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Updated January 10, 2024·
The LG Gram 16 is less expensive and boasts a higher resolution display, longer battery life, and lighter weight, making it ideal for those who prioritize portability and general use. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66, while typically more expensive, provides a higher performance GPU and faster screen refresh rate, suited for tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning. Both laptops come with comparable storage and RAM, but the LG Gram's better portability against the MSI's higher performance are key considerations. 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 LG Gram 16
- Good overall display quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4
7.2
3.8/10
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
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Gram 16 is only fair.
The LG Gram 16 is limited in gaming and 3D capabilities due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which are less powerful than the discrete Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU found in the MSI Pulse GL66, which also boasts a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz compared to 60Hz on the LG, enhancing fluidity during gameplay. While the LG Gram 16 has higher screen resolution and quality, the MSI's superior GPU and refresh rate make it more suitable for gaming and 3D tasks.
Content Creation
7.8
7.2
7.9/10
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 LG Gram 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for content creation, though the LG Gram 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
7.9
7.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The LG Gram 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the LG Gram 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
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
347.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The LG Gram 16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the LG Gram 16's high-resolution display with vibrant colors and ample brightness provides a clear and comfortable viewing experience, while the MSI Pulse GL66's display offers adequate sharpness and color for everyday tasks, but may not be as vivid. In engineering and design, where color accuracy is crucial, the LG Gram 16 excels due to its wider color gamuts, ensuring more precise color representation, whereas the MSI Pulse GL66, while serviceable, doesn't showcase colors as faithfully. For 3D tasks and gaming, the MSI Pulse GL66's refresh rate is likely to be more suitable for fast-moving visuals, though still not ideal, whereas the LG Gram 16, despite its resolution and panel quality, may not provide as smooth an experience due to a lower refresh rate.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The LG Gram 16 has 15 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
Very Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The LG Gram 16 has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.8
7.3
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
347.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The LG Gram 16 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The LG Gram 16 is favored for general use due to its lightweight design, long battery life, and high-quality display, while the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a more powerful CPU and GPU, which is better for gaming but has shorter battery life and is heavier, making it less portable.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 and LG Gram 16 are both good for engineering and design.
The LG Gram 16 is favored for engineering and design due to its light weight and high-resolution 16-inch screen which provides clear and crisp visuals, along with adequate performance from its CPU and integrated graphics, suitable for less graphically intensive tasks.
Build Quality
7.0
7.4
The MSI Pulse GL66 and LG Gram 16 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,450
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The LG Gram 16 has a price of $1,450 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the LG Gram 16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Gram 16 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,450 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.5'' x 0.66'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.64 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.96" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.53" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1260P | 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 | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 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 | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 347 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.5/10 | 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 | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 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
LG Gram 16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2023
"The LG Gram 16 is a lightweight device with stability issues. The LG Gram 16Z90Q with a Core i7-1260P is made with portability in mind and places less of a focus on users with high demands on performance. The compact and light chassis is particularly practical when you are on the go. The device is not only comfortably small and lightweight, it also boasts a great battery life. When connected to mains, on the other hand, the 16-inch device is rather disappointing. The standard cooling mode causes extreme volatility in terms of CPU, SSD and iGPU performance. The meager stability of the chassis may also put off some potential buyers."
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 LG Gram 16 or the MSI Pulse GL66
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, 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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