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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is often slightly less expensive, comes with more storage, and has a slightly better battery capacity which translates to slightly longer typical usage time. The MSI Pulse GL66, while often slightly more expensive, offers a more powerful GPU, which may be preferable for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming despite the tradeoff of reduced storage and a bit less battery life. Both laptops have identical screen sizes, resolution, and RAM, as well as being similarly portable and offering RGB-backlit keyboards. The MSI model also has slightly better build quality and keyboard quality, which might appeal to users valuing those aspects. If you require exceptional performance for tasks like engineering or gaming, the MSI may be the better choice, but for general use with ample storage and longer battery life, the ASUS could suffice. 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 Strix G15
- Good overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.1
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
284.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 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 Strix G15 offers a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use. Its color accuracy covers wider color gamuts, essential for engineering and design work, ensuring true-to-life color reproduction. However, the refresh rate, crucial for smooth visuals in 3D applications and gaming, falls short compared to other gaming-oriented laptops.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has 5.5 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.
Cost
$1,249
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 has a price of $1,249 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
284.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
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.
Gaming and AI
7.0
7.2
5.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and ASUS ROG Strix G15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and a screen that refreshes at 144 Hertz, offering solid performance and smooth visuals for gaming and 3D applications. Meanwhile, the MSI Pulse GL66 steps up with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and the same 144 Hertz screen refresh rate, promising even better performance for demanding games and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.5
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
5.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix G15, with its AMD Ryzen 9 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, offers robust performance for demanding engineering and design workloads, but the MSI Pulse GL66's Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU provide a notable edge in graphics processing power for similar tasks.
Content Creation
7.7
7.2
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 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
7.2
7.0
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The ASUS ROG Strix G15 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 ASUS ROG Strix G15 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Strix G15 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.9'' x 10.2'' x 0.92'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.94" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 284 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 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 | 7.3/10 | 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 | No Webcam | 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 | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Strix G15
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NotebookCheck
Marius Schell | February 2021
"The ASUS ROG Strix G15 is a successful high-performance 15-inch laptop. The Asus ROG Strix impresses with an elaborate design and fast hardware. The latter can unleash its potential well in the large 15-inch case and achieve a decent performance boost compared to the previous generation. Especially the stunning 300 Hz display as well as the RTX 3070 and its generous TDP give gamers their money's worth. Asus didn't neglect seemingly small details, either, such as the keyboard and the maintenance options. The ROG Strix G15 offers a lot of pure performance and excellent workmanship in a 15-inch format, but connectivity leaves something to be desired."
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 Strix G15 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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