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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a larger screen, higher resolution, and significantly longer battery life, making it well-suited for immersive gaming and demanding tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, but it is less portable due to its size and weight. The MSI Pulse GL66 has a smaller screen and lower resolution, but it is more portable due to being lighter. It's still a competent machine for gaming and engineering work, although its performance may not match the ASUS for the most intensive tasks. Both have similar RAM, backlit keyboards with RGB, and no fingerprint or facial recognition. If portability and carrying convenience are important, consider the MSI, but if you prioritize screen space and task performance, the ASUS could be a better choice. 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 G17
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
320.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use, though the ASUS ROG Strix G17 is somewhat better.
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
8.4
7.2
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
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 Strix G17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is exceptionally suited for gaming and 3D applications because of its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a very high screen refresh rate of 240Hz, which offer smooth and detailed visuals; it also features a larger and sharper screen compared to the MSI Pulse GL66's Nvidia RTX 3070 and 144Hz refresh rate, but the latter may be more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight.
Engineering and Design
8.8
7.5
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 excels in engineering and design due to its higher performing CPU and GPU, ample RAM, and superior screen quality, with a larger, higher-resolution display that provides better color accuracy which is crucial for design work.
Content Creation
8.3
7.2
9.8/10
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 Strix G17 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
7.7
7.0
9.8/10
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 ASUS ROG Strix G17 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the ASUS ROG Strix G17 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
8.4
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
320.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 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 G17 offers a mix of high resolution and brightness, making it a clear, vibrant choice for general activities and detailed work in engineering and design, but its lower refresh rate dampens the experience for fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 provides a decent visual experience with adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and some engineering software, yet shares the same limitation for gaming due to a lackluster refresh rate. For professionals or enthusiasts in engineering and design, the ASUS is favored for its color accuracy, but gamers or 3D creators should consider other options with higher refresh rates for smoother visuals.
Battery
3.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has 3 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
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 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.
Cost
$1,390
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G17 has a price of $1,390 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix G17 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Strix G17 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,390 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.21'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.17 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.1" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX | 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 | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 320 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.7/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Strix G17
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | October 2023
"The Asus ROG Strix G17 is an attractive but unbalanced gaming laptop. Its potent AMD Ryzen 9 processor excels in 1080p gaming, but playing at 1440p leaves the middling GeForce RTX 4060 GPU shouldering most of the burden. The display is exceptionally colorful, which is handy for content creators, but since this is a gaming laptop it would be better served with improved HDR capabilities. If battery life isn't a priority, the Strix G17 could serve as a designer by day and a gamer by night."
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 G17 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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