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Updated January 12, 2024·
As you assess the Acer Swift X (2021) and the MSI Stealth GS77, consider that the Acer Swift X offers a balance of performance and portability at a lower price, making it a smart choice for general use and lighter creative tasks. The MSI Stealth GS77, while more expensive, delivers superior power for demanding applications like 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering software. It typically has a larger screen and higher-end graphics, which can be crucial for detailed work, but this also affects battery life and makes it less portable than the Acer. Choose the Acer for everyday productivity with some creative capacity, or invest in the MSI if you need a mobile workstation for intensive tasks. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS77
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
372.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for general use, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The MSI Stealth GS77 is distinguished by its superior CPU and larger amount of RAM, which contribute to its edge in performance for demanding tasks, as well as a higher resolution screen, making it very good for general use. However, it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Acer Swift X (2021), which offers good performance suitable for everyday tasks, a lighter design, and longer battery life, making it a good choice for general use.
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.9
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.7
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for engineering and design, while the Acer Swift X (2021) is good.
The MSI Stealth GS77 is favored for its higher performing CPU, the Intel i7, more RAM, and a more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, which together provide better handling of engineering and design tasks than the Acer Swift X, which has a less powerful AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, less RAM, and a less capable Nvidia RTX GPU. In addition, the MSI's superior screen quality, with a higher resolution and refresh rate, enhances detail and smoothness in visual applications compared to the lower resolution and refresh rate screen of the Acer Swift X, making the MSI more suitable for detailed engineering and design work.
Content Creation
7.5
8.3
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.1
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.3
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
372.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS77 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 offers a pleasant visual experience with its adequate resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks, while the MSI Stealth GS77 provides an even better visual experience with sharper resolution and higher brightness, enhancing every interaction. In the realm of engineering and design, the MSI Stealth GS77 stands out with superior color accuracy that covers a wide range of color gamuts, crucial for professionals in need of precise color representation, whereas the Acer Swift X, while decent, may not satisfy those with the most critical color demands. However, for gaming and 3D rendering, both the Acer Swift X and MSI Stealth GS77 fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can limit the smoothness and responsiveness critical in fast-paced gaming and intricate 3D modeling.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Acer Swift X has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS77 has 6 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
17.3in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Acer Swift X (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth GS77 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$580
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Acer Swift X (2021) has a price of $580 and the MSI Stealth GS77 costs $2,499.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.6
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth GS77 to have very good build quality, while the Acer Swift X (2021) has 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 (2021) and the MSI Stealth GS77 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Swift X (2021) | MSI Stealth GS77 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$580 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 8.4'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.7" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.4" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600U | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 59 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 372 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 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 Stealth GS77
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | April 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS77 is better than the GS76... mostly. The GS77 is a few steps forward and a few steps back from the GS76. Improvements are numerous including the stronger and more rigid skeleton, higher resolution webcam, larger clickpad, easier serviceability, relatively similar battery runtimes, newer display options, and higher performance at about the same TDP and TGP levels as before. CPU performance is better than expected even when compared to other laptops with Core i7 or Core i9 processors. The newer model feels more substantial than the outgoing one for higher quality impressions as well."
Get a great deal on the Acer Swift X (2021) or the MSI Stealth GS77
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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