The MSI Pulse GL66 tends to be less expensive and offers a larger screen for gaming or multitasking, but the Razer Blade 14 boasts a more premium build with higher resolution, better color coverage, and a significantly longer battery life. The Razer Blade 14 is also lighter and more compact, enhancing its portability, while the MSI has a number pad which may be useful for productivity. For intensive gaming, both support hardware ray tracing and DLSS; the choice between them hinges on whether you prioritize graphical power and screen quality or cost savings and a larger screen. 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
Very good speakers
Advantages of the Razer Blade 14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
245.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.2/10
The Razer Blade 14 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Razer Blade 14 stands out for general use thanks to its superior CPU, higher resolution and brighter screen, and longer battery life, all packed into a lighter and smaller form factor, which enhances its portability over the MSI Pulse GL66. On the other hand, the MSI has a strong CPU and ample RAM just like the Razer, but its larger size, heavier weight, lower screen quality, and shorter battery life make it less optimal for users who prioritize mobility and screen detail.
Gaming and AI
7.2/10
7.9/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Razer Blade 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Razer Blade 14 is somewhat better.
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
7.5/10
8.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Razer Blade 14 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Razer Blade 14 is considered very good for engineering and design due to its superior CPU, higher-resolution screen, and better GPU, which are crucial for demanding tasks, while the MSI Pulse GL66, with a capable but lesser CPU and GPU and a lower-resolution screen, is still good for such tasks.
Content Creation
7.2/10
8.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 14 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
7.0/10
7.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 14 and MSI Pulse GL66 are both good for software development, though the Razer Blade 14 is somewhat better.
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
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
245.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
328.0 nits
The Razer Blade 14 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 acceptable image clarity and brightness for routine tasks and professional work, yet its color range might not be up to the mark for precision required in engineering and design, and its refresh rate falls short for the smooth visuals demanded by gaming and 3D applications. Razer Blade 14 shines with high resolution and brightness, enhancing both everyday and technical work, but its color accuracy, while great for design, still might not satisfy the ultra-fast refresh rates gamers and 3D creators long for. In essence, both laptops are competent for basic and professional use, but neither is ideal for the high-refresh-rate experience that gaming and 3D modeling enthusiasts often prioritize.
Battery
4.0 Hours
9.5 Hours
The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 14 has 9.5 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
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Razer Blade 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
8.5/10
The Razer Blade 14 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
$10
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI Pulse GL66 has a price of $1,399 and the Razer Blade 14 costs $10.
"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."
"After making a huge splash with the original 2021 model, it's expected that the 2022 refresh would be more of a minor update to an already impressive machine. It adds a higher resolution webcam (720p to 1080p), faster CPU (Ryzen 9 5900HX to Ryzen 9 6900HX), faster GPU (RTX 3070/3080 to 3070/3080 Ti), faster RAM (DDR4-3200 to DDR5-4800), faster M.2 SSD support (PCIe3 x4 to PCIe4 x4), newer WLAN module (Killer AX1690i to Qualcomm WCN685x), and a MUX switch for the new integrated Radeon 680M GPU. It's indubitably an upgrade especially in terms of single-thread processor performance."
Get a great deal on the MSI Pulse GL66 or the Razer Blade 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.
About Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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