SCORE
PRICE £749 (£899 inc VAT) from scan.co.uk
The MSI Pulse GL66 is one of two gaming laptops submitted to this Labs, and it edges ahead of the Asus TUF Dash F15 not merely due to price but also because it's faster overall. Indeed, the gaming test graphs on p93 suggest that the MSI laptop includes a faster graphics card but in truth its chart-topping results in Dirt: Showdown and Metro: Last Light reflect that these games are limited by the CPU at 1080p.
It would be fairer to compare the two in more demanding games, where the positions were reversed. For instance, in Metro: Exodus the Pulse averaged 52fps while the Asus returned 73fps (at 1080p, High settings). The gap was narrower in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, with scores of 8ofps and 88fps respectively. And note that 3DMark Time Spy showed the greater skills of the Asus laptop's GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile chip compared to the 3050 Ti Mobile in the MSI, with a score of 7,279 versus 5,693.
What pushed the MSI to the top of the table elsewhere is its stunning Core i7-11800H processor, as this includes eight cores to the four inside the Asus. It's an astonishing inclusion for the price and means the Pulse has much to offer creative professionals as well as keen gamers.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Is it time to upgrade your business Wi-Fi?
Do you need to invest in a faster, more reliable wireless network? Steve Cassidy asks the key questions
On-premises business backup
Put your data at risk and you're putting your business at risk. Dave Mitchell explains how to put safeguards in place and what backup products can help
Claude 3.5 Sonnet
An excellent AI model for a wide variety of tasks: it's fast, versatile and the current leader for coding
SMART SPEAKERS
Whether your priority is audio quality, smart home control or always-on AI assistance, this group test holds the answer
Udio
A stunningly sophisticated service for creating just about any form of audio artistry from a text prompt
Runway
A powerful tool for video creators, but you'll need to invest time and money to take advantage
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus
A distinctive phone for those who want great battery life and a stunning screen without paying a fortune
CUKTECH 20
Good battery life, sleek design and a built-in display lift this power bank from the crowd
Sony Xperia 1 VI
A microSD card slot and 3.5mm jack mark this flagship out, but the price is too high
ReMarkable Paper Pro
Still troubled by lag, but this is a premium ePaper tablet that benefits from both a backlight and colours