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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X 16 is less expensive and lighter with a longer battery life, making it more suitable for portability and general use. It has a mid-range graphics card which is suitable for light gaming and casual creative work. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 is more costly but offers superior performance with a top-tier graphics card and processor, more memory and storage, making it better suited for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive engineering tasks. It is heavier and has a shorter battery life, which makes it less portable. Both have similar screen sizes and high refresh rates, but the Raider's overall build quality and performance scores are higher, catering to the high-end gaming and professional market. 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
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16 is praised for general use due to its balance of a powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-quality screen, and good portability combined with decent battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and light creative work. Contrastingly, the MSI Raider GE78, while also offering a top-tier CPU and RAM alongside an excellent screen, sacrifices some portability and battery life for significantly improved performance, ideal for users who need a powerhouse for intensive applications, but it comes at the cost of being heavier and less portable..
Gaming and AI
7.0
9.5
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X 16 is good.
The MSI Raider GE78 outperforms the Acer Swift X 16 for gaming and 3D tasks primarily due to its superior GPU, an Nvidia RTX 4090, compared to the RTX 3050 in the Acer Swift X 16, and a higher screen refresh rate of 240 Hz against the Acer's 165 Hz, enhancing the smoothness of fast-paced visuals. The performance benefits of the MSI Raider GE78's top-tier GPU and faster refresh rate are significant for gaming, though it does come at a cost of higher weight and potentially shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.2
9.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X 16 is very good.
The Acer Swift X 16, with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor, RTX 3050 GPU, and 16 GB of RAM, delivers very good performance and screen quality for engineering and design use, offering a balance with its portability and lower operating noise. However, the MSI Raider GE78 stands out for engineering and design with an even more powerful Intel i9 processor, RTX 4090 GPU, and 32 GB of RAM, providing excellent performance and screen quality at the cost of being less portable and having louder operating noise.
Content Creation
8.3
8.8
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
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
8.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Raider GE78 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
8.2
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, laptops like the Acer Swift X 16 with a high-quality panel, high resolution, and bright display make for vivid and sharp content, making everyday tasks pleasant. In engineering and design, accurate colors are crucial, and both the Acer Swift X 16 and MSI Raider GE78 offer wide color gamuts for precise work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, these laptops may fall short due to lower refresh rates, despite their decent resolution and panel types.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Acer Swift X 16 has a price of $1,250 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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How the Acer Swift X 16 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X 16 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.7'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.81" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 402 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
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 Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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