The Acer Swift X offers solid performance in a lighter and more compact design, making it more portable, with a decent balance between price and performance for general and engineering uses. Its graphics capabilities allow for light gaming and 3D tasks. The MSI Prestige 16 provides a larger, higher-resolution screen, more storage, and double the memory, better suited for intensive engineering tasks, and 3D or machine learning activities. Its larger battery offers lower portability due to increased weight. Choose the Acer if you favor portability and balanced performance at a midrange price, or the MSI for demanding tasks and a larger, superior display. 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)
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.4/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
330.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 excels in general use over the Acer Swift X (2022) because of its superior CPU and RAM, leading to better performance, higher storage capacity, and a larger, brighter screen, though it is heavier and has a shorter battery life. While the Acer Swift X has a good balance of portability and screen quality, its battery life and heat management make it well-suited for general use, but the MSI offers a higher tier of performance and screen resolution, making it the preferred option for those prioritizing power over portability and longevity on a single charge.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.2/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 outperforms the Acer Swift X (2022) for engineering and design tasks due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and larger, more vivid display which is crucial for detailed work, despite having a less powerful, integrated GPU compared to the Swift X which has a dedicated Nvidia chip. The Acer Swift X, however, offers a balance between power and portability, being lighter and having better operating noise management, which makes it a solid choice for users who value mobility and a quieter working environment.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is 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.
Screen Quality
7.0/10
8.3/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
330.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen than the Acer Swift X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Acer Swift X strikes a balance with its resolution and brightness, ensuring clear visuals and comfortable viewing, while the MSI Prestige 16 elevates this with an even sharper display and higher brightness, enhancing readability and detail. In an engineering and design context, both laptops offer wide color gamuts, providing the necessary color accuracy and range required for professional work, though the MSI Prestige 16's screen may display colors a bit more accurately. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smoother visual performance is key, both fall short due to lower refresh rates, which means they won't be as fluid with fast-moving graphics compared to models tailored for gaming.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Acer Swift X (2022) has very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,313
$1,611
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Swift X (2022) has a price of $1,313 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
The MSI Prestige 16 and Acer Swift X (2022) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The MSI Prestige 16 is better suited for gaming and 3D tasks as it has a much higher screen refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals, and while both have high-quality IPS displays, the MSI has a higher screen resolution, offering sharper images. The Acer Swift X, though it possesses a capable Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU for fair gaming performance, lags behind due to its standard refresh rate and lower screen brightness compared to the MSI Prestige 16's superior display features.
Software Development
7.7/10
8.1/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2240 x 1400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 16 to be very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2022) is good.
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.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
The Acer Swift X (2022) and MSI Prestige 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Acer Swift X (2022) and the MSI Prestige 16 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 Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2022) or the MSI Prestige 16
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.