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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HP 17" Laptop, with its lower cost, larger screen, and lighter build, is a budget-friendly option for general use and may appeal more to those who prioritize a larger display and portability. However, the MSI GP66 Leopard, while more expensive, provides a significant boost in performance for 3D tasks, machine learning, and gaming, and features a higher refresh rate screen and superior graphics processing capabilities, making it well-suited for intensive tasks and gaming, albeit at a higher cost and with slightly less portability due to its added 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 HP 17" Laptop
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 17" Laptop may handle casual gaming with its modest GPU, but the MSI GP66 Leopard's more powerful GPU and higher screen refresh rate make it better suited for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks. While both laptops have capable CPUs and screen quality that is sufficient for many users, the MSI's emphasis on performance features provides a smoother and more visually impressive experience for gaming enthusiasts.
Engineering and Design
6.8
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the HP 17" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 17" Laptop's AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated Vega 8 GPU make it suitable for engineering and design work that doesn't require the most powerful graphics performance, while its larger screen with moderate color coverage benefits those needing a bigger display for design work.
Screen Quality
6.6
7.5
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
287.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the HP 17" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The HP 17" Laptop, with a fair screen for general use, offers appropriate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but it may lack in vibrant color reproduction critical for engineering and design. The MSI GP66 Leopard delivers a good visual experience for both general use and design with likely more accurate color coverage, beneficial for work that demands true-to-life color representation. However, both laptops fall short in gaming and 3D tasks due to a lower refresh rate, which is key for smooth visuals in fast-paced environments.
Build Quality
6.0
8.0
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the HP 17" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$850
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP 17" Laptop has a price of $850 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
287.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and HP 17" Laptop are both good for general use.
The HP 17" Laptop with its larger screen, efficient AMD processor, and lighter weight makes for an excellent choice for consumers seeking performance and screen real estate without sacrificing portability. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers a superior balance of power, with a high-end Intel processor and Nvidia graphics, catering to those who need higher performance for more demanding tasks despite being a bit heavier and potentially less portable.
Content Creation
7.2
7.4
6.9/10
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 MSI GP66 Leopard and HP 17" Laptop 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
7.1
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and HP 17" Laptop 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
5.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The HP 17" Laptop has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 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
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP 17" Laptop to have good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the HP 17" Laptop and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP 17" Laptop | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$850 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 10.2'' x 0.81'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.58 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.78" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.15" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 65 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 287 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP 17" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | November 2022
"As far as starter laptops go, the HP Laptop 17 is a sound investment. Sure, it might not be the lightest of options, but what you get for the price is a well-rounded machine that fits multiple niches. Whether it be office duties that require you to multi-task between multiple programs, or study tasks in which you’ll spend hours browsing online, this laptop does it all. Plus, when it's time to unwind, you can watch your favorite shows or movies on a super-wide display. What's best of all is that you can do all this for about half a day on a single charge."
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the HP 17" Laptop or the MSI GP66 Leopard
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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.
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