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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift Go 14 is less expensive, lighter, and has a higher-resolution display which is great for general use and portability. If performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming is important, the MSI Pulse GL66, with a powerful Nvidia graphics card, would be more suitable despite being heavier and more expensive. The MSI also has a high refresh rate display which is preferable for fast-paced games. However, the Acer’s battery is larger, potentially offering longer usage between charges. 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 Go 14
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1200
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 Go 14 is only fair.
The MSI Pulse GL66 offers superior gaming performance with its Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, enhancing gameplay smoothness, whereas the Acer Swift Go 14 is equipped with an Iris Xe GPU and a lower 60Hz refresh rate, making it less suited for demanding gaming and 3D applications. Additionally, while both laptops offer similar CPU capabilities, the screen quality and higher refresh rate of the MSI model are more beneficial for gaming, even though the Acer may have better portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift Go 14 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 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 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 Go 14 offers vibrant colors and sharp images with its high-resolution display, making it suitable for general use and detailed work required in engineering and design, but it may disappoint gamers due to its lower refresh rate, which is less fluid for fast-paced action. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and technical applications, but its screen might not fully satisfy professionals who need the most accurate color representation or gamers seeking the smoothest visuals. Both laptops lack the high refresh rate and specialized screen features that would appeal to the gaming and 3D modeling audience, where fluid motion and rapid rendering are crucial.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 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
Excellent
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift Go 14 has excellent portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$793
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.3
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers long battery life and is lightweight with a high-resolution touchscreen, making it convenient for on-the-go use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a powerful CPU and dedicated graphics, ideal for more demanding tasks but is heavier and has shorter battery life. Although both laptops come with ample RAM and solid screen quality for general tasks, prioritize the Acer for portability and long usage times, and the MSI if you need higher performance for gaming or intensive applications, keeping in mind the MSI's trade-off on battery life and portability.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.5
7.4/10
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 Go 14 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
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift Go 14 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 Go 14 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 Go 14 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$793 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 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 | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 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 Go 14
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | May 2023
"The Acer Swift Go 14 is a surprising machine. Its performance, display, and battery life leave little to be desired from a device at this price. You might think it’d be cheaper given the “Go” in the name, or thinner given its close competition with thin-and-light laptops, but it manages to strike a decent enough balance between its capabilities and hardware to really stand out as an exceptional value."
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 Go 14 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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