The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is more expensive and offers a larger screen, more powerful processor, and superior graphics, making it well-suited for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. Conversely, the MSI Pulse GL66 is less expensive, lighter, and more portable with a smaller screen size, making it a more balanced choice for general use and a good fit for users who prioritize mobility and budget-friendliness over top-tier performance. 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 17H
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
351.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H offers a larger screen and more recent high-performance CPU, making it suitable for tasks requiring more processing power and screen real estate, while its heavier weight and lower battery life compared to the MSI Pulse GL66 may limit its portability. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66, with a slightly older CPU, is lighter and more portable, making it a better choice for mobility, although it compromises on screen size and raw performance for computing tasks.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
7.2/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
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 17H is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H offers superior gaming and 3D capabilities with its higher-end Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and an impressive screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, which will greatly benefit fast-paced visuals and provide a competitive edge in gaming. The MSI Pulse GL66, while still good for gaming with its Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, offers a lower screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, which means smoother visuals than typical laptops but not as fluid as the Aorus 17H.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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
8.0/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
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 17H 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
7.5/10
7.0/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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
8.3/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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 17H offers a display that excels in clarity and vibrancy for everyday tasks, with sufficient resolution and brightness for a pleasing visual experience, and also has a wide color gamut, making it suitable for engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate limits its ability to provide the smooth visuals preferred in gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 provides an adequate but not exceptional display for both general activities and technical work, and like the Aorus, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
"Overall though, it’s *lots of swearing* fast, seriously. For work, rendering, gaming, it doesn’t matter, this is a true weapon of performance that’s going to run rings around most high-end desktop systems. If you absolutely have to game at ultra-high refresh rates on the go (but within thinking distance of a plug socket), this is the ticket. I can’t see such an extreme being that appealing to everyone, but if you take your gaming seriously, or even professionally, there’s nothing else out there that comes close that you can still fit in your backpack and travel with."
"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 17H 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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