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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option that handles everyday tasks, the Acer Swift 3 is a solid choice; however, it doesn't offer the same level of performance for more demanding activities such as gaming or 3D rendering. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is more expensive but comes with a higher-performance graphics card and processor, making it better suited for graphics-intensive tasks and gaming. It's also slightly heavier and larger, affecting its portability. Additionally, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate, which can make for a smoother visual experience, particularly in fast-paced games or for creative professionals who benefit from a more fluid display. 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 Stealth 14 Studio
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 3 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio outperforms the Acer Swift 3 in gaming and 3D applications mainly due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, compared to the Acer's integrated Intel i5-1240P Iris Xe GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.1
8.5
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio surpasses the Acer Swift 3 in engineering and design use mainly because it includes a more powerful CPU and GPU, which are crucial for demanding applications, alongside a higher quality screen that benefits detailed work. The Acer Swift 3, while still capable with a competent CPU and integrated GPU, offers less raw power and screen quality compared to the MSI, making it a good option for less intensive tasks.
Screen Quality
6.8
7.6
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Swift 3 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for software development, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
For both the Acer Swift 3 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio, the display qualities provide sharp and bright visuals making them suitable and enjoyable for everyday tasks and professional design work, where color accuracy and clarity are crucial. However, both laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, which could lead to less fluid motion rendering them less ideal for gaming and 3D modeling where fast-paced visuals are common. The balance between high resolution and accurate color representation benefits general users and engineers, but gamers and 3D designers may find the lack of smooth motion a drawback.
Battery
12.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
14.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$500
$1,520
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,520.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Swift 3 are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.6
7.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.4
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift 3 and MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.6
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Swift 3 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 Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $1,520 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i7-13620H | |
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 | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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 Stealth 14 Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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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