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Updated January 10, 2024·
For better performance in engineering and graphics-intensive tasks like 3D rendering and machine learning, the Acer Swift X 16, with its more capable graphics card, is a strong option, although it's a bit heavier and slightly more expensive. However, if portability is a priority and you're looking for a laptop that's easier on the wallet, although with less storage and a less powerful graphics card making it less suited for demanding applications, the MSI Prestige 15 is lighter and typically less expensive. Neither laptop is ideal for intensive gaming despite both being marketed as capable. When making your decision, consider your balance between performance for demanding tasks and 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 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 keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
- The MSI Prestige 15 has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X 16.
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is superb for general use with a higher resolution screen and more vibrant colors for better visual experience, coupled with substantial processing power derived from its AMD Ryzen CPU for smooth multitasking. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15, while still capable for general use, offers slightly less display quality and storage, but compensates with a lighter build for portability and marginally better battery capacity for longer use away from power outlets.
Gaming and AI
7.0
6.3
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
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
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The Acer Swift X 16 is equipped with a superior Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, making it better suited for gaming and 3D applications than the MSI Prestige 15, which includes the less powerful Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q graphics card and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 is preferred for engineering and design tasks due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, along with a higher screen resolution, which contributes to clearer and more detailed visuals. In comparison, the MSI Prestige 15 offers a good performance but falls short with a less powerful GPU and lower screen resolution, yet might be considered more portable due to its slightly lower weight.
Content Creation
8.3
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Prestige 15 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
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X 16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 15 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
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Acer Swift X 16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers vibrant colors and crisp details, ideal for tasks like browsing and document editing, while its high-resolution display benefits precision in engineering and design applications, although its modest refresh rate is less ideal for the fast-paced visuals in gaming and 3D work. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 15 provides a balanced experience with good color representation and sharpness for everyday tasks and professional design work, yet it also falls short in refresh rate for gaming and 3D content creation. Both laptops provide ample screen quality for productivity and creative work but aren't the best choice for those primarily interested in gaming or 3D applications where smoother motion is key.
Cost
$1,250
$1,044
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
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Key similarities
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 and Acer Swift X 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
7.4
The Acer Swift X 16 and MSI Prestige 15 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 16 and the MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | MSI Prestige 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,044 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 3.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.05" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 9.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 298 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2023
"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."
MSI Prestige 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | December 2022
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the MSI Prestige 15
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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