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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Acer Swift Go 14 is a more budget-friendly option with a 14-inch display that is lighter and more portable, making it a good choice for those who need to carry their laptop around frequently. Its performance is suitable for general use, but it may not handle intensive 3D, machine learning, or gaming tasks as well as the MSI Katana 17, which has a larger 17.3-inch screen, more powerful graphics, and better performance, but it is heavier and less portable. If battery life is a concern, the Acer might be the better option, as larger, more powerful laptops like the MSI Katana 17 typically offer shorter battery life. Choose the Acer Swift Go 14 if you prioritize affordability and portability, or opt for the MSI Katana 17 if performance and a larger display are your main concerns. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.9
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 delivers a superior gaming and 3D experience compared to the Acer Swift Go 14 largely due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which offers smoother visuals, especially during fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.2
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift Go 14 is good.
The MSI Katana 17 excels in engineering and design use due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and a more powerful discrete graphics unit compared to the Acer Swift Go 14, which might be more suited for on-the-go work with its lighter weight and longer-lasting battery. However, the Acer Swift Go 14's higher screen resolution and better color coverage may provide advantages for design tasks where visual accuracy is essential, but it falls short for more intensive engineering applications where the Katana's specifications become crucial.
Screen Quality
6.8
6.9
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
When considering a laptop for general use, the Acer Swift Go 14's combination of panel type, resolution, and brightness provides a crisp and vivid display, making it suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design, although this Acer model offers good resolution and brightness, professionals might find its color reproduction lacking in the wider color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are crucial for precision color work. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 17, while sufficient for general use and acceptable in color accuracy for engineering tasks, falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to a lower refresh rate that can't deliver the smooth motion demanded by high-speed visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift Go 14 has excellent portability, while the MSI Katana 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$793
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.9
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Swift Go 14 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Go 14 with its lighter weight and a slightly larger battery offers portability and a longer battery life compared to the MSI Katana 17, which makes the Acer better for on-the-go use. However, the MSI Katana 17 has a more powerful CPU and double the RAM and storage of the Acer, alongside a better GPU which makes it a strong choice for more intensive tasks despite its lower battery capacity and greater weight.
Content Creation
7.6
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Katana 17 and Acer Swift Go 14 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
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Katana 17 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
7.2
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Katana 17 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift Go 14 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$793 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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 Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the MSI Katana 17
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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