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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is sleek and offers a higher-resolution, touchscreen OLED display that's well-suited for general use and excellent for tasks involving color accuracy. Its portability, battery life, and solid performance in general tasks make it ideal if you prioritize a combination of mobility and screen quality for everyday work and media consumption. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 is designed with gaming in mind and provides stronger graphics performance with a dedicated Nvidia GPU, making it better for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and other GPU-intensive work, but it's heavier and has a lower battery life which affects portability. 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 Dell XPS 13 Plus
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.3
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
374.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus shines in general use due to its superior processor, higher screen quality, lighter weight for better portability, and longer battery life, which are all very important for everyday tasks. Compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, the Dell has twice the RAM, enhancing multitasking capabilities, and an OLED touchscreen with higher resolution, although the MSI, with its dedicated graphics unit, might be a better fit for graphics-intensive applications despite being less portable and having a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.2
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 Plus is only fair.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is suitable for gaming and 3D tasks due to its high-resolution OLED screen and integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics; however, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a more robust Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it better suited for high-intensity gaming experiences. While the Dell XPS 13 Plus excels in screen quality, the MSI's superior GPU and refresh rate provide a smoother and more immersive gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
8.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus excels in engineering and design due to its superior screen quality with higher resolution and color accuracy, alongside robust CPU and GPU that handle demanding tasks efficiently, complemented by ample RAM for multitasking. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66, while also powerful with a high-end CPU and strong GPU, has a lower screen resolution and less accurate color display but offers an advantage in gaming features such as a higher refresh rate display and dedicated graphics.
Content Creation
8.3
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 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
8.3
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is very good for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
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
8.4
6.8
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
374.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell XPS 13 Plus offers a high-resolution display with vibrant color reproduction and brightness, which guarantees clear and crisp visuals for everyday tasks and precise color work required in engineering and design; however, it might lack the high refresh rate preferred for smooth gameplay and 3D work. The MSI Pulse GL66, with fair screen quality, provides decent performance for both daily activities and technical applications but does not excel in any specific area. It's likely not optimal for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate that can't deliver the fluid motion graphics these activities usually demand.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has 10 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
13.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has excellent portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Dell XPS 13 Plus 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
$1,849
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell XPS 13 Plus has a price of $1,849 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the Dell XPS 13 Plus and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 Plus | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,849 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.8'' x 0.6'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.71 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.84" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1280P | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 55 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 374 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 13 Plus
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"The XPS 13 Plus is powerful, but has its drawbacks. Dell did not only update the processor generation, but also decided to offer two completely different models from now on. The XPS 13 Plus gets the faster Intel Alder Lake-P chips, and the Core i7-1260P in our review unit offers good performance figures. However, the device once again shows the problems of the current Intel CPUs, because the high performance requires a lot of power. This affects the battery runtime as well as temperatures, so the new model (even with the Optimized power profile) is louder than the older model."
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"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 Dell XPS 13 Plus or the MSI Pulse GL66
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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.
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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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