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Updated March 22, 2024·
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is designed for easy upgrades and repairs, offering longer-term value and customization, with a focus on sustainability. If you prioritize a future-proof design where components can be replaced to extend the laptop's life, this could be your choice. The MSI GP66 Leopard, on the other hand, is tailored for gaming and high-performance tasks, but it typically has a shorter battery life and is less portable due to its heavier build. If your primary use is gaming or running demanding software, and you don't mind the extra weight, the MSI may suit you better. However, if portability, battery life, and the option to upgrade components are important, consider the Framework Laptop despite the higher cost. 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 Framework Laptop 16 (2023)
- 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
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
490.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Framework Laptop 16 provides a balance suitable for everyday tasks with a solid CPU and ample RAM for multitasking, alongside a high-quality screen and longer battery life, making it highly portable and convenient for users on the go. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers strong performance for more demanding applications due to its capable CPU and RAM but trades off some portability and battery longevity, which may not be as crucial for users primarily working from one location or near power sources.
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.8
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is only fair.
The Framework Laptop 16, while fair for gaming and 3D applications, may have limitations due to its less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which offers a more robust GPU and higher refresh rate, making it better equipped for demanding graphics tasks and smoother gameplay. However, the Framework's screen quality and CPU are capable, ensuring general and mid-level gaming experiences are still enjoyable.
Content Creation
8.1
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) 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
8.0
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) 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
8.4
7.5
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
490.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Framework Laptop 16 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Framework Laptop 16 has a display that provides crisp images and vibrant colors due to its high resolution, making it excellent for general activities and detail-oriented tasks in engineering and design thanks to its wide color coverage. However, its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for gaming and 3D, where fluid motion is key. The MSI GP66 Leopard offers satisfactory clarity and color for everyday tasks and professional design work, but also falls short for gaming and 3D content due to a similar limitation in refresh rate.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Framework Laptop 16 has 9 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
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,699
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has a price of $1,699 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Framework Laptop 16 (2023) to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
The Framework Laptop 16 is well-suited for engineering and design tasks with its high-quality screen and the ability to customize CPU, RAM, and GPU to match specific performance needs, while the MSI GP66 Leopard offers strong performance especially in GPU-intensive tasks out of the box and may excel in scenarios where top-tier graphics capabilities are essential. Both laptops have considerations for keyboard and speaker quality, but the Framework's modular design can lead to a slight edge in customization if future upgrades or repairs are a consideration, whereas the MSI might edge ahead in out-of-the-box performance, especially for demanding 3D applications.
Build Quality
8.0
8.0
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) 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 Framework Laptop 16 (2023) and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Framework Laptop 16 (2023) | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,699 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.6'' x 0.71'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.04" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.63" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | 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 | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 85 Wh | 65 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 490 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Framework Laptop 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"The trend towards thinner and lighter laptops is made possible by fusing more and more components onto the mainboard. The main drawback to this approach is that it limits repairability as even a small fault may require replacing entire boards. Framework is one of the only manufacturers looking the other way in an attempt to improve end-user customization and servicing. There's no question that the Laptop 16 is more user-friendly to service than any alternative, but this lucrative feature comes at the cost of size and weight as individual components must be easily replaceable."
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 Framework Laptop 16 (2023) or the MSI GP66 Leopard
About Framework
Framework is a new American laptop manufacturer, specializing in modular and repairable laptops with the goals of promoting longevity and reducing electronic waste. They are a strong proponent of the right to repair movement. Framework laptops have replaceable RAM, storage, ports, keyboards, display bezels, mainboards, and more, making them a great choice for repairability-oriented individuals.
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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