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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Aspire 3 14 is significantly less expensive and offers reasonable performance for general use with its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Radeon graphics, in addition to being more portable due to its lighter weight and longer battery life. However, if you need high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Pulse GL66 is the better option despite being more expensive; it comes with a more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics, as well as a higher refresh rate display, but with reduced battery life and increased weight. 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 Aspire 3 14
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
5.9
7.2
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is poor.
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
6.1
7.5
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 is only fair.
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
6.1
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen than the Acer Aspire 3 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Acer Aspire 3 14 and the MSI Pulse GL66 provide decent visuals adequate for everyday tasks like web browsing and video streaming, although they may not stand out in terms of sharpness or luminosity. When it comes to engineering and design work, the fair screen quality means that professionals might find the color precision and range somewhat lacking, which is crucial for accurately portraying designs. However, gamers and those engaged in 3D work will likely find the refresh rate insufficient on both models, leading to less smooth visuals, which are especially noticeable in fast-paced scenarios or while working on motion-heavy 3D projects.
Battery
9.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has 9.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 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
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.2
7.4
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality, while the Acer Aspire 3 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$434
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Aspire 3 14 has a price of $434 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Acer Aspire 3 14 are both good for general use.
The MSI Pulse GL66 offers better performance for general use with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM compared to the Acer Aspire 3 14, which makes it capable of handling more demanding tasks smoothly. Although it has a higher quality screen and better keyboard, the MSI's tradeoffs include being less portable and having a shorter battery life compared to the Acer, which is lighter and boasts longer battery life for on-the-go use.
Content Creation
7.2
7.2
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Aspire 3 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 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
7.1
7.0
4.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.2/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Aspire 3 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 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 Aspire 3 14 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Aspire 3 14 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$434 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.5" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7520U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 40 Wh | 53 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 | 250 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.4/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
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."
Get a great deal on the Acer Aspire 3 14 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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