The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is more portable, with a lighter frame and longer battery life, ideal for general use and on-the-go tasks, although it has a lower midrange price that reflects its premium design. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is better suited for gaming, 3D work, and machine learning due to its higher performance capabilities but is less portable and has a shorter battery life, with a midrange price that indicates robust features typically needed for intensive tasks. If portability and battery are priorities, go for the MacBook Air; if performance and gaming are crucial, consider the Aorus 7. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 7
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.8/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.1/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) with its M1 chip provides efficient performance and long battery life making it suitable for on-the-go engineering and design tasks, but with less RAM and GPU power than the Gigabyte Aorus 7, which offers a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and dedicated Nvidia graphics, it's better suited for more demanding engineering software and design applications at the cost of reduced portability due to its larger, heavier build.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
8.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
351.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a better screen for general use, and gaming and AI.
The MacBook Air, with its high-resolution display, provides sharpness and clarity that's appreciated for everyday tasks, but its modest color gamut coverage is less ideal for precise engineering and design work. The Gigabyte Aorus 7's high resolution and adequate brightness offer an immersive experience for general and design purposes, but its lackluster refresh rate limits the smoothness required for optimal 3D applications. Both laptops are not tailored for gaming or high-end 3D work, as these activities benefit from faster refresh rates and specialized display technologies that neither model prioritizes.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has 6 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,190
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 costs $1,190.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) excels in portability and silent operation with its fanless design, offering very good screen quality, excellent keyboard, and long battery life, suitable for users who prioritize mobility and general usage without the need for advanced graphics.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.6/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7/10
7.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
"The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is a gaming laptop that is pitched at perhaps the hardest market to get right: the mid-range. So, unlike high-end gaming laptops that can throw the latest and greatest components together in a bid to attract gamers with plenty of money to spend, or budget gaming laptops that can make wise cuts that are justified as long as the price is low enough, mid-rangers like the Gigabyte Aorus 7 have to balance the two."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the Gigabyte Aorus 7
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Laptops Expert
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