The MSI Pulse GL66 is a gaming laptop that does some things well but falls short in other ways. Overall, it’s a good deal for a cheap gaming laptop, but there may be better choices.
The MSI Pulse GL66 is a good choice if you want to play Elden Ring or CyberPunk 2077. Both of these games will test your patience. The model we tested had a 12th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU, but the most recent GL66 models can have the most powerful 12th-generation Core i9 CPU.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]Specifications
- CPU Intel Core i7-11800H
- Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6, 1,425 MHz boost clock, 85W TGP
- Memory 16GB DDR4-3200
- Storage 2.5-inch 1TB Seagate Guardian Barracuda 5400 RPM, 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
- Display 15.6 inches, 1920 x 1080, IPS-level, 144 Hz
- Networking Intel WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
- Ports 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 1x USB 2.0, HDMI, RJ-45 Internet, 3.5mm
- combination headphone/microphone jack
- Battery 53 WHr
- Power Adapter 180W
- Operating System Windows 10 Home
- Webcam 720p
- Dimensions(WxDxH) 14.13 x 10 x 0.94 inches
- Weight 4.63 pounds
Where to get MSI Pulse GL66?
The laptop has NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3000-series GPUs. These GPUs use NVIDIA’s 2nd generation RTX architecture, which has great ray tracing capabilities and NVIDIA’s DLSS resolution upscaling tech to provide superfast frame rates, though not as much as the more powerful graphics cards in the best gaming PCs.
The lid, for example, has a trapezoid-shaped area in the middle that is slightly raised, as well as trapezoid-shaped etchings that overlap on the side. The hinge has a small cutout in the middle for decoration, and the side opposite the hinge has rounded corners. All of this is around the MSI dragon logo, which gives the impression that all of the different parts are radiating out from the logo.
When you open the laptop, you can see a screen with thick top and bottom bezels, an RGB keyboard with a font that reminds you of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies, a lowered keyboard tray with diagonal texturing on its sides, and a touchpad with a crosshair design on top of it. This last detail is probably the one that stands out the most right away, and it gives the laptop a strangely threatening look.
There is also a lot of texture around the hinges, sides, and even under the screen of the laptop. But the diagonal honeycomb pattern on the bottom of the laptop is the only place where the texture starts to look like decoration. The look of the plastic varies from honeycomb to honeycomb, which is another thing that gives the design a pulsing, moving look.