the associated fee, the Acer Swift 5 packs an Intel Core i7-1260P processor, 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. To get an analogous spec within the MacBook Air, you’re spending $1,899, as a result of let’s be sincere, 256GB of storage will not be sufficient within the base mannequin.
Winner: Acer Swift 5
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Specs in contrast
| Spec | Acer Swift 5 (2022) | M2 MacBook Air |
| Worth | $1,549 | $1,199 (beginning); $1,899 (as examined) |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-1260P | M2 |
| RAM | 16GB | 16GB |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe built-in | M2 built-in |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD | 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Show | 14-inch, WQXGA, 2560 x 1600-pixel touchscreen | 13.6-inch, 2560 x 1664p Liquid Retina |
| Ports | Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Kind-A, lock slot, headset/mic jack | MagSafe, Thunderbolt 4, headset/mic jack |
| Battery Life | 11:24 (examined) | 14:06 (examined) |
| Dimensions | 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches | 12 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches |
| Weight | 2.7 kilos | 2.7 kilos |
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Design
Let’s get the plain out the best way — these are each critically glossy and horny laptops. Whichever one you choose, you’ll be pleased whipping out these engaging workhorses in your native cafe (or pub, for me).
Apple made a decisive transfer and made the Air appear to be a MacBook Professional. The funky, glossy receding wedge design that allowed the Air to boast close to unimaginable dimensions has been retired in favor of a uniform thickness.
Opening the lid, you’ll see the full-sized backlit keyboard on the high of the Starlight keyboard deck in a slight recess. Straight beneath sits a reasonably bigger trackpad.
As for the Swift, Acer claims that it has an “beautiful design,” and whereas many OEMs are inclined to exaggerate with eye-catching buzzwords and alluring verbiage, the Taiwan-based firm is true on the cash.
The aerospace-grade aluminum chassis is cloaked in a wealthy, luxurious Mist Inexperienced shade. However what actually caught my eye are the gorgeous gold accents, which could be discovered on the perimeters that home the ports — and the protuberant hinge that sports activities the phrase “SWIFT” in a subdued grey font. Open the lid and also you’ll discover extra of that Misty Inexperienced goodness all through the deck.
However whereas they each go for various appears to be like, the specifics are just about similar. The Swift 5 has dimensions of 12.2 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches and it weighs 2.7 kilos, whereas the MacBook Air is a contact smaller at 12 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches, however sports activities the identical 2.7-pound weight.
I can’t actually vote by hook or by crook right here. Each supply distinctly completely different aesthetics, however each are unmistakably premium in building and have very comparable dimensions. That is one so that you can determine — wedge or slab?
Winner: Tie
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Ports
This can be a fast and simple spherical that the Acer Swift 5 handily wins with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Kind-A ports, a headset jack and a Kensington Lock.
The M2 MacBook Air does enhance barely on its predecessor by transferring charging over to a devoted MagSafe port, which leaves two Thunderbolt 4 ports free alongside the three.5mm headphone jack.
However when it comes to uncooked versatility, Acer is operating circles round Apple. Want extra ports? Try our finest USB Kind-C hubs and finest laptop computer docking stations pages.
Winner: Acer Swift 5
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Show
In each the Acer Swift 5 and MacBook Air, you’re getting beautiful, spacious screens with small bezels. Going into the nitty gritty will present you exactly the place Acer begins to tug forward barely
The MacBook Air now boasts a 13.6-inch, 2560 x 1664p Liquid Retina show, in comparison with the earlier model’s 13.3 inches. The facet ratio is technically 3:2, however with the notch up high forming a part of the duty bar, you truly get one thing nearer to a 16:10 working space.
When put by means of our lab testing, the Air registered 75.9% of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut alongside a powerful common brightness of 489 nits. In real-world use, as anticipated, the M2’s display is an explosion of coloration with sharp particulars, which is enhanced with Apple’s proprietary TrueTone expertise.
In the meantime, the Acer Swift 5 comes with a 14-inch, WQXGA, 2560 x 1600-pixel, Corning Gorilla Glass touchscreen show with a 16:10 facet ratio. Check outcomes show how Acer actually goes toe-to-toe, because of a 93.3% DCI-P3 coloration gamut, however falls barely behind the Air with 457 nits of brightness. With numbers like that, it’s solely inevitable that the show emanates colours with wealthy, well-saturated hues.
There might be individuals who relish the extra brightness, however in my workload, the precedence will all the time be coloration accuracy, which Acer runs away with right here. I can see myself engaged on Photoshop with ease on each and having fun with all types of vivid content material, however the Swift 5 is clearly extra true-to-life.
