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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Acer Nitro 16 offers better performance for 3D tasks, machine learning, and gaming due to its newer graphics card, has a higher resolution screen with a taller aspect ratio for more vertical space, and potentially longer battery life, making it suitable for intensive tasks. However, it's also heavier and might be less portable compared to the lighter MSI Pulse GL66. The MSI has a high refresh rate screen with full HD resolution, good for fast-paced games and general use, but it's better suited for those who prioritize portability and where intense graphics performance is not as critical. Both laptops have similar storage and memory, which is sufficient for general and engineering use. The Acer might be a bit more costly, but its performance and features could justify the price for those needing power over portability. 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 Nitro 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.2
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
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
8.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Acer Nitro 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Acer Nitro 16 is rated very good for engineering and design use because it has a higher-end CPU and GPU suitable for demanding tasks, as well as a superior screen with higher resolution and color accuracy, which is crucial for precision work.
Content Creation
7.8
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for content creation, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
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
7.7
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Acer Nitro 16 is somewhat better.
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
8.3
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
494.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Acer Nitro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Acer Nitro 16 offers a high-resolution, bright display with a panel that renders colors vividly, making it excellent for both general use and tasks that require precise color representation, like engineering and design. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate could lead to less smooth visual experiences compared to displays optimized for these purposes. The MSI Pulse GL66, while providing a reasonable resolution and adequate brightness that works for everyday tasks and engineering applications, falls short in both color accuracy for professional design work and refresh rate for high-end gaming and 3D performance.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Acer Nitro 16 has 9 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
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability, while the Acer Nitro 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,050
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Acer Nitro 16 has a price of $1,050 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
494.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Acer Nitro 16 is equipped with a strong CPU and high-quality GPU, considerable RAM and larger battery, alongside a superior high-resolution screen, making it reliable for varied tasks including light gaming, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life in comparison to some laptops.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Acer Nitro 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 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 Nitro 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Acer Nitro 16 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,050 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 11'' x 1.1'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.18" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.02" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 494 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Acer Nitro 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2023
"Video editing, rendering and, of course, gaming represent the Nitro 16's core competencies with a Ryzen 7 7735HS and GeForce RTX 4070 providing the necessary power. Both chips run at consistently high clock speeds. A fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the required storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Nitro 16 AN16-41, Acer has a well-specced, mid-range gaming laptop in its portfolio."
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 Nitro 16 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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