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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 1 is much more budget-friendly than the Apple MacBook Pro 14, making it an attractive option if cost is a primary concern. It's equipped with an Intel Celeron processor and basic integrated graphics, suitable for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro 14 is considerably more expensive but delivers a substantial increase in performance with its Apple M2 Pro chip, allowing it to handle intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and even gaming much more effectively. The MacBook Pro also boasts better build quality, a high-resolution Mini LED display, and a longer battery life. The Aspire 1’s lower performance means it will struggle with more demanding tasks but offers the advantage of being lighter and possibly having a longer battery life for basic tasks. If you’re seeking high performance and your budget allows, the MacBook Pro is a solid option, while the Aspire 1 is more focused on value for everyday tasks. 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 Aspire 1
- The Acer Aspire 1 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023).
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
- Very good 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
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.8
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
13.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
5.7
7.0
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.5
8.0
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
2.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
The Acer Aspire 1 is limited by its average processor, basic integrated graphics, smaller RAM, and a TN screen with lower resolution and color accuracy, making it less suitable for engineering and design tasks that require strong CPU and GPU performance and screen quality for detail-oriented work.
Content Creation
5.9
8.5
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Acer Aspire 1 is poor.
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
6.1
8.4
3.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Acer Aspire 1 is only fair.
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
5.2
9.2
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3024 x 1964
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
489.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 1 for general use, AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Aspire 1 may have a screen that lacks vividness and sharpness due to its lower resolution and brightness, making it less suitable for all uses but particularly for general computing where reading text and viewing images are common. The MacBook Pro 14 boasts a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and expansive color coverage, making it ideal for engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is crucial. However, its screen may not refresh as quickly as needed for optimal 3D experiences, where smoother movement is key for gaming or animation work.
Battery
6.0 Hours
13.5 Hours
The Acer Aspire 1 has 6 hours of battery life. The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.2in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has very good portability, while the Acer Aspire 1 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.5
10.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the Acer Aspire 1 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$215
$1,699
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Acer Aspire 1 has a price of $215 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) costs $1,699.
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How the Acer Aspire 1 and the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 1 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$215 | $1,699 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 9.4'' x 0.78'' | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.5 lbs | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4500 | Apple M2 Pro (10C) | |
Graphics | |||
Graphics | UHD Graphics | M2 Pro (16C) | |
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | |||
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus | No | No | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 13.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 36.7 Wh | 69.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14.2" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3024 x 1964 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 489 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.5/10 | 8.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Keyboard Lighting Color | |||
Keyboard Lighting Color | N/A | White | |
Warranty Period | |||
Warranty Period | 1 year | 1 year | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 5.4/10 | 10/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Aspire 1
See more
Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | May 2020
"There are no surprises and nothing's extraordinary here but this laptop's price. For those in need of an inexpensive Windows laptop for undemanding tasks, though, the Acer Aspire 1 offers just enough to get the basics done and a larger screen to do them on."
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 1 or the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
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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