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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you're looking for a laptop that balances budget and everyday use, the Acer Swift 3 offers a more affordable and portable option, ideal for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. However, if you require top performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering and machine learning tasks, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while significantly more expensive and less portable, provides powerful hardware to handle demanding applications smoothly. Remember, with the MSI, you're also likely to face shorter battery life due to its high-performance components. Choose based on the primary use and the importance of mobility and battery life to you. 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 Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
309.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The Acer Swift 3 offers a balance between performance and portability, with a decent CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, a good quality screen, and typically longer battery life that enhances its portability. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX has a more powerful CPU and more RAM, resulting in superior performance for demanding applications, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable and better suited for stationary use where top-notch performance is a priority.
Gaming and AI
6.3
9.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift 3 is only fair.
The Acer Swift 3 has a more modest GPU and standard screen refresh rate, making it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where graphics and smoothness are crucial. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX is equipped with a top-tier GPU and a high refresh rate display, ensuring exceptional gaming and 3D performance, despite its higher price and reduced portability due to its size.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
The Acer Swift 3, while offering sufficient CPU power, RAM, and a decent GPU, may not handle the most demanding engineering and design tasks as smoothly as the MSI Titan 18 HX, which is equipped with top-tier components and a high-quality screen to match. However, the Swift 3 is more portable and quieter, making it a convenient choice for on-the-go use, while the MSI Titan 18 HX, given its size and potential for higher operating noise, is less mobile but excels in performance for complex tasks.
Content Creation
7.6
9.0
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
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
8.9
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift 3 is good.
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
9.2
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
309.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Acer Swift 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift 3 has a display that suits day-to-day tasks and engineering due to its resolution and brightness, ensuring a clear and vivid image, but it falls short for gaming and 3D work because of its lower refresh rate, which can't smoothly handle fast-moving visuals. The MSI Titan 18 HX excels in screen quality across general and engineering uses because it has a wide color gamut, offering precision in color-sensitive projects and great overall clarity with its high-resolution display. However, despite its impressive color accuracy and resolution, the Titan's lower refresh rate means it's not the best fit for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial.
Battery
12.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Swift 3 has very good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Swift 3 has a price of $500 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
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How the Acer Swift 3 and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift 3 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $4,949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.3'' x 0.63'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.6" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.3" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 12 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 309 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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 Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift 3 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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