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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 15 is less expensive than the MSI GP66 Leopard and has longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and portability. It provides a quality keyboard and build, with good heat management and a quieter fan, favourable for work environments. The MSI GP66 Leopard, while slightly pricier and heavier with a shorter battery life, offers a high-end gaming-grade GPU which makes it more apt for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering software. However, it produces more heat and has louder fans, which could be distracting. Decide based on your primary use: mobility and work (Dell XPS 15) or performance-intensive tasks and gaming (MSI GP66 Leopard). 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 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Dell XPS 15 stands out in general use due to its superior screen quality, lighter weight, and a more extended battery life; its high screen brightness, color accuracy, and overall portability make it ideal for a wide range of everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.8
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 15 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15 is equipped with an Intel Arc A370M GPU and a standard 60Hz refresh rate screen, making it suitable for gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a higher-end Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a 144Hz refresh rate screen, offering enhanced performance and smoother visuals for gaming and 3D tasks.
Content Creation
8.3
7.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard 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
8.1
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for software development, while the MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.4
7.5
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Dell XPS 15's display offers high resolution and brightness with a panel type that ensures crisp and vivid visuals, ideal for everyday tasks and professional design work requiring accurate color representation. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate, which can result in less fluid motion and slower response times during fast-paced scenes.
The MSI GP66 Leopard also delivers with a display that provides sharp images and good brightness, suitable for both general use and color-critical work in engineering and design with its wide color gamut. Like the XPS 15, it's not geared towards gaming and 3D tasks, as its refresh rate isn't high enough to support the smooth gameplay and quick movements that these applications necessitate.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 15 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Dell XPS 15 has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Dell XPS 15 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.9
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Dell XPS 15 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Dell XPS 15 offers a balance suitable for engineering and design with its high-resolution screen and premium build, though at the cost of less powerful graphics performance compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which prioritizes high-end gaming components like a top-tier graphics card, which also benefits engineering and design tasks that are graphics-intensive. However, the Leopard's heavier weight and louder operating noise may detract from its portability and work environment compatibility compared to the sleeker and quieter XPS 15.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Dell XPS 15 and MSI GP66 Leopard both have very 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 Dell XPS 15 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 65 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 606 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Dell XPS 15 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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