Table of Contents
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 Pulse GL66 has a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080p. This isn’t the sharpest resolution, but it’s pretty much the standard for gaming laptops right now, from the cheapest to the most expensive.
The MSI Pulse GL66 (2022) is a gaming laptop that looks great and is powerful enough to let you play the latest games, stream movies, and do work. 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.
- Specifications
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Design
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Display
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Features
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Keyboard and Touchpad
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Performances
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Cooling
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Battery life
- MSI Pulse GL66 review: Price and availability
- Final Words
- FAQs
MSI says that the Pulse GL66 has the ability to play Hi-Res Audio and has “in-game 3D surround sound” from Nahimic. If you use a headset or connect it to an external audio system, the Pulse GL66 does play sound in a very high-quality way. The quality of sound from a headset is great, but the quality of sound from the laptop’s built-in speakers is at best average, though they’re fine for things like video conferencing and other similar things.
Specifications
Weight | 4.63 pounds |
Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
Battery | 53 WHr |
Memory | 16GB RAM |
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 (QHD) |
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Design

MSI didn’t follow the industry trend of making thin gaming laptops. Instead, the Pulse GL66 is a huge machine. With a weight of 2.25kg, this is one of the heaviest new releases in the last few months, and it wasn’t fun to carry in a backpack. It’s important to weigh this design against its power, though, because, as we’ll see later, by the end of my testing, we were happy to give up portability and style for the better cooling and performance that larger chassis offer.
But we couldn’t understand why the price was so high when the chassis was mostly made of plastic. In the past few weeks, I’ve used some very high-end machines, like the Alienware x14 and the Razer Blade 15, so going back to cheaper materials was definitely noticeable.
You won’t find these parts in luxury machines at this price, but if you want a full metal finish, you can get a lot more for your money. The Asus TUF Dash F15 is one example that doesn’t break the bank. You can buy this laptop from its official website.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Display
The MSI Pulse GL66 Gaming Laptop is a good laptop for playing games. There are a few things that don’t make sense. The 1080p resolution works fine, and the HDMI port shows 4K at 60 frames per second. However, it would have been nice if MSI had upgraded the USB-C port to a Thunderbolt port or at least added video support to the USB-C port.
The model we tested only had one USB-C port that didn’t work with video. Users often use a video port to show their desktop on a bigger screen, so the fact that there isn’t a second video port stands out. Given how small the laptop is, it would not have been hard to add a Thunderbolt port.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Features

The MSI GL66 is a laptop that has to find a good balance between price and extra features. You can see this in the keyboard and trackpad. Its keyboard uses decent membrane keys. These have a lot more travel than the average laptop, and they feel fast and nice when you press them. They look more like they were made for gaming than for typing, which needs better key definition.
MSI has also made the maybe controversial choice to make the NUM pad smaller so that it only takes up about two-thirds of the space it would have. This is a good idea, especially for people who want to use the MSI Pulse GS66 as a regular work computer.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Keyboard and Touchpad
The top bezel, on the other hand, has a high-definition camera that can be used for video calls and selfies. The MSI Pulse GL66 has a standard keyboard with a full number pad at the bottom. This keyboard is backlit, which is pretty cool. So, you shouldn’t have any trouble typing or playing games on the MSI Pulse GL66 in dark or low-light places.
This keyboard isn’t very good or comfortable to use because it bends when you press it, and the feedbacks aren’t very accurate. No matter what, it’s still a good place to type. Also, since this is a gaming laptop, you’ll use it less to type and more to play games. The MSI Pulse GL66 has a touchpad that is about the size of a thumb and has click buttons built into the bottom of the keyboard.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Performances

The MSI Pulse GL66 Gaming Laptop is a good laptop for gaming. Some of the problems don’t make a lot of sense. But it would have been nice if MSI had turned the USB-C port into a real Thunderbolt connector or at least let video work through the USB-C port. The 1080p resolution of the screen works fine, and the HDMI port shows 4K at 60 frames per second.
We looked at a device with one USB-C port and no video capabilities. Users often use a video port to show their desktop on a bigger screen, so the lack of a second video port is noticeable. Given the size of the laptop, it wouldn’t have been too hard to add a Thunderbolt connector. No matter if you use speakers or a gaming headset, the Hi-Res Audio works very well.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Cooling
The speakers that are located beneath the palm rest on the GL66 Pulse should be commended for their even tonal quality. They do an acceptable job with the music, but what’s more crucial is that they have enough volume to be heard over the blaring noise of the system’s cooling fans. The sound of air passing through the vents, two of which are located on the rear of the unit, and one of which is located on the left, can be heard clearly from across the living room.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Battery life

The majority of laptops designed for gaming have low battery life. The only chance you have of getting a full day’s work from a charge is if you get a processor made by AMD, which has a significantly lower performance when running on battery. Even if it contains a battery that is the size of a walrus and has a capacity of 90Wh, the battery life of the MSI Pulse GL66 is not very good because it is powered by an Intel processor.
The MSI Pulse GS66 lasted almost exactly four hours after being put through a battery draining test that included streaming video from YouTube and using it for writing articles. Even if the performance of gaming when unplugged isn’t all that great, if you play games that require a lot of your system’s resources, you won’t get much more than an hour’s worth of use out of it.
We had hoped for slightly greater low-strain longevity from the MSI Pulse GL66, but unfortunately, a short battery life is to be expected when purchasing a powerful Intel laptop, even if it has a 12th Generation Processor.
MSI Pulse GL66 review: Price and availability
The MSI Pulse GL66 is designed to compete with the best gaming laptops that most people can afford. It comes in different configurations, and the one we tested usually costs $1,500. You can get a $100 rebate on it from Newegg until the end of the month.
This brings the price down to $1,400. At that price, it’s a good gaming laptop that doesn’t tie you down too much and gives you plenty of room to change out parts in the future. But when Newegg takes away the rebate in the future, it will find that its prices are suddenly just a little bit lower than those of much stronger competitors.
Final Words
The MSI Pulse GL66 is a decent, if not glamorous, choice for an entry-level gaming laptop. It has to make some sacrifices, but there is plenty of room for upgrades. But once Newegg takes away the rebate, the amount you’ll save with this laptop’s $1,500 price might not be worth the power loss compared to other mid-range competitors.
The most notable of these competitors is the all-AMD Asus ROG Strix Scar G15 Advantage Edition, which was first sold for $1,550 but now costs $1,650 for the configuration we tested. This laptop easily beat the Pulse in all of our gaming tests, sometimes by as much as 20 frames per second. If you’d rather have a competing system with an Nvidia GPU, the latest Acer Nitro 5 also beat the Pulse GL66 in most of our tests.
MSI Pulse GL66 Ratings
Pros
- Powerful Processors
- Terrific GPU performance
- Slick RGB Lighting
Cons
- Short battery life
- Not-so-sturdy build
FAQs
Is MSI GL66 Pulse good?
The MSI Pulse GL66 is a good gaming laptop for the price, and it did well in our tests of its performance. But it does have some problems that should be thought about. At a starting price of $1,599, it’s a good choice for gaming, but if you have more money, there may be better options on the market.
Is MSI a trustworthy brand?
MSI is known as not only one of the best laptop brands, but also one of the best gaming brands in the world. People in the eSports community trust MSI, and a lot of gaming teams are sponsored by the company.
Is the MSI Pulse GL66 upgradable?
If you are looking for a low-cost laptop that you will be able to improve in the future, the MSI Pulse GL66 is a good option; but, you can do much better by investing a little bit more money.