The MSI Pulse GL66 is a mid-tier gaming laptop and is probably the type most people should buy. It’s a smart choice, as you can upgrade to the next GPU class without spending any more money by cutting a few corners. But is this the one to get – the GL66 is the first laptop with a 12th generation Intel CPU, giving it five minutes of fame as one of the most powerful gaming laptops in the world. At least, in a way. The Pulse GS66 also has an impressive screen, its 1440p panel able to make much better use of the power on tap here than the 1080p one you would have seen on almost every laptop like this a few years ago.
MSI isn’t conforming to the industry’s sprint towards slim gaming laptops here, in fact, the Pulse GL66 is a real giant of a machine; at 2.25kg in weight, this is one of the heaviest new products to hit the shelves in recent months, and it’s certainly fun to transport in a backpack . However, it is important to compare this design and power. （By the end of my testing (which will be discussed later), I was willing to trade portability and style for the cooling and performance offered by the larger chassis.
As for the touchpad, it offers slightly increased resistance, while travelling less distance than other models. It feels particularly shallow, but it still springs back snugly and feels nicely responsive to taps for everyday tasks. As you’d expect from a more chunky design, the ports are also substantial – USB-C 3.2 Gen1, two USB-A 3.2 Gen1, USB-A 2.0 and HDMI 2.0 line the sides, more than enough to house all your accessories. However, given the price point, we would have preferred to see Thunderbolt added to its USB-C ports to enable display and charging connections.
The MSI Pulse GL66 is aimed squarely at those who prioritise substance over style. This is one heavy machine with a footprint to match, and its outdated aesthetic won’t wow in quite the same way as some of the more streamlined rigs we’re seeing these days. Its performance, however, is eclectic. There’s a fair bit of guts in this space, and it works hard to hit some serious numbers when it comes to smooth frame rates and fast load times.
The MSI Pulse GL66 gaming laptop is a good laptop for gaming. There are a few issues that seem puzzling. The screen’s 1080p resolution works fine and the HDMI port displays 4K@60fps, but it would have been nice if MSI had upgraded the USB-C port to an actual Thunderbolt port or at least enabled video support for the USB-C port. The model we tested had one USB-C port and did not support video. Given that many users use the video port to display their desktop on a larger screen, the lack of a second video port is definitely noticeable. Given the size of the laptop, it would not have been too difficult to include a Thunderbolt port.