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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2022) is generally a slightly less expensive option that offers better portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life. It has a higher-resolution display, which is great for general use and work tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 has a more powerful graphics card, making it better for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, but it has a shorter battery life and is heavier, which might make it less convenient to carry around. Both laptops have similar storage, RAM, and are targeted for midrange buyers, so your choice should depend on whether portability and screen resolution (Acer Swift X) or better graphics performance and gaming (MSI GL66) are more important to you. 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 overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is only fair.
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, desirable for smoother gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the Acer Swift X is equipped with a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which may not handle demanding games and 3D tasks as effectively.
Content Creation
7.8
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Swift X (2022) 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
7.7
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Acer Swift X (2022) 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
7.0
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
330.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X offers a higher resolution and brightness that enhance the clarity and detail for general activities and viewing detailed engineering designs, with its superior panel type providing crisp images. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, its lower refresh rate can compromise smooth motion rendering. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66, while providing decent brightness and sharpness for everyday and professional work, falls short for both color-sensitive engineering applications due to narrower color gamut coverage and for gaming because of the less optimal refresh rates affecting motion fluidity.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift X (2022) has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.3
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
330.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2022) offers a balance ideal for general use with its strong CPU performance, sufficient RAM, high-quality screen with higher resolution, and greater portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life. Meanwhile, the MSI Pulse GL66, while also having strong CPU performance and sufficient RAM, is better suited for more stationary use with its larger screen and higher refresh rate, which comes at the cost of heavier weight and shorter battery life, making it less portable.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X (2022) is suitable for engineering and design due to its high-resolution screen, capable CPU and GPU for demanding applications, while the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh suitable for graphics-intensive tasks. Both laptops possess ample RAM and quality screens, but the Swift X is more portable and has better build quality, whereas the Pulse GL66 excels in speaker quality and gaming performance thanks to its dedicated gaming hardware.
Build Quality
7.6
7.4
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,313
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2022) has a price of $1,313 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the Acer Swift X (2022) and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2022) | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,313 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.3" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1260P | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.7 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2240 x 1400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 330 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2022)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Jentsch | March 2022
"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."
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2022) or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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