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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize performance, especially in tasks like gaming or 3D rendering, the HP Omen 16 with its newer Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU would serve you better, but expect it to be less portable given its larger screen size and heavier weight. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 is lighter and has a more compact screen which enhances portability but offers slightly less graphics performance with its RTX 3070. Keep in mind, battery life is also a factor; the HP Omen has a larger battery capacity which may last longer than the MSI. Consider your primary use cases and whether mobility or raw power is more critical for your needs. 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 Omen 16
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.2
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The HP Omen 16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The HP Omen 16 excels in gaming and 3D with its RTX 4060 GPU and a high 165Hz screen refresh rate that ensures smoother visuals during fast-paced action, while the MSI Pulse GL66, equipped with the RTX 3070 and a 144Hz refresh rate, also performs well in similar scenarios but with slightly less graphic prowess and screen fluidity.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The HP Omen 16 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
7.8
7.2
9.6/10
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 HP Omen 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for content creation, though the HP Omen 16 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.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The HP Omen 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the HP Omen 16 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
7.6
6.8
16.1in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
338.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The HP Omen 16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the HP Omen 16's higher resolution and brightness make it more appealing, offering clearer and more vibrant visuals, while the MSI Pulse GL66's lower levels in these areas mean less crispness and vibrancy. In engineering and design tasks, the HP Omen's wider color gamuts provide more accurate color representation, which is essential for detailed work, while the MSI's narrower gamuts may not display colors with as much precision. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can cause less smooth visuals and slower response times, affecting the gaming experience.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The HP Omen 16 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.
Cost
$1,100
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP Omen 16 has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
338.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The HP Omen 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The HP Omen 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 are both suited for general use due to their capable CPUs, adequate RAM for multitasking, and IPS displays with decent resolution for clear visuals. However, the HP Omen 16 offers a larger screen and better battery life for extended use away from power sources, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is lighter, making it more portable but with a shorter battery life.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.1in
SIZE
15.6in
5.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to have good portability, while the HP Omen 16 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The HP Omen 16 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 HP Omen 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP Omen 16 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.5'' x 10.2'' x 0.93'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.4 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.53" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.21" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700HX | 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 | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 83 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.1" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 338 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
HP Omen 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | October 2021
"The Omen 16 has proven to be a fairly good mid-range gaming laptop with all-around improvements compared to the Omen 15. The high overall performance level across all use cases, the long battery life, and the good FHD display constitute the main advantages of this HP laptop. The main drawbacks are the faulty touchpad (one-off?) and the high latencies that can be observed even after just opening the browser. Furthermore, the useless, preinstalled 30-day trial versions of various software also fall under the category "unnecessary"."
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"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 HP Omen 16 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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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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