For general use, prioritizing a balance between performance and price, the MSI Thin GF63 may offer the value you need without stretching your budget. However, if your work involves more demanding applications like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, the Acer Swift X (2023), while more expensive, generally provides better performance that can handle those tasks more efficiently. The Acer is also typically favored for its graphics capabilities, which are essential for graphics-intensive tasks. On the other hand, if portability and battery life are crucial for you—perhaps you travel often or work remotely—the Acer Swift X (2023) is also known for its lighter build and longer-lasting battery life, making it easier to carry around and use for extended periods away from a power source. Therefore, evaluate what you value more: if it's saving money and getting decent performance for everyday tasks, go with the MSI; but if you need a machine for specialized work and favor mobility, the additional investment in the Acer Swift X (2023) would be justified. 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 engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
The MSI Thin GF63 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2023).
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
390.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for general use, though the Acer Swift X (2023) is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X (2023) excels in general use due to its superior screen quality, longer battery life, and lighter design making it highly portable, with solid CPU and sufficient RAM for smooth operation. The MSI Thin GF63, while offering higher GPU performance suitable for more demanding applications and a larger screen, falls short on battery life and portability which are critical for general use scenarios.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2023) is very good for content creation, while the MSI Thin GF63 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
7.9/10
7.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) and MSI Thin GF63 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
8.0/10
6.8/10
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
390.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X boasts a higher resolution and brighter display, which enhances clarity and visibility for general use and intricate engineering tasks, but its standard refresh rate is less optimal for the fast-paced visuals required in Gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Thin GF63 provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and some design work, but its average color reproduction limits the precision needed for professional-grade engineering and design projects. Both laptops fall short for Gaming and 3D due to their lower refresh rates, which can't deliver the fluid motion that these activities often demand.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.5in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift X (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Thin GF63 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2023) has good build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Acer Swift X (2023) and MSI Thin GF63 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
7.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Acer Swift X (2023) to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Thin GF63 is good.
The Acer Swift X (2023) is well-suited for engineering and design due to its powerful CPU, dedicated RTX 3050 GPU, high RAM, and premium display with increased resolution and color accuracy, whereas the MSI Thin GF63 offers a stronger CPU and a more advanced RTX 4050 GPU, providing better performance for computational tasks and graphics-intensive applications. However, the Swift X edges out with a longer battery life and a superior screen quality, essential for design work, while the GF63, albeit heavier and less portable, offers a slightly larger display and may perform better in tasks requiring higher graphics processing power.
Cost
$1,100
$1,150
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Acer Swift X (2023) has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2023) and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2023) or the MSI Thin GF63
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.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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