The Acer Swift X 16 is a more expensive but high-performing option with a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics, making it suitable for intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering. It also has a larger and higher-resolution 16-inch screen which is great for multitasking and design work, yet this makes it less portable than the MSI Modern 14. The MSI Modern 14 is less expensive and lighter, with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and integrated Vega 7 graphics capable for general use; it's more portable but less suitable for resource-intensive applications. If portability and saving money are your main concerns, go with MSI Modern 14, but for better performance and a superior screen, the Acer Swift X 16 is the better choice. 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 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 stands out for general use due to its more powerful CPU and dedicated graphics unit, resulting in better performance, as well as its higher quality screen with better resolution and color coverage. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14, while still good for general use, offers less powerful integrated graphics and a screen with lower resolution and color accuracy, but it is more portable and has a higher portability score.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
6.0/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D because it includes a dedicated Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and a screen with a higher refresh rate, which means smoother visuals during fast-paced scenes. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 uses an integrated GPU in its processor, which is less powerful compared to dedicated graphics solutions and offers a standard screen refresh rate, making it less ideal for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a high-performance CPU and a dedicated GPU, which are essential for demanding engineering and design tasks, along with superior screen quality that boasts higher resolution and color accuracy; on the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 offers a lower-tier built-in GPU and less powerful CPU, with a screen that doesn’t quite match the Swift X 16 in either resolution or color gamut, making it less suitable for intensive graphical work. Despite the MSI Modern 14 being lighter and potentially more portable, it compromises on the core features that are very important for engineering and design use cases.
Content Creation
8.3/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Modern 14 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
8.0/10
7.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
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 16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
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
8.2/10
6.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness, making it a strong choice for everyday tasks and professional design work where color accuracy and detail matter. However, its lower refresh rate is less suitable for 3D applications and gaming, which demand rapid screen updates for smooth visuals. The MSI Modern 14, with its fair resolution and adequate color range, accommodates general activities and some design work effectively but does not excel in gaming or 3D content creation due to a modest refresh rate and less impressive color fidelity.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality, though the Acer Swift X 16 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
"Acer’s Swift X 16 is an excellent choice for shoppers who want a 16-inch laptop and care more for performance than attractive design or long battery life. The Swift X 16’s gorgeous OLED display, spacious keyboard, and big touchpad make it pleasant to use in basic day-to-day tasks. It also has an AMD Ryzen 9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, which combine to deliver good performance in a wide variety of productivity applications and games. A few minor mistakes, like poorly-placed USB-C ports that lack DisplayPort, will turn off some shoppers, but those who can accept its shortcomings will find the Swift X 16 a versatile daily driver."
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 X 16 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.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
134,895
Recommendations made
29,228
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.