For general use with an emphasis on portability and value, the ASUS Zenbook 14 may suit you well due to its lower price and lighter form factor. It is also likely to have longer battery life, ideal for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. However, if you require higher performance for demanding applications such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Pulse GL66, despite being more expensive, provides more powerful hardware that better supports these activities. Its heavier weight and likely shorter battery life are trade-offs for its enhanced capabilities. 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 14
Very good overall display quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good for gaming and AI
Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is only fair.
The Asus Zenbook 14's integrated graphics are less powerful than the MSI Pulse GL66's dedicated Nvidia graphics card, which provides significantly more muscle for gaming and 3D applications, and its screen refreshes slower than the MSI's, offering less fluid motion during fast-paced scenes. Additionally, the Zenbook's higher resolution and OLED panel contribute to better screen quality but don't prioritize the high refresh rates that gamers typically seek, unlike the MSI's focus on higher refresh rates crucial for a smoother gaming experience.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 14's superior panel type and resolution, combined with its brightness, enhance the visual experience for general use and detailed engineering tasks, where clarity and color accuracy are paramount. Its coverage of professional color gamuts ensures that precise color representation is met for engineering and design, which is essential for tasks that demand color fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the ASUS Zenbook 14 falls short due to its lower refresh rate, which is less conducive to the smooth visuals required in fast-paced or graphically intensive environments.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 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
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$300
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
The MSI Pulse GL66 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its high-resolution OLED screen, which offers excellent color accuracy and contrast, making it great for detail-oriented work, although it has less powerful CPU and integrated graphics compared to the MSI model. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 boasts a more powerful processor and dedicated high-end GPU, making it better for demanding engineering software and tasks that require strong graphics performance, but it has a lower-resolution IPS screen that may not be as color accurate as the OLED display on the ASUS.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2/10
7.0/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.8/10
7.4/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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 14 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
"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 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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