MSI Pulse GL76

It's almost time for the 2023 iteration of technology to make its debut. Following announcements over the last few months and weeks, soon we'll be seeing versions of the tech we know and love except with marginal improvements to suit the latest batch of hardware that has arrived during the latter portions of 2022. But, before we get to that point, there's time to check out one last 2022 iteration, as I've been playing around with and testing the MSI Pulse GL76 as of late.

This gaming laptop has a very specific concept at its core, which is high frame rate HD gaming. And this is because it boasts a 1080p display that can operate at up to a whopping 360Hz. So, before getting into the deeper details, just understand that if resolution and graphical quality is something you prioritise, this probably isn't the laptop for you. However, if you're a shooter player or enjoy gaming with super fluid and smooth performance, there's a lot to love here.

Under the hood, the system I've been playing around with features a 14 Core 12th Gen i9-12900H CPU clocked at 2900MHz, alongside an RTX 3070 GPU, and 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM. It's not the most powerful of hardware inside this unit, but for HD gaming this is a very capable collection of hardware that can deliver some truly impressive fps values even on some of the most demanding games.

For reference, I've tested a collection of games during my time with this laptop, including Marvel's Spider-Man, Apex Legends, Marvel's Midnight Suns, Deathloop, Ghostrunner, and even a very technologically accessible retro-FPS, known as Dread Templar. For each title, I've compared both High and Low graphical settings (where applicable), and when choosing the fps-friendly lower graphical options, I've seen some remarkable frame rates.

For Spider-Man for example, on High, the game clocks in at anywhere between 60-100 fps depending on what and where you are in-game. On Low on other hand, this almost doubles to 100-140 fps. Apex Legends gets even more out of the laptop, with 100-150 fps on High with values well over 230 fps on Low. Dread Templar (which can be easily played on far less powerful hardware) displayed frame rates above 700 fps at some occasions, which was far higher than even this fantastic display can reach. The point is that the Pulse GL76 does exactly what it is designed to do: play games at lower resolutions incredibly smoothly.

Otherwise, it is worth saying that the Pulse GL76 has a really tidy thin bezel around its display, which allows the 17.3" screen to fully fit the chassis. The actual keyboard and trackpad also take up a reasonable amount of space on the body to the point where you never feel as though the keys are being too closely crammed together in favour of saving space. Those who like RGB and customisation will be glad to know that there's plenty to fiddle around with in regard to the keyboard as well, even if there's no other RGB zones on the laptop at all - which I actually appreciate, as it gives the system more of a subtle appearance.

Speaking about its design, the Pulse GL76 does have a few 'gamery' aesthetics, largely revolving around its large vents, but for the most part, it comes off as more of a flashy design rather than being too out-there, or needlessly complex, or futuristic. And you can forgive the bulky vents as they do work wonders for keeping the laptop cool alongside the Cooler Booster 5 technology within. Essentially, you'll never have to worry about fan noises or overheating, because the Pulse GL76 is very good at dissipating heat thanks to its core design. And the cooling solution being as brilliant as it is allows the speaker system to shine, because you can actually play games - without using a headset - and still manage to hear the audio, which is something a lot of gaming laptops cannot manage.

There are a few gaming laptop tropes that reign supreme with this system however. It's quite a large piece of tech, with a considerable weight behind it. And as usual, you can't get the most out of your games without having it plugged into the mains, as otherwise both the battery will melt away, and the performance will take a considerable hit. Still, this is hardly a problem associated with just the Pulse GL76.

Which is why overall I've been quite impressed with this system. It does what it sets out to do very well, and you can't fault that. With all of the features and hardware that this laptop brings to the table, alongside the fact that it even has a built-in webcam and a broad array of ports for all of your connective needs, this system is a great option for anyone looking to do some 1080p/HD gaming at super high frame rates, all while on-the-go.