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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gateway 11.6" is a budget-friendly option with basic specs that's suitable for simple tasks and offers great portability due to its small size and light weight. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard is a midrange, more expensive device with powerful components suited for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks but it is larger, heavier, and thus less portable. 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 Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6
7.5
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has a lower-end CPU and less RAM compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which affects performance for general use, and it also has a smaller, lower-resolution screen, which makes for a less enjoyable viewing experience. The MSI GP66 Leopard benefits from a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM for multitasking, and a higher-quality display, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, affecting portability.
Gaming and AI
5.4
7.8
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" is equipped with an Intel Celeron processor and Intel UHD Graphics, which are limited in power and are not suitable for high-refresh-rate gaming or demanding 3D tasks, while the MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a robust Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, offering substantial power and a high refresh rate for a superior gaming and 3D performance. Additionally, the MSI's better display quality enhances visuals, making it well-suited for these intensive activities.
Engineering and Design
5.4
7.9
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The MSI GP66 Leopard outperforms the Gateway 11.6" in engineering and design use primarily due to its significantly more powerful CPU and GPU, greater RAM, and superior screen quality which are crucial for demanding tasks and detailed visual work. While the Gateway is lighter and more portable, it falls short in performance with a less capable processor, lower RAM, and a screen with lower resolution and brightness, which are considerable drawbacks for engineering applications.
Content Creation
5.7
7.4
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
7.2
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
7.5
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Gateway 11.6" likely falls short due to limited resolution and low brightness, which can make everyday tasks less enjoyable, whereas the MSI GP66 Leopard's higher resolution and brighter screen provide a more pleasant viewing experience. In engineering and design, the Gateway's limited color range fails to accurately represent colors needed for detailed work, while the MSI offers a more accurate color spectrum, aiding in precision tasks. However, with regards to gaming and 3D work, despite the MSI's adequate resolution and panel type, its lower refresh rate compared to models designed for gaming can lead to less fluid visuals in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 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
Excellent
Fair
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1
8.0
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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How the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 11.6" | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$89 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.5" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 65 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 11.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
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 Gateway 11.6" or the MSI GP66 Leopard
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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