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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Slim 7 16, being less expensive, offers a good balance for general use with a stronger battery life, a higher resolution display with touchscreen, and lightweight design, making it highly portable. However, the MSI Pulse GL66, although more expensive, is better suited for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D work, and engineering due to a more powerful graphics card. It's worth noting that the Pulse GL66's battery doesn't last as long as the Lenovo's and it doesn't offer a touchscreen or as high display resolution. 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 Slim 7 16
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.2
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Slim 7 16 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and has a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which allows for fair gaming and 3D performance, while the MSI Pulse GL66 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a 144Hz refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and better handling of demanding games and 3D applications.
Software Development
7.6
7.0
7.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo Slim 7 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
8.3
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
500.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim 7 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 Lenovo Slim 7 16 provides a crisp, bright image with its high resolution and quality panel type, leading to clear text and vibrant visuals. In engineering and design, this same laptop excels with a display that covers a wide range of colors, ensuring accuracy in color-sensitive tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI Pulse GL66's lower refresh rate results in less fluid motion, despite its adequate resolution and panel type for these uses.
Battery
9.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has 9.5 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.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
500.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
9.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is preferred for everyday tasks due to its balance of a strong CPU, ample RAM, high screen quality, and longer battery life, which enhances its portability. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66, with its robust CPU and sufficient RAM, excels in more demanding applications but trades off some portability and battery life for better heat management, making it less ideal for on-the-go use but great for stationary, intensive workloads.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.5
7.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 is equipped with a high screen resolution and efficient AMD Ryzen CPU, making it suitable for engineering and design thanks to its precise visuals and powerful processing, although its Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU is less formidable for demanding graphics tasks compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, which boasts a superior Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a high-performance Intel i7 CPU, essential for engineering software and tasks that require robust graphics processing. However, the MSI Pulse GL66 has a lower screen resolution and shorter battery life, which may affect its usability in design work and long sessions without charging, respectively.
Content Creation
7.6
7.2
7.2/10
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 Slim 7 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
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Lenovo Slim 7 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.
Cost
$1,440
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Slim 7 16 has a price of $1,440 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the Lenovo Slim 7 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Slim 7 16 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,440 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.69'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.6 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.68" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 500 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | 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 | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Slim 7 16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | March 2022
"At $1,011, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro is a real bargain among full-sized laptops, with a handsome 16-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio touch screen, a speedy CPU, a comfortable keyboard, ample memory, and a roomy solid-state drive. It's not a blazing gaming rig or mobile workstation, but it doesn't pretend to be. Its biggest negative is that it may be hard to find—during our review, it sold out and was marked "Temporarily Unavailable" on Lenovo's site."
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 Lenovo Slim 7 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.
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