The Gigabyte Aorus 15P and the MSI Pulse GL66 are both powerful laptops suitable for gaming and demanding applications with their robust processors and high-end graphics cards. However, the Aorus 15P is generally more expensive, has double the storage and RAM, and includes an Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU compared to the RTX 3070 in the GL66, offering superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks. The Aorus also has a higher screen refresh rate, which is better for gaming, and a significantly larger battery capacity, resulting in longer battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66, while less expensive and relatively lighter, has less storage and RAM, a lower battery capacity meaning shorter battery life, and it won't perform as well in intensive tasks. Both have IPS displays with similar resolutions and size, but the Aorus has better color coverage, making it more suitable for tasks requiring color accuracy. If budget allows and you need top performance, especially for gaming and intense workloads, the Aorus 15P is the better choice; if you prioritize saving money and can trade off some performance and battery life, the MSI Pulse GL66 might be sufficient. 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 Aorus 15P
Very good for engineering and design
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
280.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15P is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P is suitable for general use with its higher RAM capacity and large, quality IPS screen, coupled with robust specs like a powerful CPU and ample storage, but it's less portable and offers shorter battery life. Conversely, the MSI Pulse GL66 also boasts a quality IPS screen and capable CPU for general tasks, with better portability due to its lighter weight and marginally better battery life; however, it has less RAM and storage, which could limit performance in demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
7.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15P is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P stands out for gaming and 3D applications with its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 300, providing smoother visuals and better gaming performance than the MSI Pulse GL66, which comes with a Nvidia RTX 3070 and a refresh rate of 144. Both laptops have the same CPU, supporting good processing power for gaming, but the Aorus 15P offers a more vibrant and responsive gaming experience, even if both have similar screen quality with IPS panels and 1080p resolution.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P is superior for engineering and design use due to its higher RAM capacity and more powerful GPU, with an Nvidia RTX 3080, which better supports demanding software applications used in these fields, and it's equipped with a higher quality screen featuring greater brightness and broader color coverage. The MSI Pulse GL66, while still capable for engineering tasks, provides less RAM, a slightly less powerful GPU with an Nvidia RTX 3070, and a display with lower brightness and color space coverage, which may not deliver the same level of detail and color accuracy as the Aorus.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for content creation, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15P is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
280.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P 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 Aorus 15P's high resolution and brightness, coupled with a decent panel type, render it well-suited for everyday tasks, ensuring clear and vivid visuals. Its color accuracy and wide color gamuts make it a reliable option for engineering and design professionals who need precise color representation. However, its lower refresh rate may not be ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion and quick screen updates are crucial for an immersive experience.
Cost
$1,950
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P has a price of $1,950 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P has 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Gigabyte Aorus 15P both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15P 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.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 15P and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"The Aorus 15P is a high-end gaming laptop with fast 360 Hz display. Gaming performance in the Aorus 15P YD is very high thanks to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 installed here. However, with the use of the Intel Core i7-11800H, CPU performance also closes in on the strong competition from AMD. SSD performance is excellent as well, and it leaves no room for criticism. Thanks to the built-in Intel Core i7-11800H, the system performance of the Aorus 15P YD increases significantly."
"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 Aorus 15P 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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