If you're looking for something more affordable that still delivers reliable performance for everyday tasks or light creative work, the Acer Swift X 16 may be a good fit, offering decent value and easier portability. On the other hand, if your work involves demanding software, like advanced engineering applications or high-end gaming, and you're okay with a higher price and less portability, the MSI Titan 18 HX with its powerful hardware can handle these intense tasks more effectively but may also have a shorter battery life due to its more powerful components. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
402.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Titan 18 HX is somewhat better.
The Acer Swift X 16, with its balance of a capable CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, excels in tasks for general use while being lighter and offering longer battery life, which enhances portability; on the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX, though less portable due to its size and shorter battery life, provides exceptional performance for more demanding tasks due to its powerful CPU and abundant RAM, alongside a top-notch screen that's ideal for detailed visuals. Both laptops have sufficient storage, comfortable keyboards, respectable speaker quality, and manage heat and operating noise effectively, factors that support a good user experience.
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
9.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Unknown
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X 16 is good.
The Acer Swift X 16 comes with a capable GPU and a decent screen refresh rate, providing a good gaming and 3D experience. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, has a top-tier GPU and an even higher screen refresh rate, making it exceptional for gaming and 3D, accompanied by a robust CPU and superior screen quality to match its high performance.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X 16 is very good.
The Acer Swift X 16 offers a balance between performance with its capable CPU, ample RAM, and solid GPU and practical features like screen quality, which is suitable for various engineering and design tasks, while remaining more portable and quieter. The MSI Titan 18 HX, with top-tier CPU, vast RAM, and a high-end GPU, excels in demanding engineering and design applications, and has a superior screen, but it is heavier and less portable with a louder operating noise.
Content Creation
8.3/10
9.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Acer Swift X 16 is very 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
8.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and Acer Swift X 16 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Titan 18 HX 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
8.2/10
9.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
402.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Acer Swift X 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Acer Swift X 16, with its balance of resolution, brightness, and panel type, provides a vibrant and sharp display that suits everyday tasks, but it lacks the high refresh rates critical for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Titan 18 HX excels with its superior color accuracy and range, essential for engineering and design work where precise color representation is key. However, similar to the Acer, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to an inadequate refresh rate, leading to potential motion blur and less fluid movement on-screen.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
18.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Acer Swift X 16 has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$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 Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
"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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X 16 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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