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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X offers a balance of portability and performance, suitable for general use and work-related tasks. It has a high-resolution screen and good battery life, making it a strong choice for users who prioritize mobility and display quality. On the other hand, the MSI Katana 15 offers better performance for 3D rendering, machine learning or gaming, and it has a more gaming-oriented design with an RGB-backlit keyboard. However, it sacrifices some portability and has a lower battery life in comparison. Consider the MSI if you need enhanced graphics capabilities or carry out more intensive tasks; opt for the Acer if you prefer something lightweight with a sharper display for everyday activities. 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
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.6
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X offers moderate graphics performance and an average screen refresh rate, making it suitable for lighter gaming and 3D tasks, while the MSI Katana 15, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, provides a noticeably smoother and more immersive experience for demanding games and 3D applications. Both laptops will benefit from their respective CPUs and screen quality, with the MSI having an edge for users prioritizing gaming and 3D performance.
Software Development
7.7
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Katana 15 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
258.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Katana 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X has a higher resolution and brighter panel, making it more suitable for tasks that involve reading text or viewing images, which is essential for both general use and engineering/design work. It also provides wider color gamut coverage, crucial for accurate color representation in engineering and design tasks. However, its lower refresh rate hinders its performance for gaming and 3D work, where smoother motion and faster screen updates are key.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 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
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift X (2022) has very good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,313
$949
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2022) has a price of $1,313 and the MSI Katana 15 costs $949.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.5
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
330.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Katana 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2022) is well-suited for general use due to its balance of a strong CPU, ample RAM, quality screen, light weight for portability, and reasonable battery life, making it a versatile choice for everyday tasks. The MSI Katana 15, with similar RAM and a capable CPU, offers a larger storage capacity and a superior graphics card, which can be beneficial for more graphics-intensive applications, but it's less portable and has slightly less battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.7
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Katana 15 and Acer Swift X (2022) are both good for engineering and design.
The Acer Swift X (2022) is well-suited for engineering and design use due to its potent Intel i7 CPU, adequate RAM, capable Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU, and a high-resolution IPS screen, making it a strong performer for both computational tasks and precise visuals. In contrast, the MSI Katana 15, while also fit for engineering and design, offers more storage and a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, which may edge out in graphics-intensive tasks, but has a lower-resolution screen than the Acer.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
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 Katana 15 are both good for content creation.
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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.2
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Katana 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2022) and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2022) | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,313 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.3" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1260P | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.7 Wh | 53.5 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 | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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 Katana 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2022) or the MSI Katana 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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