For general use with a focus on portability and battery life, the ASUS Zenbook 13 would be a better choice, as it is lighter, has a longer battery life, and a slightly more compact design. It also offers an OLED screen, which provides better color and contrast for everyday tasks and media consumption. On the other hand, if performance is a priority, especially for activities requiring high graphics power like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Pulse GL66 is a better fit with its more powerful processor and advanced graphics card, although it is heavier and has a shorter battery life. The MSI also has a higher refresh rate display which is beneficial for fast-motion scenarios such as gaming. 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 Zenbook 13
Good overall display quality
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good for gaming and AI
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
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
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has an integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, making it only fair for gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI Pulse GL66 sports a powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, both of which are very important for smooth and immersive gaming and 3D experiences. Moreover, the MSI model also has a better CPU and higher-quality screen, contributing to its good performance in these areas.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a clear and vibrant display for everyday tasks and professional design work, the ASUS Zenbook 13 is well-suited with its high resolution and brightness, as well as its wide color gamut, ensuring accurate color representation. Although the MSI Pulse GL66 has a display that's decent for day-to-day activities and sufficient for engineering applications, it may not exhibit colors as vividly as the Zenbook. However, if you're interested in 3D applications and gaming, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates which can lead to less fluid motion and reduced responsiveness in fast-paced visual content.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$890
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers portability with a lighter weight and compact design, alongside a quality OLED screen and longer battery life for general use, but has less RAM than the MSI Pulse GL66, which, with more RAM and a high-performance CPU and GPU combination, caters well to more demanding tasks while also featuring a solid IPS display but at a cost of reduced portability and shorter battery life. Additionally, while both have good screen quality and enough storage, the Zenbook 13 excels in heat management and has a quieter operating noise, which enhances its general use appeal.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
7.5/10
5.8/10
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 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a lower-powered CPU and integrated GPU, making it less capable for demanding engineering applications compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, which comes equipped with a high-performance CPU and a dedicated GPU better suited for such tasks. Additionally, the Zenbook's strengths in portability and battery life are diminished by the Pulse's superior RAM capacity and screen quality tailored for intensive work, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.3/10
7.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"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 Zenbook 13 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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