The ASUS ROG Flow X13, being significantly more expensive, offers a more compact form with better portability, touch screen, and higher screen resolution ideal for general use and mobility. It's a newer model with potent hardware for intensive tasks like 3D, machine learning, and gaming. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 costs less, provides a larger screen, and has a dedicated number pad on the keyboard, which might be suitable for engineering-related tasks, but has a lower battery life and portability score compared to the ASUS ROG Flow X13. 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 ASUS ROG Flow X13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.1/10
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
511.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 outshines the MSI Pulse GL66 in general use through its combination of a higher-resolution screen and greater portability, along with a superior CPU and longer battery life, which are all very important aspects for daily tasks. However, the MSI Pulse GL66, while it also delivers good general use capabilities with solid CPU performance and adequate RAM, falls short on screen quality and battery life compared to the ASUS, but may offer a more budget-friendly option.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
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
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI, though the ASUS ROG Flow X13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is suitable for gaming and 3D applications due to its Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which offer smooth and high-quality visual experiences. Meanwhile, the MSI Pulse GL66, with its Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a 144 Hz refresh rate, also provides robust gaming performance, but with slightly lower graphics capability and refresh rate compared to the ASUS.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
7.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 is optimized for engineering and design tasks due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, better GPU, higher screen resolution, and touchscreen capability, which enhance multitasking and precision work. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 has a less capable Intel i7 CPU and GPU, but offers a larger screen size, despite lower resolution, and may not be as portable or versatile for design work as the ASUS.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.2/10
9.2/10
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 ASUS ROG Flow X13 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
8.0/10
7.0/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 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
8.4/10
6.8/10
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
511.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 offers a sharper resolution and higher brightness, enhancing the viewing experience for general use and detailed work in engineering and design, while its broader color coverage appeals to professionals in need of precise color accuracy. The MSI Pulse GL66, while adequate in resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering applications, doesn't excel in any particular area, offering a competent but unremarkable visual experience. Both laptops, however, don't provide high refresh rates, which limits their ability to deliver smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications where fast motion clarity is key.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has 8 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
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good 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
$2,500
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a price of $2,500 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
"The Asus ROG Flow X13 is not an off-the-shelf convertible. This quickly becomes clear when you take a closer look at the technical specs. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is a state-of-the-art SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads, which also makes the 2-in-1 interesting as a work device. With 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, gamers are also well taken care of. The dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q fits well into the overall concept and ensures a solid 3D performance. With the eGPU dock, which is equipped with a GeForce RTX 3080, the small convertible transforms into a full-fledged desktop replacement in terms of performance."
"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 ASUS ROG Flow X13 or the MSI Pulse GL66
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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