MSI Pulse GL66 test: RTX-3060 gamer with Alder Lake i9 in need for optimization
MSI Pulse GL66: Alder Lake i9 but USB 2.0
A fairly new gaming series with Alder Lake Core i9 and RTX 3060? Just give it to me now! What, USB 2.0, no Thunderbolt, a dark display with weak response time, a short battery life, and a badly adjusted Core i9? Why did you do that, MSI?
Ok, calm down, there are also many positive features. For example, despite the TGP of only 105 watts, the gaming performance can be considered very good. In addition, we like the power consumption, since it is relatively low.
The MSI Pulse GL66 12UEK is really a decent laptop – or at least, it could easily be that. But why does MSI still equip its fairly new gaming series with USB 2.0? Sure, you often have to make do without Thunderbolt in affordable laptops and it is supposed to be targeted towards price-conscious gamers. But price-conscious is also relative, since at least one competitor in our extensive test turned out to be better designed and still more affordable.
The dark display with its relatively slow response times is also not a good purchase argument, just like the short battery life. While the performance is good, there are also faster laptops that provide their RTX 3060 with the full 140 watts, instead of only 105 watts like in the Pulse. So the real purchase argument should be the price. But at 1,900 Euros (~$2,057), it is anything but a steal, and the faster Asus TUF Gaming F15, for example, has a much better display and only costs 1,600 Euros (~$1,732).
Find out more about the MSI Pulse GL66 in our extensive review with many benchmarks and tests.
A C64 marked my entry into the world of PCs. I spent my student internship in the repair department of a computer shop and at the end of the day I was allowed to assemble my own 486 PC from “workshop remnants”. As a result of this, I later studied computer science at the Humboldt University in Berlin, with psychology also being added to my studies. After my first job as a research assistant at the university, I went to London for a year and worked for Sega in computer game translation quality assurance. This included working on games such as Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and Company of Heroes. I have been writing for Notebookcheck since 2017.
Translator:Mark Riege - Translator - 536 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018
Having worked as a programmer for 20 years (medical devices, AI, data management systems), I've been following the computer scene for many years and especially enjoy finding out about new technology advances. Originally from Germany but living in the US, I've been working as a translator more recently, with Notebookcheck allowing me to combine my interest in new devices and translation. Other interests include Buddhism, spending time in Tibetan monasteries, and translating ancient Tibetan texts.
