The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a larger, higher resolution screen and better display technology, making it well-suited for tasks requiring visual precision or for content creators needing accurate colors. It also has a bigger battery, meaning it could last longer on a single charge. With a more recent and powerful graphics card, it could handle demanding software and games better. However, it's heavier and less compact than the MSI Pulse GL66, which is easier to carry and may be preferred if portability is a priority. The MSI Pulse GL66 also offers similar performance for general use and gaming but at a lower cost, although its screen and battery life fall short compared to the Aero 17. 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 17
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.1/10
7.3/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
7.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aero 17 offers a higher-tier GPU with the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and a high-resolution Mini LED display, suited for gaming and 3D work but with a lower refresh rate of 120Hz, which slightly limits smoothness in fast-paced games. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 features a capable Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and has a faster 144Hz screen for smoother gameplay but sacrifices display sharpness and quality.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
7.5/10
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 17 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
8.4/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 17 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
7.9/10
7.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 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
9.2/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, a laptop with a bright, high-resolution display ensures crisp text and vibrant images, which is why the Gigabyte Aero 17's superior panel type and resolution offer an excellent experience. Engineering and design professionals prioritize color accuracy for their work, so the Aero 17's broader color gamuts make it a superior choice for these tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast-moving visuals are common, a high refresh rate is crucial to avoid motion blur and provide smoother gameplay, an area where both the Aero 17 and MSI Pulse GL66 fall short.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 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
8.0/10
7.4/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has very good build quality, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,071
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a price of $2,071 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to have good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aero 17 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"Not only is the Aero 17 a very good laptop for gamers but also for content creators. With the upgrade to the Intel Core i9-11980HK, Gigabyte particularly improved the system performance. In addition, the hardware package is rounded by the extremely fast SSD and 32 GB of working memory in dual-channel mode. Compared to the predecessor, the battery life is reduced only moderately, and the 4K display also basically keeps its good qualities."
"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 17 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.
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.
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