The ASUS Vivobook 14 is more budget-friendly with lower performance specs, suitable for general use and offers better battery life and portability. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 costs more but provides higher performance for 3D, machine learning, and gaming due to its superior processor and graphics card, though it has a shorter battery life and is less portable. If your work involves intensive computing tasks or gaming, the MSI would be the better fit. For everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption, the ASUS should suffice and be easier to carry around. 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 Vivobook 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The MSI Pulse GL66 offers better gaming and 3D performance due to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU compared to the Asus Vivobook 14's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics; additionally, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate, supporting smoother visuals at 144Hz versus the Asus's 60Hz. The MSI's superior GPU and faster screen refresh rate are particularly important for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion and fast rendering are crucial.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
7.5/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14, with its moderate main processor and integrated graphics, is suitable for light engineering tasks and design work; however, it may struggle with more intensive software due to its limited RAM and GPU capabilities. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a robust main processor and a dedicated high-performance GPU, along with more RAM and better screen quality, making it a better fit for demanding engineering and design applications, at the expense of being less portable and potentially louder under load.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Vivobook 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 provide adequate screen resolution, brightness, and panel type to satisfy everyday activities like browsing the internet and watching videos, but they don't offer top-tier displays that can make colors pop or provide exceptional clarity. In engineering and design, the fair screen quality means they can handle basic tasks, but professionals requiring precise color accuracy for things like photo editing or CAD may find them lacking due to their limited color gamut coverage. Gamers and those into 3D modeling will notice that the refresh rate on both laptops is not high enough for ultra-smooth motion and high-speed rendering, which can inhibit the immersive experience and precise timing needed in fast-paced games or 3D simulations.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 14 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$421
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has a price of $421 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to be good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14, with a less powerful CPU and less RAM compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, may not handle multitasking and demanding applications as smoothly, impacting its general use performance. Although lighter and with a longer battery life, the Vivobook's lower screen quality and portability are surpassed by the GL66 which offers a more capable CPU and GPU, more RAM for efficient multitasking, and a higher screen refresh rate suitable for more fluid visuals despite being heavier and having shorter battery life.
Content Creation
6.9/10
7.2/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to be good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
6.8/10
7.0/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to be good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
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
7.0/10
7.4/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and ASUS Vivobook 14 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 Vivobook 14 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"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 Vivobook 14 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.
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