MSI has a lot of gaming laptops in its portfolio to the point where it can be difficult to tell the difference between certain models. One example is the 15.6-inch GP66 which can be found online in two flavors: the 2021 GP66 Leopard and the 2022 Vector GP66. Though they may appear visually similar, there are key differences between them that are worth mentioning.
Perhaps the easiest way to visually distinguish between the older Leopard and newer Vector is to look for the mini-DisplayPort along the rear or the USB-C port along the left. If any are present, then the system is a Vector. Both models otherwise share the same chassis design.
Internally, the Leopard uses older 11th gen Intel Core-H CPUs while the Vector uses the newer 12th gen Core-H series. The Vector also gains two additional options: a 360 Hz 1080p display and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU. DDR4 RAM, PCIe4 x4, and Wi-Fi 6E are supported on both models while Thunderbolt and DDR5 VRAM continue to be omitted. There is no RTX 3080 Ti option for the Vector.
The Vector is not necessarily the better buy just because it is newer than the Leopard because both models have the same upper-end GeForce RTX 3080 option. If CPU performance is priority, then the Vector is the obvious choice since the 12th gen Core-H CPUs have notable gains over 11th gen. If graphics performance is priority, however, then one can potentially save money by purchasing the Leopard with RTX 3080 graphics instead of the Vector with RTX 3080 or RTX 3070 Ti graphics. The slower CPU performance of the Leopard will have just minimal impact on gaming performance since most titles tend to be GPU bound.
See our full reviews on the GP66 Leopard and Vector GP66 for more information on each.
Allen Ngo - Lead Editor U.S.
- 5190 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2011
After graduating with a B.S. in environmental hydrodynamics from the University of California, I studied reactor physics to become licensed by the U.S. NRC to operate nuclear reactors. There's a striking level of appreciation you gain for everyday consumer electronics after working with modern nuclear reactivity systems astonishingly powered by computers from the 80s. When I'm not managing day-to-day activities and US review articles on Notebookcheck, you can catch me following the eSports scene and the latest gaming news.
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