When choosing between the MSI Pulse GL66 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", consider how you'll use the laptop. If your tasks include gaming, 3D modeling, or intensive software like video editing, the MSI with its powerful processor and high-end graphics card is designed for performance-intensive tasks. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less ideal if you prioritize portability and battery endurance. Alternatively, the Packard Bell Cloudbook is much more affordable, lighter, and has a longer battery life, making it suitable for basic tasks such as web browsing, document editing, and video streaming, but it's not designed for demanding applications. 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 for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
5.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
245.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.1/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for general use, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The MSI Pulse GL66, with its powerful Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and high-quality screen, offers robust performance for demanding applications and multitasking, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life than the Packard Bell Cloudbook, which, with its more modest Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and average screen, is lighter and has a longer battery life but struggles with performance-intensive tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.2/10
5.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The MSI Pulse GL66 is geared towards gaming and 3D with its powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 144Hz, allowing for smoother visuals and better gaming performance. In contrast, the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has a much weaker Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, leading to underwhelming gaming and 3D capabilities.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
5.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for engineering and design, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
The MSI Pulse GL66 is better suited for engineering and design due to its high-performance Intel i7 processor, significant RAM, and powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU, which collectively handle complex tasks and graphics-intensive applications much more efficiently than the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14", which has a lower-end Intel Celeron processor, minimal RAM, and a basic integrated GPU, leading to poor performance in demanding scenarios. Additionally, the MSI Pulse GL66's screen offers higher quality with better brightness and a higher refresh rate ideal for detailed design work, whereas the Packard Bell's display, despite its adequate resolution, falls short in color accuracy and contrast, making it less suitable for precision engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
7.2/10
5.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for content creation, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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
7.0/10
5.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
3.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
4.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
4.6/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 is good for software development, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" is poor.
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
6.8/10
5.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
245.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
200.0 nits
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a better screen than the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a decent display with acceptable resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks such as browsing and document work, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook has a lower quality display that might not be as pleasing for regular activities. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI Pulse GL66 covers more of the color gamuts that professionals look for, allowing better color accuracy for detailed work, whereas the Packard Bell Cloudbook falls short, making it less ideal for these tasks. For gaming and 3D applications, the MSI Pulse lacks a high refresh rate which is crucial for smooth motion, whereas the Packard Bell Cloudbook is even less equipped for these purposes due to both poor refresh rate and overall screen quality.
Battery
4.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 hours of battery life. The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14 has 7 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.1in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has very good portability, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
5.1/10
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality, while the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,399
$350
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a price of $1,399 and the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14" costs $350.
"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 Pulse GL66 or the Packard Bell Cloudbook 14"
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.
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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