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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and battery life while needing a laptop for general use with good screen quality, the Acer Swift 14 may be a better fit because it is lighter, has longer battery life, and higher screen resolution with better color coverage. It also has more storage and RAM, suitable for a wide range of tasks. However, if you're focused on 3D tasks, machine learning, gaming, or any graphics-intensive engineering work, the MSI GF65 Thin would be the stronger choice due to its dedicated Nvidia graphics card even though it is heavier and has a shorter battery life. Both laptops are in a similar price range, so it comes down to what your specific needs and usage scenarios are. 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 14
- Very good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift 14.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
6.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a strong balance of CPU, RAM, and high-resolution screen quality suitable for various tasks, combined with the portability and long battery life highly valued for general use. Conversely, the MSI GF65 Thin, designed with a focus on gaming, offers a powerful GPU at the expense of a heavier build and shorter battery life, making it less ideal for the everyday mobility and versatility that general users often prioritize.
Engineering and Design
7.9
6.7
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift 14 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Swift 14 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-resolution screen, powerful CPU, and integrated GPU, which provide a good balance for computing and graphics tasks, while also offering high-quality display and portability. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, with its dedicated high-performance GPU, is aimed at demanding graphics tasks and 3D rendering, which benefits engineering and design users who need more graphics horsepower but trades off some portability due to its larger size and weight.
Content Creation
8.2
6.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
8.2
6.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 14 is very good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
7.6
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Acer Swift 14 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a balance of resolution, brightness, and panel quality, making it suitable for daily activities and professional design work by providing crisp image detail and vibrant colors that are crucial for precise engineering and design tasks. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its lower refresh rate, which is vital for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin provides a fair viewing experience across the board, but its screen fails to excel in any specific area, with limited color accuracy affecting design work and a modest refresh rate affecting gaming, deeming it a compromise for users with diverse needs.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
Excellent
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift 14 has excellent portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.7
The Acer Swift 14 has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.8
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Acer Swift 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 14 is more suitable for gaming and 3D tasks due to its Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, which likely outperforms the MSI GF65 Thin's older Intel i5-10500H CPU in graphics-related tasks, despite the MSI's dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU which is generally strong for gaming; however, the MSI laptop has a higher screen refresh rate which is favorable for fast-paced games that benefit from smoother motion. Screen quality is also a factor, with the Acer offering a higher resolution which can result in sharper images but this does not directly impact gaming performance as much as the GPU and refresh rate do.
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Swift 14
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, John Peroramas | April 2023
"The Acer Swift 14 is good for school use. Its compact design makes it easy to carry around, and its battery lasts easily through a typical school day. You can configure the laptop with an FHD+ or QHD+ display; both look sharp and get bright enough to combat glare. The keyboard feels tactile but can be a little tiring to type on over an extended period, and while the touchpad is small, it's responsive to all movements and gestures. Its Intel 13th Gen. CPU can handle nearly every type of workload; however, its integrated graphics perform poorly, so it isn't ideal for students in technical fields like 3D graphics."
MSI GF65 Thin
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NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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