The MSI GF65 Thin is slightly less expensive, has an Intel i5-10500H processor, Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, and a larger 15.6-inch screen but with a lower resolution compared to the Acer Swift X (2022). Consider your primary tasks and whether you prioritize portability, display quality, or gaming performance when making your 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 (2022)
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
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 GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Acer Swift X (2022).
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
6.5/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
330.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2022) offers better general use performance due to its superior CPU, more RAM, and higher screen quality compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, alongside a more portable design and longer battery life. However, the MSI GF65 Thin, with its more powerful GPU and larger screen, could be a better choice for gaming, despite its lower portability and battery performance compared to the Swift X.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
6.7/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2022) is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Acer Swift X (2022) is equipped with a better CPU and more RAM than the MSI GF65 Thin, which is crucial for multitasking and running demanding engineering applications, while its higher screen resolution and color accuracy lend themselves well to design work. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin, with a superior GPU and a higher refresh rate display, excels in graphics processing, which can be beneficial for certain engineering simulations and design tasks that demand graphical power.
Content Creation
7.8/10
6.8/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2022) is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
7.7/10
6.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
7.0/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
330.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Acer Swift X stands out with its superior resolution and brightness, which offers crisp visuals and viewability in various lighting conditions, whereas the MSI GF65 Thin, while adequate, doesn't shine as bright or display as sharp. In engineering and design, the Acer's coverage of color gamuts ensures more accurate color representation, crucial for detailed work, while the MSI's less robust color range may not fulfill professional color standards. Regarding 3D, the Acer's slower refresh rate might lead to less fluid motion rendering, which is a critical aspect for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes, a domain where even with its limitations, the MSI may perform marginally better due to its refresh rate.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Acer Swift X (2022) has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
6.7/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,313
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2022) has a price of $1,313 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
The MSI GF65 Thin and Acer Swift X (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X offers a RTX 3050 GPU with a 60Hz screen refresh rate, which is suitable for casual gaming but may not deliver the smoothest experience for enthusiasts or competitive gaming, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a higher-tier RTX 3060 GPU and a 144Hz refresh rate, offering better performance and smoother visuals for gaming and 3D applications, albeit typically at a higher cost. The Swift may appeal due to its higher screen resolution and quality, coupled with a more powerful CPU, whereas the MSI is more gaming-focused with its superior GPU and higher refresh rate but may concede on screen quality and multitasking performance.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2022) and the MSI GF65 Thin 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 GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2022) or the MSI GF65 Thin
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
132,495
Recommendations made
28,708
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.