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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize a lower price point and still require solid performance for everyday tasks and casual creative work, the Acer Swift X would be a sensible choice. It provides good value for general use. However, if your work involves more demanding engineering software, 3D applications, machine learning, or gaming, and you're willing to invest more, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers higher performance suitable for those intensive tasks, although it comes with a higher cost. Keep in mind that with increased performance, the MSI laptop may also have reduced battery life compared to the Acer Swift X, and might be heavier, affecting portability. 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 X (2023)
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Good for gaming and AI
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.9
7.8
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2023) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2023) with an Nvidia RTX 3050 offers commendable performance for gaming and 3D tasks, alongside a 120Hz refresh rate screen that provides smoother visuals, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio ramps up the graphics prowess with an Nvidia RTX 4060 and a higher 165Hz refresh rate that ensures even more fluid gameplay and rendering performance. Both laptops are equipped with quality IPS screens and solid processors, with the MSI featuring a slightly more powerful CPU, but screen resolution and color coverage are superior on the Acer, enhancing the visual experience during use.
Software Development
7.9
7.4
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and MSI Stealth 14 Studio are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift X (2023) 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
8.0
7.6
14.5in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you're primarily using your laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the web, watching videos, or working with documents, the Acer Swift X's high-resolution, bright display makes it a superior choice. For engineering and design work that requires precise color representation, the Acer Swift X again stands out due to its wider color gamut coverage, ensuring that the colors you see on screen are more accurate and vibrant. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications because they lack high refresh rates which are crucial for smooth motion and responsiveness.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 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.
Cost
$1,100
$1,520
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,520.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and MSI Stealth 14 Studio are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is well-suited for general use thanks to its solid CPU and RAM combo, high-resolution screen with a good color range, and all-day battery life, while maintaining excellent portability at a very light weight. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a more powerful CPU and superior GPU which are favorable for more demanding tasks, has double the storage, and a marginally higher-quality keyboard, but it sacrifices some screen quality and notably falls short in battery life and portability in comparison to the Acer Swift X.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Acer Swift X (2023) are both very 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
8.0
7.9
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.5in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2023) to have very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.6
The Acer Swift X (2023) and MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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 X (2023) and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2023) | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,520 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.7'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.31 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-13500H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 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 | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 390 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 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 X (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"The Swift X is an Acer for entry-level gaming. With the entry-level graphics chip, our Acer not only beats every single current AMD and Intel iGPU, but also Intel's dGPU Iris Xe Max. However, despite being a GDDR6 version, the GTX does not match the expectations set by its own counterparts from our database. This may be a result of the single fan, which only produces moderate noise levels under load. The performance level of the thin and light 1.4 kg (~3.09 lbs) 14-inch laptop is impressive nonetheless."
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 X (2023) 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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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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