The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is more affordable and offers a 2-in-1 form factor with a touchscreen, longer battery life, and lighter weight, making it better suited for general use and portability. Meanwhile, the MSI Pulse GL66 has a more powerful CPU and GPU, making it ideal for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life. If your work involves engineering or intensive graphics and you need higher performance, the MSI is the better choice; however, for everyday tasks and longer time away from an outlet, the Lenovo Flex is more practical. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16
Good overall display quality
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
Good for gaming and AI
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is only fair.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is less suitable for gaming and 3D due to its integrated GPU and lower screen refresh rate, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is better equipped with a dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher refresh rate. Additionally, although both laptops have capable CPUs and IPS screens which contribute to overall performance and image quality, the advanced GPU and refresh rate of the MSI play a pivotal role in gaming and 3D applications.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo Flex 5 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
7.3/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When choosing between the Lenovo Flex 5 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66, consider their screen characteristics tailored to specific needs. The Lenovo's better resolution and brightness make it suitable for general use and engineering tasks that benefit from accurate color representation, but its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for the fast-paced action in gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI offers decent overall quality but doesn't excel in any specific area, with its screen falling short in color accuracy for engineering and design work, and still lacking the higher refresh rate needed for optimal gaming and 3D performance.
Battery
11.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 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
$779
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a price of $779 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a versatile 2-in-1 convertible design, good screen quality with higher resolution and brightness, and a substantial battery life, making it suitable for general use. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66, while it has a lower resolution display, features a powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, which provide great performance for general tasks as well as the potential for gaming and more demanding applications, albeit with shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 appeals to engineering and design use due to its ample RAM, competent CPU, and high screen resolution with quality color coverage that is integral for design accuracy. Compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, which also has significant RAM and a more powerful CPU and GPU suited for more intensive engineering applications, it offers better portability and a 2-in-1 convertible design, whereas the MSI excels with a superior keyboard and better suitability for gaming due to its dedicated graphics card.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.4/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Flex 5 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
"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 Lenovo Flex 5 16 or the MSI Pulse GL66
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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