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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gateway 15.6" is less expensive and suitable for general use with a decent battery life, making it a good choice if affordability and moderate use are priorities. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 has a higher price point but offers superior performance, especially for gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering work, thanks to its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. The MSI also has a higher refresh rate screen, which is better for fast motion and gaming, though its battery life is shorter, making it less portable. If your needs lean towards intensive tasks and gaming, the MSI Pulse GL66 will serve you better, although at a higher cost and with less mobility. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0
7.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The MSI Pulse GL66 offers superior gaming and 3D performance due to its Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, which vastly outperforms the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics found in the Gateway 15.6" model; additionally, with a screen refresh rate of 144Hz, the MSI provides smoother visuals compared to the Gateway's 60Hz. The Gateway's lower tier components will limit gaming and 3D application performance, but it may come at a more affordable price, making it an option for casual or less-demanding users.
Engineering and Design
6.2
7.5
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has an Intel i5 processor and integrated Intel graphics, which are suitable for less demanding tasks, while the MSI Pulse GL66's more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU make it better suited for intensive engineering and design work requiring more processing and graphical power.
Screen Quality
6.1
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Gateway 15.6" and MSI Pulse GL66 have screens with resolutions and panel types that are adequate for everyday tasks like web browsing, video playback, and document work, but they may lack the high brightness and sharpness that premium models offer. While suitable for some engineering and design applications, their color accuracy and range may be insufficient for professional-level color work due to limited coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. For 3D and gaming, both lack the high refresh rates that provide smoother visual experiences, making them less ideal for fast-paced or graphics-intensive tasks.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 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.
Build Quality
5.1
7.4
The MSI Pulse GL66 has 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
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use.
The Gateway 15.6" offers good general performance with its capable processor and sufficient RAM, also providing a screen with decent quality, but it lacks gaming-centric features and has lower portability due to its heavier weight. The MSI Pulse GL66, on the other hand, appeals to both general users and gamers with its superior processor, high-quality speakers, and better managed heat and noise, yet its powerful gaming hardware results in shorter battery life compared to typical general use laptops.
Content Creation
7.0
7.2
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation.
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
7.0
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to be 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 15.6" and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Gateway 15.6" and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 15.6" | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$380 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.8'' x 9.5'' x 0.77'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.8 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.75" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.5" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1135G7 | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 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 | 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 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 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 Gateway 15.6" or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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