A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gateway 15.6" is a lower midrange, much less expensive option that provides adequate performance for general use, with a simpler graphics setup suited for everyday tasks rather than intensive gaming or demanding software applications. Meanwhile, the MSI GE66 Raider is a high-end, more expensive laptop with a powerful processor and top-tier graphics, suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and demanding engineering tasks. The Gateway is lighter and may be more portable, while the MSI has superior build quality, screen resolution, and a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals. The choice between the two should be based on your budget and whether you need a laptop for heavy-duty tasks or more routine activities. 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 15.6"
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Gateway 15.6" is good.
The Gateway 15.6" laptop, with a moderate processor and memory, is sufficient for everyday tasks, offering good battery life and portability, making it a solid option for general use. In contrast, the MSI GE66 Raider, boasting a far more powerful processor, doubled memory, and a superior screen, caters to more demanding applications beyond general use; however, it compromises on battery life and is somewhat less portable due to its heavier weight.
Gaming and AI
6.0
8.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The MSI GE66 Raider provides a superior gaming and 3D experience owing to its higher-end Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card and a screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, which outperforms the Gateway 15.6" laptop equipped with integrated Iris Xe graphics and a 60 Hz screen refresh rate. These attributes contribute to smoother visuals and better handling of graphically intensive tasks on the MSI, making it particularly suitable for gamers and professionals working with 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.2
9.1
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" is equipped with an Intel i5 processor and 16 GB of RAM, along with integrated graphics, making it suitable for less demanding engineering tasks and design work; however, its screen quality and lower resolution may not meet the needs for high detail and color accuracy.
Content Creation
7.0
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7
8.4
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Gateway provides satisfactory clarity, sharpness, and brightness, making it adequate for everyday tasks, while the MSI GE66 Raider's higher resolution and brighter screen enhance the overall viewing experience. The MSI stands out in engineering and design due to its superior color accuracy and broader color range which are critical when precision is paramount. However, despite their screen strengths, neither laptop excels in gaming and 3D applications as they lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth motion rendering.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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.
Build Quality
5.1
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$380
$3,199
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 15.6" to have good portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 15.6" and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 15.6" | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$380 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.8 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.75" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.5" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Gateway 15.6"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | July 2022
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the MSI GE66 Raider
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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