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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If your main concern is portability and battery life for everyday tasks like web browsing, office work, and media consumption, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is likely a better fit due to its more compact size and typically longer battery life. On the other hand, if you're looking for a laptop that can handle more demanding applications such as gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering software, the MSI Pulse GL66 may be preferable as it usually offers stronger performance with dedicated graphics and cooling systems suited for those tasks; however, it may be heavier and have shorter battery life. The choice depends mainly on whether performance or portability and battery life are more important 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.2
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
2256 x 1504
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Screen Quality
7.2
6.8
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a high-resolution display and excellent brightness, making it well-suited for general tasks and detailed engineering or design work that requires precise colors. However, its lower refresh rate doesn't match the demands of 3D applications or gaming, which often require higher refresh rates for smoother visuals. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66's screen offers moderate performance for day-to-day tasks and is acceptable for engineering and design, but similar to the Surface Laptop, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less than optimal refresh rate.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.5in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,200
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers solid CPU performance and long battery life in a portable design, making it ideal for everyday tasks and on-the-go use, while the MSI Pulse GL66, with its higher RAM and superior screen quality, excels in handling more demanding applications and provides an overall stronger performance. However, the MSI Pulse GL66 is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the Surface Laptop 5, which could be a deciding factor for users prioritizing mobility and usage time away from power sources.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.5
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is suitable for engineering and design due to its capable CPU and integrated graphics, which are complemented by its high-resolution touchscreen display offering good color coverage, making it useful for design work that benefits from a stylus or touch interaction.
Content Creation
7.4
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Software Development
7.2
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2256 x 1504
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and MSI Pulse GL66 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.4
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.86 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.1" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.8" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1255U | 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 | 7.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47.4 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.5" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2256 x 1504 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" or the MSI Pulse GL66
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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