A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Gigabyte Aero 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 comes down to your specific needs. If high-quality display and longer battery life are important, the Gigabyte Aero 16 is the better option, as it features an OLED screen with higher resolution and color accuracy, and almost double the battery capacity. However, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a higher refresh rate display, which is better for fast-paced gaming. The Pulse is slightly lighter, which could make it more portable. Both have similar performance for general use and engineering tasks, but the Aero has a bit higher evaluation in these areas. For gaming, both support hardware ray tracing and DLSS, but if you're focusing on intensive gaming with fast-moving visuals, the higher screen refresh rate of the MSI may be preferable. 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 Gigabyte Aero 16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.3
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is equipped with a high-resolution OLED screen with excellent color coverage, making it great for general use where screen quality is a priority, though it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Pulse GL66 which is more portable and suitable for longer usage away from power sources; both laptops have sufficient CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, with the Aero offering a better display and the Pulse prioritizing longer use on the go. The MSI Pulse GL66 also has a robust heat management and keyboard quality, making it reliable for extended typing and heavy workloads without discomfort from heat or noise, yet it falls short in screen resolution and color accuracy compared to the premium display of the Gigabyte Aero 16.
Gaming and AI
7.8
7.2
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aero 16 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 with its Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and an OLED screen with a lower refresh rate is suited for high-quality 3D graphics but may not be as smooth for fast-paced gaming. The MSI Pulse GL66, on the other hand, also equipped with a strong Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a higher refresh rate IPS display, offers a more fluid gaming experience but with less visual fidelity compared to OLED.
Engineering and Design
8.6
7.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
7.9
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aero 16 is somewhat better.
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
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 boasts a high-resolution display with impressive brightness and color accuracy, which are essential for vibrant visuals in general use and precise color rendition in engineering and design applications. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a lower refresh rate, which is critical for smooth motion and fast-paced action. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a balanced screen experience with adequate resolution and brightness for general tasks and decent colors for engineering, but like the Aero 16, its lower refresh rate hampers gaming and 3D performance.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has 7 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.
Cost
$1,260
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a price of $1,260 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aero 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aero 16 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,260 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.88'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.07 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.78" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 368 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aero 16
See more
Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Isaac Rouse | May 2022
"The Gigabyte Aero 16 is a workstation laptop for light gaming. It's design is still muted, with a silver chassis alongside a black keyboard and trackpad that provides some contrast. The Gigabyte Aero’s full-size chiclet-style keyboard is enjoyable to type on thanks to its snappy feel and responsiveness. The 4K+ AMOLED display is good, but it could be better. It doesn’t handle true black very well and suffers from strong reflections and glare. The Gigabyte Aero excels at productivity performance and can keep up with other gaming laptops in 1080p. But it has very few ports and its refresh rate leaves a bit to be desired."
MSI Pulse GL66
See more
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 Gigabyte Aero 16 or the MSI Pulse GL66
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,895
Recommendations made
21,428
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
