MSI has refocused its offerings for gamers on a budget by announcing the Pulse GL and Katana GF series, which make use of Intel's new "Tiger Lake-H" power-user processors and Nvidia's latest budget-friendly GeForce RTX GPUs. These join the MSI Creator Z16 among MSI’s recent system announcements.
We were able to meet with MSI for a one-on-one virtual showcase for these new laptops. In the video below, you can get a closer look at the design and features of the Pulse GL and the Katana GF, as well as the white palette-swap version of the Katana, the Sword.
Meet the Pulse GL: Budget Gaming With Flair
The Pulse GL is still a definitively a budget-friendly laptop, but it doesn’t go all-in on entry-level in the same way as the Katana GF. Most GL configurations are available around $1,000 (the lowest starts at $949), but models can scale up toward $2,000 depending on your component choices. These are highlighted by the inclusion of Intel’s 11th Generation H-Series processors.
On the graphics side, options range from the newly announced GeForce RTX 3050 (the new low-end choice among RTX-capable mobile GPUs) up to the GeForce RTX 3070. The base model utilizes a new Core i5-11400H processor, and the pricier configurations use the Core i7-11800H.
The base display is full HD, but it doesn’t offer a high refresh rate. There is a 144Hz upgrade option, however, which many esports-minded shoppers will opt for. The minimum storage is 512GB and goes up to 1TB, and the base RAM is 8GB but can be ordered with 16GB.
From our initial look, the system appears moderately portable, measuring 0.94 by 14.1 by 10.2 inches and weighing in at 4.63 pounds. The design has a few more flourishes than many budget systems, so check out the video to see it in motion and hear a few more details about its specs and features.
Choose Your Blade: The Katana GF and Sword
Next we move on to the Katana and Sword, which double down on the budget aspects. These have a simpler, cleaner look versus the Pulse GL, but the Sword’s all-white look sets it apart in this part of the market. A white colorway is not common in the budget tier and distinguishes the Sword from the usual sea of black or gray budget laptops. The Katana will be available as low as $899, and the highest configuration only reaches $1,349, staying more firmly in the entry-level range even in its maximum model compared with the Pulse GL.
Like the GL, the components range from the Core i5-11400 to the Core i7-11800H, but the GPU starts out at the GeForce RTX 3050 and maxes out at the RTX 3060. Memory and storage range from 8GB to 16GB and 512GB to 1TB, respectively.
The keyboard lighting on the Katana is entirely red backlighting, not per-key or customizable across zones, while the Sword is the same with blue backlighting. The two systems measure 0.98 by 14.1 by 10.2 inches and weigh 4.63 pounds, a touch thicker than the GL but the same weight.
For a deeper look at the Katana GF and Sword, watch through the above video. And check back to PCMag for a full review of these systems when units become available.