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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a lightweight, more portable laptop with a longer battery life and a touchscreen, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 would be suitable. However, if you require higher performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and you don't mind a heavier laptop with shorter battery life, the MSI Pulse GL66, with its powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, is the better option. Keep in mind that the Surface is significantly less expensive while offering a quality build and general performance for everyday use. 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 Go 3
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1536 x 1024
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 Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 delivers a fair gaming and 3D experience due to its less powerful integrated GPU and standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, whereas the MSI Pulse GL66 provides a good experience with its more capable Nvidia RTX dedicated GPU and a higher 144Hz refresh rate, resulting in smoother visuals and better handling of graphics-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.8
7.5
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a less powerful CPU and integrated graphics, making it fair for engineering and design, where the MSI Pulse GL66 comes with a higher-end CPU and dedicated GPU, making it better suited for these demanding tasks. Furthermore, the Pulse GL66 includes more RAM and a higher resolution display, essential for running complex software and detailed design work efficiently.
Screen Quality
6.8
6.8
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
337.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3, with a high-resolution display, offers crisp and vibrant visuals that benefit general tasks and detail-oriented work in engineering and design, backed by a panel that delivers consistent color and brightness. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion is critical. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66, while providing adequate resolution and panel quality for everyday tasks and professional design work, also falls short for gaming and 3D due to its refresh rate not meeting the high standards needed for optimal visuals in fast-paced environments.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has 8 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
12.4in
SIZE
15.6in
2.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$788
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a price of $788 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.3
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
337.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 are both good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has a more portable design and excellent battery life, better for carrying around and using on the go, but it has a less powerful CPU and less RAM than the MSI Pulse GL66, which may limit performance-intensive tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a stronger CPU, more RAM, and a higher screen resolution, enhancing performance and visual detail, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
7.1
7.0
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1536 x 1024
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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 Go 3 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 Go 3 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$788 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.49 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.12" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1235U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 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 | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 12.4" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1536 x 1024 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 337 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | 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 | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Joe Osborne | October 2023
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
MSI Pulse GL66
See more
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 Go 3 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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