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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability is a high priority and you want a laptop that's easier to carry with decent performance for everyday tasks, the Acer Swift 14 is a solid choice offering good battery life and a midrange price tag. However, if you require top-tier performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, or demanding engineering software, and you don't mind paying a premium and dealing with a heavier and bulkier device with shorter battery life, the MSI Raider GE78, equipped with a more powerful processor and graphics card, will better meet these needs. 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
- Excellent portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
458.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Acer Swift 14 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift 14 offers solid performance for general use with its capable CPU and 16GB of RAM, with the added benefits of a high-quality screen and long battery life, complementing its portability. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78, while also having a high-quality screen and more robust CPU and 32GB of RAM for more demanding tasks, is less portable due to its larger size and weight, and has a shorter battery life, although it compensates with better heat management and storage capacity.
Gaming and AI
6.7
9.5
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 14 is only fair.
The MSI Raider GE78 surpasses the Acer Swift 14 in gaming and 3D performance primarily due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, compared to the Iris Xe graphics and 60 Hz refresh rate in the Acer Swift 14. Additionally, the MSI's superior processor aids in high-performance tasks, while both have similar screen quality with IPS panels and the same resolution.
Engineering and Design
7.9
9.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 14 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 excels in engineering and design use primarily due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the amount of RAM, and superior Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU which is beneficial for demanding software applications. While the Acer Swift 14 offers high-quality CPU and GPU for lighter engineering tasks and is more portable with better battery life, the MSI provides a significant performance advantage with a larger screen and exceptional screen quality, making it more suited for intensive engineering and design work despite being less portable and having more operating noise.
Content Creation
8.2
8.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and Acer Swift 14 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.6
8.6
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
458.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Acer Swift 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift 14 offers a balanced screen with adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday activities and content consumption, but its lower refresh rate limits its appeal to gamers and those using 3D applications. For engineering and design professionals, the MSI Raider GE78 presents a screen with expansive color ranges, essential for precise color work, but like the Swift 14, it falls short for gaming due to a less than ideal refresh rate. Both laptops, despite having quality displays for non-intensive tasks, aren't optimized for the high refresh rate demands of gaming and advanced 3D rendering.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Acer Swift 14 has excellent portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Swift 14 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Software Development
8.2
8.5
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Acer Swift 14 are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the Acer Swift 14 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 14 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.2'' x 8.4'' x 0.59'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.65 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.22" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 458 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift 14
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 14 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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