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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift 3 is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it highly portable and suited for general use, with a decently long battery life. However, the MSI Creator Z16P, while more expensive and heavier, offers significantly better performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its advanced processor and superior graphics capabilities. The Z16P also has a better screen for color-intensive tasks and a high refresh rate that can benefit creative professionals as well as gamers, but it sacrifices battery life and portability. Choose the Swift 3 for everyday tasks and mobility or the Z16P for demanding applications and creative 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 3
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 3 is only fair.
The MSI Creator Z16P is better for gaming and 3D due to its significantly more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics and a higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual performance and gameplay smoothness. In contrast, the Acer Swift 3's Intel i5-1240P Iris Xe graphics and lower screen refresh rate provide a fair gaming experience suitable for less demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.3
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The Acer Swift 3 offers respectable performance for engineering and design with its mid-range CPU and integrated graphics, suitable for less demanding tasks, while the MSI Creator Z16P provides superior performance with a high-end CPU and dedicated graphics, ideal for more intensive engineering and design applications. While both have good screen quality and sufficient RAM, the MSI's higher-resolution display and more powerful GPU make it the better option for demanding tasks, though it is less portable and likely louder under load than the Acer due to more robust cooling needs.
Screen Quality
6.8
8.3
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a balance suitable for everyday tasks and engineering due to its respectable resolution and brightness, but it may lack the wide color gamuts professionals seek for precision color work. MSI Creator Z16P steps up with higher resolution and professional color coverage, catering to engineers and designers who prioritize color accuracy for their projects. However, both units fall short for gaming and 3D modeling enthusiasts, as the refresh rates aren't high enough for the smooth visuals that these activities typically require.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift 3 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$500
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Acer Swift 3 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3 is well-suited for general use with its lightweight design for easy portability, solid battery life, and sufficient CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, although its screen and speakers are less impressive. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P offers a powerful CPU and high-quality screen for demanding applications and creative work, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travel.
Content Creation
7.6
7.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Acer Swift 3 are both good for content creation.
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
7.6
7.6
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Acer Swift 3 are both 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 3 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | February 2022
"With the Swift 3, Acer delivers a 14-inch laptop with a sleek, slim metal chassis. The latter is of high quality and sturdy enough for everyday use, which is a real plus point among the 700-Euro (~$798) models. A new feature is Thunderbolt 4 in the Type-C format for peripherals or even displays (DisplayPort via Type-C). Unfortunately, a card reader is still missing, and the RAM is completely onboard, so there are no upgrade options here. Acer's 14-incher is affordable, yet it does everything most would want from a truly mobile laptop: Long battery life, a great display, quality, sufficient ports, light weight, and low noise and heat emissions."
MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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