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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI GE66 Raider is a high-end, more expensive laptop with greater storage, more RAM, a stronger processor, and a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, ideal for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, and gaming. It also has a larger battery capacity, a higher resolution screen, but it's heavier and less portable. 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 GE66 Raider
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Pulse GL66
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.3
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
347.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider excels in general use with a more robust CPU, double the RAM, and a higher-quality screen, features that typically warrant a heavier build and shorter battery life compared to the MSI Pulse GL66, which balances moderate performance with better portability and longer battery life for routine tasks. While the Raider has a higher-resolution display and a more powerful graphics unit, contributing to heavier weight and less on-the-go usage time, the Pulse GL66 offers a more travel-friendly option with sufficient capabilities for everyday activities and work.
Gaming and AI
8.6
7.2
9.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider excels in gaming and 3D due to its superior Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPU and a respectable screen refresh rate, which contribute to better graphic rendering and smoother on-screen motion. On the other hand, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is also proficient in gaming with its competent Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, it offers a higher screen refresh rate which is beneficial for fast-paced games, but does so with lower overall graphical fidelity.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.5
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
9.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider outshines the MSI Pulse GL66 in engineering and design use because it comes with a more powerful CPU, double the memory, and a superior GPU, while also offering a higher resolution screen with better color accuracy which is crucial for detailed design work.
Content Creation
8.4
7.2
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
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
8.4
7.0
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
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
8.2
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
347.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MSI GE66 Raider's screen is well-suited for general use and engineering tasks because it offers high resolution and brightness, ensuring clear and vibrant visuals, while its wide color gamuts support precise color work necessary for design. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key. On the other hand, the MSI Pulse GL66, with moderate resolution and brightness, provides an adequate display for day-to-day tasks and engineering but lacks in both the high refresh rate needed for 3D and the superior color accuracy desired by professional designers.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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
8.5
7.4
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,199
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI GE66 Raider has a price of $3,199 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Pulse GL66 to have good portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the MSI GE66 Raider and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GE66 Raider | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,199 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.25 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.51" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 347 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 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 | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 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 | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
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 GE66 Raider 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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