The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) tends to be more expensive but offers longer battery life, a higher resolution screen with better color coverage, and is lighter for improved portability. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 usually costs less and has a more powerful dedicated graphics card suitable for intensive gaming and engineering tasks, but with lower battery life and a heavier build which makes it less portable. 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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.3/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers superior screen quality and battery life with a highly efficient CPU, making it excellent for general use, and its lighter weight and smaller size enhance portability. The MSI Pulse GL66, while still good for general use, has a lower screen resolution and shorter battery life but compensates with a dedicated GPU, catering to those who may also have gaming or more graphical needs.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is favored for engineering and design due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU paired with integrated M1 Pro GPU, high-resolution Mini LED screen, and excellent build quality including keyboard and speakers, although it is less portable and has no option for a dedicated number pad.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
8.3/10
7.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
9.2/10
6.8/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display, which offers sharp images and excellent brightness, along with wide color gamuts that ensure accurate color representation critical for design tasks. However, its screen falls short for 3D applications, as it typically has a lower refresh rate that is less optimal for the fast-paced visuals in 3D environments. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers fair screen performance for everyday tasks and engineering with decent resolution and adequate color coverage but doesn't provide the high refresh rates gamers and 3D designers seek, making its display less ideal for gaming and 3D purposes.
Battery
13.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to be good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in 3D visualizations and rendering because of its powerful integrated Apple GPU and high-quality mini LED display that provides superior color accuracy and brightness, making it ideal for professionals in creative fields that use less demanding or macOS-friendly 3D software. The MSI Pulse GL66, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU that supports ray tracing and DLSS, and a high refresh rate screen, offers an optimal experience for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from advanced graphics features, but keep in mind, it may not be as color accurate as the MacBook Pro.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Pulse GL66
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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.
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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