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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and the MSI Pulse GL66 depends on your preferences and needs. If portability and touch capability are important to you, along with a higher resolution and more vibrant screen, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is the better option, as it is lighter, offers a touchscreen with better color coverage, and has a smaller form factor. However, if you're looking for a laptop at a slightly lower price point, with a larger screen, and you don't need touch functionality, the MSI Pulse GL66 might be more suitable. The MSI also uses slightly older CPU and GPU components, which suggests it may not perform as well in the most demanding tasks as the ASUS does, but it still holds up well for general use and gaming. Additionally, the battery life of the ASUS is better than the MSI, making it more suitable for on-the-go usage, while the MSI offers stronger performance in a larger, less portable package. 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 Z13
- 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
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
511.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.5
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 stands out for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU and GPU combo, a high-resolution and color-accurate touchscreen that aids precise design work, and greater storage capacity, though it is more compact and lighter, enhancing portability.
Content Creation
8.2
7.2
9.5/10
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 Z13 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
7.0
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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
6.8
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 Z13 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 Z13 boasts a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, making it suited for general tasks that involve detailed visuals and usage in various lighting conditions; it also covers a wide range of color gamuts, which is critical for engineering and design work demanding color accuracy. However, its lower refresh rate compromises the smoothness needed for high-end gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers an adequate display for everyday activities and sufficient color representation for engineering purposes but similarly falls short for gaming and 3D tasks due mainly to a less than ideal refresh rate.
Battery
6.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has 6.5 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
Excellent
Good
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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
$1,575
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 has a price of $1,575 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.5
7.2
6.2/10
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 Z13 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and has a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, making it very responsive for gaming and supportive of 3D applications. Meanwhile, the MSI Pulse GL66 boasts the powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU but with a slightly lower refresh rate of 144Hz, which still provides a smooth gaming experience but might be slightly less optimal for fast-moving visuals compared to the ASUS.
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How the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Flow Z13 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,575 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.9'' x 8.1'' x 0.54'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.89" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.11" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900H | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 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 | 511 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 7.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 4K | 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 | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Flow Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming tablet with powerful Alder Lake i9 CPU. The ROG Flow Z13 impresses with its good cooling. After our review, the impression is predominantly positive. Besides a very fast Alder Lake CPU and stable gaming performance, especially the cooling system is surprisingly effective and quiet. You can use the integrated speakers without any issues while gaming. The 1200p display in the 16:10 format also impresses with good color reproduction and high brightness. Since the battery runtimes aren't particularly long as it is, we wouldn't recommend the optional 4K panel."
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 ASUS ROG Flow Z13 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.
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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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