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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a lightweight and more portable laptop, the MSI Modern 14 may suit you better, though its lower battery capacity could mean you'll be charging it more often. The Acer Swift Go 14 has a longer battery life and superior display with higher resolution and color coverage, making it better for tasks requiring color accuracy, but it does come at a higher price. Both laptops have similar storage and RAM, making them capable for general use, but the Acer's processor is more powerful, leading to better performance in intensive tasks like engineering or 3D work. However, if affordability is key, and your tasks aren't as demanding, the MSI might be adequate while saving you money. Both are not ideal for intensive gaming. 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
- Good for engineering and design
- Excellent portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift Go 14 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Acer Swift Go 14 is equipped with an Intel i7 CPU and Iris Xe GPU which are better suited for engineering and design tasks compared to the MSI Modern 14's AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and Vega 7 GPU; furthermore, the Acer has a superior higher-resolution screen, beneficial for such precision work. While both laptops have similar RAM and are relatively portable, the Acer's higher screen quality and more powerful CPU and GPU combination provide a substantial advantage for performance-intensive tasks.
Software Development
7.6
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Modern 14 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
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers superior screen resolution and brightness, enhancing visibility and clarity for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but lacks the high refresh rates needed for smooth rendering in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Modern 14 provides balanced screen features for casual and professional environments, but doesn't excel in any particular area, leading to a compromise in both color fidelity for design tasks and fluidity in gaming. Neither laptop is optimal for gaming or intensive 3D modeling due to their screen's modest refresh rates, but for general use and engineering, the Acer's higher-quality display would be more advantageous for those prioritizing visual detail and vibrancy.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift Go 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 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.
Cost
$793
$525
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Acer Swift Go 14 has a price of $793 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift Go 14 offers a vibrant screen with a higher resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio for more vertical screen space, backed by a robust processor, ample memory, and a long battery life, making it well-suited for varied general use applications.
Gaming and AI
6.4
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift Go 14 with its Intel Iris Xe GPU and MSI Modern 14 with its AMD Vega 7 GPU are both limited in gaming and 3D performance compared to laptops designed specifically for these tasks, as these integrated graphics options cannot match the power of dedicated gaming graphics cards, especially in terms of handling complex graphics and ensuring smooth gameplay with high frame rates. Both laptops have the same basic screen refresh rate, which is adequate for casual use but not ideal for high-speed gaming where higher refresh rates can improve the fluidity of the action on screen.
Content Creation
7.6
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
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 Modern 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.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift Go 14 to have excellent portability, while the MSI Modern 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Acer Swift Go 14 and MSI Modern 14 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 Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift Go 14 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$793 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.6'' x 0.59'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.76 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.32" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.58" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 Modern 14
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Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift Go 14 or the MSI Modern 14
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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