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Updated January 12, 2024·
Choosing between the Acer Swift X (2021) and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo involves considering key differences in price, performance, and features. The Acer Swift X is generally more affordable than the MSI Prestige. If you are looking for a laptop that offers satisfactory performance for general use and casual gaming without breaking the bank, the Acer Swift X with its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics can be a great choice. It's also lighter and slightly more compact, making it more convenient to carry around. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, though more expensive, offers premium performance with an Intel Core Ultra processor and Intel Arc graphics, making it better suited for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or professional-grade content creation. It also has a higher-resolution OLED display which is excellent for creative work. Additionally, the Prestige provides much more storage and memory, which can be crucial for engineering applications or multitasking. So, if budget constraints are a primary concern and you need a laptop for everyday tasks with some light gaming, go for the Acer Swift X. If you are willing to invest more for a more powerful system with a better display, and your work involves demanding applications, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo would be the preferred option. 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)
- Very good portability
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
- 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
7.4
8.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo stands out for general use due to its higher RAM capacity, more powerful CPU, and higher-resolution OLED screen, which provides better image quality and color accuracy compared to the Acer Swift X's IPS screen. On the other hand, the Acer Swift X is lighter and more portable with good battery life and a very good rating in heat management and fan noise, making it a comfortable choice for daily tasks without the extra performance enhancements of the MSI.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.4
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is considered very good for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel Core processor, significantly higher amount of RAM, advanced Intel Arc GPU, and superior OLED screen with higher resolution, which together offer better performance and visual clarity for intensive tasks and detailed work.
Content Creation
7.5
8.6
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for content creation, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Software Development
7.3
8.5
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for software development, while the Acer Swift X (2021) 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.
Screen Quality
6.9
8.4
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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 provides adequate resolution and brightness, but the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo steps up the game with higher resolution and superior color rendering, making it more vivid and sharper. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo excels for engineering and design due to its wide color gamuts, offering more precise color accuracy crucial for professional creative work, while the Swift X delivers acceptable but not exceptional color coverage. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications as their screens do not offer high refresh rates, which means they won't provide as smooth motion visuals as gaming-specific laptops would.
Battery
10.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
3.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$1,349
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.7
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Acer Swift X (2021) are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Acer Swift X is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a 60Hz refresh rate IPS screen, providing fair performance for gaming and 3D applications within its compact form factor. Meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo boasts a more powerful Intel Arc 8-Cores GPU and a higher quality OLED display, delivering good gaming and 3D performance, albeit at a potentially higher price and with a slightly larger and heavier build.
Build Quality
7.6
7.4
The Acer Swift X (2021) and MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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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How the Acer Swift X (2021) and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $1,349 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | December 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3.31 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 10.02" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Acer Swift X (2021)
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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 Prestige 16 AI Evo
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Mark Anthony Ramirez | December 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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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