If you prioritize a laptop with a higher resolution display, longer battery life, and lighter weight for greater portability, the Apple MacBook Air (2022) would be a superior choice, ideal for general use and tasks like writing, internet browsing, and media consumption. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 7, although heavier, offers a larger screen, more RAM, and dedicated graphics hardware, making it better suited for gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, with a tradeoff of reduced battery life compared to the MacBook Air. The MacBook Air tends to come at a slightly lower price point, while the Aorus 7 might demand a small premium for its performance-focused features. Give Feedback
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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 Aorus 7
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
7.8/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.1/10
2560 x 1664
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 (2022) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air with its own GPU is fair for 3D tasks because it operates at standard screen refresh rates and is not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7's Nvidia RTX GPU and high refresh rate make it well-suited for gaming and 3D work, offering smoother visuals and better performance. Also, compatibility can be a concern as many popular games don't run on macOS, limiting the MacBook Air for gaming compared to the Windows-based Aorus 7 which supports a broader range of games.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
4.1/10
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 (2022) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Software Development
8.0/10
7.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 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.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.3/10
13.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
351.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the MacBook Air's display offers crisp images and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and panel technology, and its brightness ensures comfortable visibility in various lighting conditions. In engineering and design, the MacBook Air excels with a wide color gamut that accurately represents different shades, crucial for detail-oriented work. However, for 3D applications, the MacBook Air's lower refresh rate can lead to less smooth visuals, making it less ideal for fast-paced 3D rendering compared to screens with higher refresh rates.
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
Excellent
Fair
13.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent 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 (2022) 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
$849
$1,190
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $849 and the Gigabyte Aorus 7 costs $1,190.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) is favored for general use due to its high-quality Retina display, which provides excellent color accuracy and brightness, combined with a lightweight design and a long battery life, making it highly portable and suitable for day-long use without the need for charging. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 7 caters to users requiring more power and bigger screen size, offering a faster processor, double the RAM for multitasking, and more storage capacity, but compromises on portability due to its larger size, heavier weight, and shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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 (2022) 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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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
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