MSI Pulse GL66
MSI Pulse GL66
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GENERAL USE: Good—7.3/10
GAMING/AI: Good—7.2/10
ENG/DESIGN: Good—7.5/10
SOFTWARE DEV: Good—7.0/10
CONTENT CREATION: Good—7.2/10
PORTABILITY: Good—7.0/10
BATTERY: Fair—6.0/10
OVERALL SCREEN QUALITY: Fair—6.6/10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE: Good—7.9/10
SIZE: 15.6"
Evaluation
Pros
- Powerful Intel i7 and RTX 3070
- Good battery capacity
- Large 15.6-inch display
- Not very heavy at 4.63 pounds
- High refresh rate of 144Hz
Cons
- Moderate screen resolution of 1920 x 1080
- Limited battery life
- Average display color coverage
- Portability is good, not great
Ratings by Category
Keyboard Quality:4.4
The Keyboard Quality score is based on the PerfectRec experts’ assessment of tactile feedback, typing comfort, keyboard reliability and typing noise.
Engineering & Design:4.2
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, CAD and 3D work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Build Quality:4.2
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, chassis rigidity, and overall reliability.
Our assessment of build quality includes many details that are difficult to quantify.
Our laptop experts use their best judgment to produce the final score.
General Use:4.1
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
The most important factors in this score include CPU performance, amount of RAM, screen quality, storage, and battery life.
Keyboard quality, speaker quality, low fan noise, heat management, and to a lesser extent webcam quality are all moderately important factors for this score.
Gaming & AI:4.1
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability as well as AI performance, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
While performance (especially graphics performance) is the most important factor determining this score, we also give modest weight to screen quality, heat management, keyboard quality, and storage.
Content Creation:4.1
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, and video editing work.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Software Development:4.0
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software development.
In addition to a strong emphasis on overall performance, this score also places very high importance on screen quality. Heat management, storage, keyboard and speaker quality are also incorporated, with fan noise rounding out this score.
Portability:4.0
PerfectRec’s portability rating takes into account the volume and thickness of the laptop as well as its weight.
General Use Screen Quality:3.9
The general use screen score is based on the screen technology, contrast ratio, resolution, brightness, color gamut and color accuracy. This score does not take into account specialized display features for specific use cases, such as high refresh rate for gaming.
Operating Noise:3.5
PerfectRec’s Operating Noise Score is based on fan noise measurements. Laptops with a fanless design, such as Macbooks, receive the maximum score.
Battery Life:3.0
PerfectRec’s Battery Life rating is based on hours of battery life in typical usage scenarios.
Full Specs
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
| Price | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | March 1, 2021 | ||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | ||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | ||
Width | 14.13" | ||
Depth | 10.2" | ||
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | ||
RAM | 16 GB | ||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | ||
RAM Slots | 2 | ||
Storage | 512 GB | ||
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | 4 Hours | ||
Battery Capacity | 53 Wh | ||
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | ||
Display Technology | IPS | ||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | ||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | ||
Display Brightness | 245 nits | ||
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score  | 7.4/10 | ||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | ||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | ||
Premium Business Laptop | No | ||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | ||
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | ||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | ||
Webcam | 720p | ||
Fingerprint Reader | No | ||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | ||
Number Pad | Yes | ||
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | 3 | ||
USB-C ports | 1 | ||
USB-C Charging | No | ||
Display Outputs | 1 | ||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | ||
MSI Pulse GL66
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NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
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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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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
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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.
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