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Updated January 12, 2024·
The MSI GP66 Leopard is more expensive but offers a better performance for intensive tasks, like gaming or engineering software, due to its powerful graphics card. Its build is also sturdier, but this means it's heavier and less portable. The battery life is shorter compared to the MSI Thin GF63, which is lighter and thus easier to carry around. The GF63 is more budget-friendly and still provides decent performance for everyday use and some gaming, but it falls short for demanding applications. When choosing, consider if high-end gaming or professional work is a priority over affordability and portability. 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 GP66 Leopard
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.9
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Thin GF63 is only fair.
The MSI GP66 Leopard's inclusion of a higher-end Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU alongside its higher screen brightness makes it better suited for intensive gaming and 3D tasks when compared to the MSI Thin GF63, which, while still capable with an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, offers less visual fidelity due to its lower brightness level.
Screen Quality
7.5
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
362.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
Screen quality for general use is dictated by clarity, brightness, and comfort for the eyes, so the GP66 Leopard with its better resolution and brightness offers a more pleasant experience for everyday tasks compared to the GF63. For engineering and design tasks, accurate color representation is crucial, which makes the GP66's wider color gamuts more suitable for professionals who need precision in their visual work. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion and quick refresh rates are essential, neither laptop excels, but the GP66's superior screen qualities still don't align with the high refresh rates gamers typically seek.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Thin GF63 has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
6.5
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
362.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
7.9
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for engineering and design.
The MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a more powerful CPU, GPU, and higher RAM, making it excellent for demanding engineering software and design work that requires robust processing capabilities and detailed graphics; additionally, its screen provides superior quality for precision tasks. Meanwhile, the MSI Thin GF63, while also suitable for engineering and design, offers greater portability and a balance of performance and convenience, with a still respectable screen and sufficient power for many tasks, but with a lighter build and potentially quieter operation, appealing for on-the-go users who might prioritize a less bulky laptop.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for content creation.
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
7.2
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and MSI Thin GF63 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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.
Cost
$1,400
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,400.
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How the MSI GP66 Leopard and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GP66 Leopard | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.25 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.51" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 65 Wh | 51 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 | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 362 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
MSI Thin GF63
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jeffries | November 2022
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the MSI GP66 Leopard or the MSI Thin GF63
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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