The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is known for being more affordable and portable, offering silent operation due to its fanless design, and delivering excellent battery life with its efficient Apple M1 chip which is suitable for general use and even some more demanding tasks. It also has a higher resolution display which is ideal for design or content consumption. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 17G, while pricier, provides more power with its Intel CPU and Nvidia RTX graphics, making it much better suited for gaming, 3D work, and machine learning tasks, but comes with a tradeoff in battery life and portability due to its larger size and weight. Additionally, the Aorus 17G includes a high refresh rate display which is especially beneficial for gaming. If your priorities lean towards performance for demanding applications and gaming, and you don't mind the extra cost and reduced portability, the Aorus 17G might be the right choice. Otherwise, if you value portability, silent operation, and longer battery life at a more affordable price, the MacBook Pro 13 (2020) would be a better fit. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 17G
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.5/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is equipped with an Apple M1 GPU, which is less powerful for 3D applications compared to dedicated gaming GPUs, and its MacOS can limit game compatibility, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G's Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU is designed for high-end gaming performance and is paired with Windows, offering wider game support and significantly better 3D capabilities. Additionally, the Aorus 17G's screen offers a higher refresh rate, making it more suitable for gaming where fast and smooth visuals are important.
Software Development
7.8/10
7.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Gigabyte Aorus 17G are both good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is somewhat better.
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
8.0/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
300Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
282.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 17G for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Apple MacBook Pro's Retina Display offers crisp resolution and exceptional brightness, making it easy on the eyes for reading and browsing, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G, though providing good clarity and brightness, may not match the MacBook's vibrancy. The MacBook Pro also excels in engineering and design, providing wide color gamuts essential for precise color work, whereas the Aorus 17G, while still good, may not offer the same range of colors that professionals need. However, for 3D uses, the Gigabyte Aorus 17G's lower refresh rate compared to gaming-optimized laptops means it falls short for smooth motion, which is less of an issue for the MacBook Pro since it's not primarily targeted towards gaming or high-frame-rate needs.
Battery
20.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 17G 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$2,329
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Gigabyte Aorus 17G costs $2,329.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Gigabyte Aorus 17G are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is lauded for its strong CPU performance delivered by the Apple M1 chip, high RAM efficiency, excellent screen quality, exceptional portability due to its light weight and long battery life, making it a good fit for general use. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aorus 17G’s powerful Intel CPU, ample RAM, and superior gaming-oriented hardware provide hefty performance for gaming and demanding tasks, though it is less portable and has a shorter battery life, which might limit its convenience for general use.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for engineering and design.
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.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Gigabyte Aorus 17G 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 Pro 13 (2020) and the Gigabyte Aorus 17G compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"The Aorus 17G isn't among the top RTX 3080 laptops due to its relatively low TGP of 105 watts. The device's gaming performance is average for an RTX 3080. For maximum performance, competitors like the Lenovo Legion 7 or the Alienware m17 R4 are recommended With the Aorus 17G, Gigabyte delivers a well-rounded gaming laptop. However, the device generates a high noise level. Throttling is not an issue. The CPU and GPU can develop their performance uniformly. Nevertheless, the device produces a lot of noise under load - more than many competitors."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Gigabyte Aorus 17G
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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