The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 generally outperforms the MSI GP66 Leopard and has a better display with a higher refresh rate suited for gaming. However, it is also more expensive, larger, heavier, and has a shorter battery life. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard is more affordable, more portable, and has a longer battery life, which could be better for daily use and mobility. Both have similar RAM and powerful GPUs, but if you prioritize gaming and high-performance tasks and don't mind the extra cost and weight, the ASUS may be the better choice. If budget and portability are more important, consider the MSI. 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 Scar 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
The MSI GP66 Leopard has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
7.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 stands out for gaming and 3D tasks with its higher-tier Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and an exceptionally high screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, providing smooth visuals for fast-paced gaming. Conversely, the MSI GP66 Leopard also performs well with a top-tier Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU; however, its lower screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, while still good, doesn't match the fluidity offered by the ASUS for the most demanding games.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.9/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.4/10
9.2/10
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 Scar 17 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
7.5/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, both ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard have screen panels with sufficient resolution and brightness, making them pleasant for everyday tasks like browsing and video playback. When it comes to engineering and design, they offer wide color gamuts that ensure accurate color reproduction critical for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates can hinder the smoothness and responsiveness that these activities typically require, which can be a drawback for those who prioritize gaming performance.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,499
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers superior CPU performance, more storage, and a higher quality keyboard, making it very good for a range of tasks, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard which is good for general use, lighter, and offers better heat management and speaker quality, although it has a less powerful processor and less storage.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.2/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI GP66 Leopard both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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