The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) 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.
Gaming and AI
8.3/10
7.2/10
8.6/10
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
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
8.6/10
7.2/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) 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
7.9/10
7.0/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) 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
9.3/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
418.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 has 7 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
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) 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
$2,000
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024) has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
"The 2023 Asus ROG Zephryus G16 is a refinement of the popular Zephyrus M16 2022 chassis, with updated hardware and a fresh set of either White or dark Grey clothes. This series is most competitive in the more affordable lower and mid-tier configurations, as a compact and lightweight all-purpose laptop with a big 16-inch display. Just make sure you're ok with its design quirks and the mix of temperatures/noise levels under load."
"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 Zephyrus G16 (2024) 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.
By the numbers
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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.