If you prioritize performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Gigabyte Aero 16, with its powerful Intel processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, is tailored for you. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Apple MacBook Air. The MacBook Air, with its efficient M2 chip, offers a balance of good performance for general use, a longer battery life, and a lightweight design, though it might not handle intensive tasks as well. It also tends to be more affordable than the Aero 16 and offers a fanless, silent operation. The Aero 16 excels in display quality with a high-contrast OLED screen, ideal for engineering and color-critical work, but comes at a greater cost. 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 (2022)
Very good for software development
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has an integrated GPU that is less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs, which limits its 3D capabilities, and while it has a high-resolution screen, its refresh rate is standard, which is sufficient for general use but not ideal for fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is preferred for engineering and design because it possesses a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a superior Nvidia RTX GPU compared to the Apple MacBook Air (2022) which, while offering good screen quality and exceptional portability, has a less potent in-house Apple M2 CPU and GPU, making it less suited for the most demanding tasks. Additionally, the Aero 16's OLED screen boasts higher resolution and pixel density, delivering better visual clarity and color accuracy, which is crucial for design work, albeit at the cost of being heavier and offering lower portability than the ultra-light MacBook Air.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.4/10
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aero 16 for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Air's screen is suited for general use due to its high-resolution and bright display, enhancing readability and media consumption, but its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for 3D applications. The Gigabyte Aero 16 excels in engineering and design with its wide color gamut, offering precise color representation crucial for these tasks, while its screen's refresh rate may not satisfy the smoother visuals required in gaming and 3D work. Both laptops, despite their screen advantages for specific tasks, might not offer the best 3D experience due to limitations in refresh rates compared to specialized gaming laptops.
Battery
15.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 16 has 7 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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$899
$1,260
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 and the Gigabyte Aero 16 costs $1,260.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 16 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is well-suited for general use due to its sufficient CPU performance with Apple's M2 chip, ample RAM for everyday tasks, a high-quality IPS screen with sharp resolution, and impressive portability with its lightweight design and long battery life. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aero 16 also serves general use effectively with a powerful Intel i7 CPU, double the RAM, an outstanding OLED screen with higher resolution, but it is less portable due to its heavier weight and shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 16 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2022) is good.
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
8.0/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 is good.
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 (2022) and the Gigabyte Aero 16 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 Aero 16 is a workstation laptop for light gaming. It's design is still muted, with a silver chassis alongside a black keyboard and trackpad that provides some contrast. The Gigabyte Aero’s full-size chiclet-style keyboard is enjoyable to type on thanks to its snappy feel and responsiveness. The 4K+ AMOLED display is good, but it could be better. It doesn’t handle true black very well and suffers from strong reflections and glare. The Gigabyte Aero excels at productivity performance and can keep up with other gaming laptops in 1080p. But it has very few ports and its refresh rate leaves a bit to be desired."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2022) or the Gigabyte Aero 16
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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