The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is pricier and offers a larger screen, better color coverage, a sturdier build, and a significantly larger battery, so it’s good for intensive engineering tasks and gaming, but it is heavier and less portable. The MSI Pulse GL66 is more affordable, with a smaller screen that favors portability, but it has a lower battery capacity and color coverage. If budget is a concern and you prioritize portability and general use, the MSI could serve you well, but for higher-end work like 3D or engineering and longer usage times, the Gigabyte would be a better fit despite its extra weight. 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 17G
Very good overall display quality
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
282.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G offers a sharp resolution and bright display which serves well for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, in addition to strong color reproduction that is crucial for design professionals. However, it falls short for gaming and 3D applications because its refresh rate isn't as high as some gaming-dedicated models, resulting in less fluid motion. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66, while providing an acceptable level of resolution and brightness for general and engineering use, also lacks the high refresh rate needed for optimal gaming and 3D experiences, and its color gamut coverage might not meet the standards for high-end design tasks.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has 6 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
Fair
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,329
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has a price of $2,329 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is well-suited for general use due to its high screen quality and good battery life, but it is less portable than the MSI Pulse GL66, which also offers a good balance for general use with solid CPU performance and sufficient RAM, though it has a shorter battery life. Both laptops have capable processors and graphics, ample RAM, and IPS displays for clear visuals, with the Aorus 17G featuring a larger screen and the Pulse GL66 being more travel-friendly due to its lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
7.2/10
7.6/10
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
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is excellent for gaming and 3D applications due to its high screen refresh rate, which can make games appear smoother, while the MSI Pulse GL66 also performs well in these tasks with a competitive refresh rate but has increased portability due to its lighter weight. Both laptops feature powerful GPUs and quality CPUs to handle demanding software, with the Aorus 17G having a slightly better screen for vivid visuals.
Engineering and Design
7.8/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for engineering and design.
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
7.5/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
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 Gigabyte Aorus 17G and MSI Pulse GL66 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
7.2/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G 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 17G and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"The Aorus 17G isn't among the top RTX 3080 laptops due to its relatively low TGP of 105 watts. The device's gaming performance is average for an RTX 3080. For maximum performance, competitors like the Lenovo Legion 7 or the Alienware m17 R4 are recommended With the Aorus 17G, Gigabyte delivers a well-rounded gaming laptop. However, the device generates a high noise level. Throttling is not an issue. The CPU and GPU can develop their performance uniformly. Nevertheless, the device produces a lot of noise under load - more than many competitors."
"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 17G 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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