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Updated January 10, 2024·
The MSI Pulse GL66 is less expensive and may be a better choice for general use and gaming on a budget. Its battery is smaller and might not last as long as the premium-priced MSI Stealth GS66, which has a significantly larger battery and a more powerful graphics card for better performance in 3D tasks, machine learning, and intensive gaming. The Stealth GS66 also sports a higher screen refresh rate, making it more suitable for fast-paced gaming. Both have the same screen size and resolution and similar weights, but the Stealth GS66 is thinner, which could make it slightly more portable. If budget is a primary concern, go with the GL66; if you seek higher performance and better display features, the Stealth GS66 is the better option. 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
- The MSI Pulse GL66 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth GS66.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.2
7.8
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI, though the MSI Stealth GS66 is somewhat better.
The MSI Pulse GL66 and the MSI Stealth GS66 are both ideal for gaming and 3D tasks due to their powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 and 3070 Ti GPUs respectively, which support hardware ray tracing and DLSS, and their high screen refresh rates, with the Stealth GS66 having notably higher refresh capabilities. While the GL66 offers a solid combination of a strong CPU and quality IPS display, the Stealth GS66 further boosts this with a higher-end CPU and superior screen quality, making it an even better fit for those demanding the best gaming visuals and performance.
Engineering and Design
7.5
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS66 stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-grade CPU (Intel i7-12700H vs. i7-11800H), more powerful GPU (RTX 3070 Ti vs. RTX 3070), and better screen quality (higher brightness and color accuracy). However, the MSI Pulse GL66 still offers competent specs for such tasks, making it a viable, possibly more affordable alternative, despite its slightly lower screen quality and performance.
Content Creation
7.2
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth GS66 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.8
8.1
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
245.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MSI Pulse GL66 provides an adequate display combining decent resolution and brightness, which are key factors for everyday activities like browsing, document handling, and media consumption, while the MSI Stealth GS66 offers a superior visual experience with higher brightness and sharper resolution, enhancing visibility and clarity. When it comes to engineering and design, the Stealth GS66 stands out with its better color accuracy and broader color gamuts, which are essential for precision work that demands true-to-life color representation, but the Pulse GL66, while serviceable, falls short in color performance, making fine-tuned color work less optimal. For gaming and 3D applications, both models are limited by lower refresh rates, affecting the fluidity and smoothness of fast-moving images, while resolution and panel type contribute to the overall visual sharpness and viewing angles, which are less than ideal in both laptops for high-end gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
4.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 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.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
$1,399
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a price of $1,399 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
245.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for general use.
The MSI Pulse GL66, with its solid CPU and RAM, quality screen, and a satisfactory balance between portability and battery life, is well-suited for general use. In comparison, the MSI Stealth GS66 offers a more recent CPU, high-quality screen, and superior battery life, alongside its sleek design that enhances portability, making it an excellent choice for general tasks with a slight edge in performance and user experience.
Software Development
7.0
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth GS66 and MSI Pulse GL66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the MSI Pulse GL66 and the MSI Stealth GS66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Pulse GL66 | MSI Stealth GS66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,399 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2021 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | 14.2'' x 9.7'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.2" | 9.65" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 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" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 245 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 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 | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Pulse GL66
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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 GS66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the MSI Pulse GL66 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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