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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Swift X (2021) tends to be lighter and more portable, with good performance for everyday use and light creative work, balanced with longer battery life, making it suitable for someone frequently on the move. The MSI Cyborg 15 offers higher performance in gaming and more demanding applications due to better graphics capabilities, with a tradeoff in portability and potentially shorter battery life, thereby catering to gaming and performance-intensive tasks. If frequent travel and longer unplugged usage are your priorities, and your tasks are not heavily graphics-oriented, the Acer Swift X may be more suitable. However, if your work involves gaming or graphics-heavy tasks and you're less concerned about portability and battery life, the MSI Cyborg 15 would be a better fit. 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 (2021)
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.2
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
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 Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
The Acer Swift X has a capable GPU suitable for moderate gaming and 3D tasks, but the MSI Cyborg 15 is equipped with a more advanced GPU and a higher screen refresh rate that provides smoother visuals, making it a better fit for more demanding gaming and 3D applications. While both laptops have competent CPUs and good screen quality, the superior GPU and refresh rate in the MSI Cyborg 15 render it more adept for intensive gaming experiences.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Acer Swift X (2021) are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI Cyborg 15 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
6.9
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Acer Swift X has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X offers a higher resolution and brightness, which enhances the overall viewing experience for daily tasks and detail-oriented engineering work; however, its lower refresh rate may lead to less fluid visuals during high-paced gaming or 3D rendering. The MSI Cyborg 15 provides adequate resolution and brightness for most users and sufficient for technical work, but it may fall short in delivering the vibrant and precise color range professionals require. Both laptops struggle with gaming and 3D content, as their refresh rates aren't high enough to ensure smooth motion, which is critical for such applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 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
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
6.7
The Acer Swift X (2021) has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$580
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
The Acer Swift X (2021) is appreciated for general use because of its balance of a capable CPU and RAM, high-quality screen, and good portability due to its light weight and long battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15 is also suitable for general use, providing stronger CPU performance and a higher refresh rate screen, but with tradeoffs including less battery life and portability due to its larger size and heavier weight.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Swift X (2021) and MSI Cyborg 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.
Software Development
7.3
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Swift X (2021) and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.3/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2021)
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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 Cyborg 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the MSI Cyborg 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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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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