If you prioritize performance, particularly for engineering tasks or gaming, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is the better choice as it has a superior graphics card and processor. Additionally, it offers a longer battery life although it's notably heavier, which could affect portability. The MSI Pulse GL66, on the other hand, is lighter, which might make it more convenient to carry around, but it has a lower capacity battery meaning it will need charging more frequently. For general use, both laptops could serve well; however, for tasks requiring high graphical performance and processing power, the Aorus 15X has an edge over the MSI Pulse GL66. 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 15X
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.3/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X offers a more powerful CPU, higher resolution screen, and larger battery capacity, ideal for intensive tasks and better visual experience; however, it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, affecting its portability compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, which is lighter and therefore more portable but comes with a less powerful CPU and lower resolution screen, making it less suitable for demanding applications and high-resolution content.
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
7.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X stands out for gaming and 3D work with its high-end GPU and a screen with a rapid refresh rate, which is superior to the MSI Pulse GL66, known for substantial gaming and 3D performance at a possibly lower price point but with a less powerful GPU and a slower screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is equipped with a more powerful CPU and GPU, offers a higher resolution and refresh rate screen, and has a larger battery, making it very good for demanding engineering and design tasks; however, it is heavier, which impacts portability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.2/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
7.7/10
7.0/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
8.2/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When selecting a laptop for general use, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X offers superior visuals with higher resolution and brightness, making it excellent for day-to-day tasks and media consumption. For those engaged in engineering and design, the Aorus 15X presents more accurate color reproduction, crucial for precise design work. However, the MSI Pulse GL66, with a lower refresh rate, might not be ideal for gaming and 3D applications which demand smooth motion and quick screen updates, whereas the Aorus 15X, despite a higher refresh rate than the MSI, still falls short for gaming due to its lower screen performance in that context.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
Cost
$1,600
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a price of $1,600 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is a strong showing of Raptor Lake and RTX 4000 series. While the Aorus had trouble keeping up in older games like Grand Theft Auto V, it nudged past the competition in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It also flexed its next-generation muscle in Far Cry 6 and Borderlands 3. While we were impressed with the overall build quality and design of the Aorus 15X, the keyboard lacked good tactile feedback. The display performed well in real-world testing despite its on-paper shortcoming with brightness, but the speakers are lackluster at best."
"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 15X 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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