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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you need a laptop with high performance for 3D, machine learning tasks or gaming and don't mind paying more and dealing with a heavier device, the MSI Pulse GL66, with its powerful GPU and CPU, is a robust choice. However, if you prioritize a more budget-friendly option with greater portability and longer battery life for general use or productivity tasks, and can sacrifice some performance and gaming capabilities, the Acer Swift 3, which is lighter and less costly, may better meet your needs. Keep in mind that the Acer Swift 3 has a touchscreen and is newly released, whereas the MSI has additional features like a higher refresh rate screen and gaming-centric hardware, but was released earlier. Both come with the same amount of storage and RAM, ensuring sufficient multitasking capabilities. 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 Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
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 Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 3 is only fair.
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.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift 3 is somewhat better.
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
6.8
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift 3, with its higher resolution and brightness, offers a clearer and more vibrant display ideal for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work but falls short in gaming due to its lower refresh rate. The MSI Pulse GL66, while offering a display suitable for daily activities and capable of handling engineering software, doesn't provide the superior color accuracy designers need, and its gaming experience is limited by both modest refresh rates and resolution. Neither is optimal for 3D applications or top-tier gaming, where fast refresh rates and high resolution are crucial to a smoother and more immersive experience.
Battery
12.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 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
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift 3 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a balance suitable for general use with its solid CPU performance, ample RAM, quality touchscreen IPS display, high portability due to its light weight, and long battery life. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 has a more powerful CPU and higher-end GPU which makes it better for more demanding tasks, but it’s larger, heavier, has a shorter battery life, and its display lacks touchscreen functionality, making it less portable and more power-hungry, although still capable for general use.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.5
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Acer Swift 3 are both good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.6
7.2
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift 3 and MSI Pulse GL66 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Swift 3 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
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 Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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