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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the MSI Cyborg 15 and the MSI Pulse GL66, consider how you will use the laptop. The Cyborg 15 is less expensive and has the latest graphics technology, making it well-suited for gaming and general use. However, it has less RAM and a less powerful processor compared to the Pulse GL66, which could affect performance in intensive engineering applications. The Pulse GL66 has a slightly higher build quality, better keyboard quality, and is slightly better for engineering and 3D tasks, but it's also heavier and has shorter battery life, which would affect portability. Both have similar display size, type, and 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 MSI Cyborg 15
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
234.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MSI Cyborg 15 and MSI Pulse GL66, with their fair screen quality, offer sufficient resolution and brightness, but they may not have the captivating visuals seen on higher-end displays. When looking at engineering and design, both models provide adequate color reproduction for most tasks, but professionals requiring precise color accuracy for high-end graphics work might find them lacking in the advanced color gamuts. In gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops would lead to less fluid motion and potentially less immersive experiences compared to models with high refresh rate displays.
Battery
7.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Build Quality
6.7
7.4
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,100
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a price of $1,100 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
234.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
7.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The MSI Cyborg 15, with its robust processor and ample RAM, delivers smooth performance suitable for everyday tasks, while its portable design and decent battery life make it a solid choice for general use. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66 also provides powerful processing capabilities and superior RAM, along with a high-quality screen and effective heat management, making it equally suitable for general use while offering an edge in multitasking and visual experiences.
Gaming and AI
7.2
7.2
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.5
7.5
8.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
6.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for engineering and design.
The MSI Cyborg 15 is equipped with a newer CPU and a more advanced GPU, making it suitable for the latest engineering and design applications, while the MSI Pulse GL66 offers more RAM for efficient multitasking and complex tasks. Both laptops feature high-quality IPS screens for accurate color work, but the lighter weight of the Cyborg 15 makes it more portable; however, the Pulse GL66 has a higher quality keyboard, which could be beneficial for long coding or design sessions.
Content Creation
7.5
7.2
8.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 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
8.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the MSI Cyborg 15 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Cyborg 15 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,100 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.37 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.86" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12650H | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53.5 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 234 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 7.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 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 | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI Cyborg 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
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 MSI Cyborg 15 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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