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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI Pulse GL66 is the more budget-friendly option and is quite suitable for general use, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. Its portability is decent, and it has a good balance of performance and battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17, while more expensive, offers significantly more power especially for engineering tasks, superior battery life, and a larger, higher-quality screen, which can be great for intensive gaming and professional creative work. It is less portable due to its size and weight, so if you frequently travel or prefer a lighter laptop, consider this factor carefully. 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 Pulse GL66
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
245.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI Pulse GL66 is suitable for general use with a capable CPU, ample RAM, and a quality screen but is more portable and has a longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17 has a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, a higher resolution and quality screen, but is less portable due to its larger size and weight, and has a shorter battery life, positioning it as a high-performance workstation for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.2
9.1
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and 3D due to its respectable Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a 144Hz screen refresh rate which allows for smooth gameplay, but the MSI Stealth 17 is considered excellent for these tasks because it comes with a superior Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a higher 240Hz screen refresh rate for even smoother visuals. While both have capable CPUs and quality displays, the Stealth 17's top-tier GPU and refresh rate offer superior performance, which is essential for high-end gaming and demanding 3D applications, but this generally comes at a higher cost and potentially reduced portability due to larger size and weight.
Engineering and Design
7.5
9.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI Stealth 17 boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU, higher RAM, and superior screen quality which is vital for demanding engineering and design software, compared to the MSI Pulse GL66 which has decent specs but is less equipped for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.2
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 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
7.0
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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
6.8
8.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
245.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The MSI Pulse GL66 may offer adequate screen resolution and brightness suitable for typical tasks and work-related applications, catering to general users and engineers who prioritize clarity and detail. However, the lower color accuracy might be a downside for engineering and design professionals who depend on precise color representation for their work. For gamers and those involved in 3D modeling, the laptop's limited refresh rate could reduce the fluidity and responsiveness of visuals, which are crucial in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,399
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a price of $1,399 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the MSI Pulse GL66 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Pulse GL66 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,399 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 53 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 245 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
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."
MSI Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the MSI Pulse GL66 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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