Winner: Acer Swift 5
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Keyboard and touchpad
Each supply robust typing and clicking experiences, however the MacBook Air reigns supreme on this spherical.
The Magic keyboard within the Air is simply that –– magic. The backlit keyboard (with full-size perform keys) is agency with springy suggestions and gloriously quiet which undoubtedly turns out to be useful in an workplace or espresso store. The backlighting allowed me to work in nearly any setting whether or not I used to be in my darkened bed room or exterior in my yard pop-up cover at evening.
And the glass stable state trackpad is, predictably, huge. It’s barely smaller in top, however wider than the one you discover within the M1 Air, at 4.8 x 3.1 inches. It gave me loads of room, permitting me to navigate internet pages and paperwork with ease in addition to carry out multitouch gestures. The underside corners of the pad gave a sturdy click on when pressed.
Transferring over to the Swift 5 feels a bit cramped. The small touchpad, sporting dimensions of 4.1 x 2.6 inches, is adorned with a refined gold trim that follows the general theme of the chassis. It feels divine. I examined Home windows 11 gestures, together with two-finger scrolling and three-finger tabbing — they have been all effectively responsive, however you’ll be able to’t ignore the shortage of room in your fingers to glide.
In the meantime, the keyboard has full-sized keys the place it issues, however the perform keys are solely half-size. The island-style keyboard sports activities a dual-tier backlight, enabling you to faucet on F11 to regulate the keyboard’s backlight to your liking — or flip it off altogether. I desire to maintain it on as a result of, as talked about, the distinction between the dark-yellow characters and the forest-green keys is low, making it troublesome to see the letters and symbols.
It’s uncommon that you just see any chiclet keyboards and touchpads beat out the prowess of Apple, and that is, as soon as once more, a kind of conditions.
Winner: MacBook Air M2
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Efficiency
Now for the part that a few of you should have in all probability scrolled to (I see you, speeds and feeds followers). How does the notebook-centric M2 chipset match as much as comparable competitors just like the Intel Core i7-1260P? The reply could shock you.
On the Geekbench 5.4 total efficiency take a look at, the Swift 5 scored a whopping 9,859, rocketing previous the common premium laptop computer (5,956). In the meantime, the M2 Air additionally carried out nice throughout our artificial benchmarks, however fell behind in uncooked energy with a Geekbench results of 8,919.
The Swift 5 additionally sped forward in our HandBrake benchmark — transcoding 4K video to 1080p in solely 7 minutes and 36 seconds, whereas the Air took 7 minutes and 52 seconds.
Taking a look at graphics, each have built-in GPUs, however Apple’s graphical magic actually comes into play right here. Through the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI benchmark, the pocket book notched 40 frames per second, whereas the Swift 5 made it to simply 26 FPS.
In real-world use, each of those are stellar techniques for work — dealing with multitasking with ease. However whereas the MacBook Air performs higher within the graphical division, we now have to check every system as an entire, wherein the Swift 5 goes to be that little bit sooner in your productiveness wants.
Winner: Acer Swift 5
Acer Swift 5 vs MacBook Air M2: Battery Life
The ultimate spherical sees the M2 MacBook Air come out of the nook with some critical heavy hits to the Acer Swift 5. As you could have already got predicted by Apple’s legendary laptop computer battery life with any system that includes its personal silicon, the Air is a stamina king.
It might be barely shorter than the M1 MacBook Air, however at 14 hours and 6 minutes, it gives loopy good longevity for any commutes and even lengthy haul flights. In the meantime, the Acer Swift 5 can also be fairly good with a Laptop computer Magazine battery take a look at results of 11 hours and 24 minutes, however it clearly doesn’t stand as much as the would possibly of the Air.
Winner: MacBook Air M2
General winner
Acer Swift 5 lifts the trophy on this bout with the MacBook Air M2, which can shock plenty of you on the market! However when you look previous the Apple hype machine and take a look at the precise sum of its elements, the Swift 5 takes a reasonably simple victory.
The notebook-centric P processors within the twelfth Gen Intel lineup are efficiency beasts with some first rate stamina too — made even higher when it comes to sustained efficiency with correct thermal administration. However whereas the MacBook Air pulls forward with a stronger battery life and a superior keyboard and touchpad, Acer takes the crown with an improved port array, show, and (unsurprisingly) worth for cash.
That’s to not say one laptop computer is nice and the opposite is dangerous. As you’ll be able to see from our evaluations, you’ll take pleasure in utilizing both the MacBook Air or the Acer Swift, so if you happen to do have a particular OS allegiance, you’ll be pleased whichever method you go. However it’s laborious to argue with the logic of a straight comparability, and in case you are available in the market to decide on your subsequent ultraportable powerhouse, the selection is fairly clear.
