The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is pricier and better suited for users who prioritize a balance of performance and portability, with strong battery life and a high-quality display, making it ideal for general use and professional creative work. It is lightweight, offers a good range of ports, and boasts a longer battery life. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X, which is less expensive, is geared towards gamers and users handling 3D rendering or machine learning work with its more powerful main processor, dedicated graphics, and higher refresh rate display for smoother visuals, at the expense of shorter battery life and heavier build for less portability. 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 Pro 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Excellent overall display quality
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 15X
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is preferred for general use due to its high-quality CPU and RAM, exceptional screen quality, and superior battery life that provide smooth performance and convenient portability. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X's robust CPU and ample storage, combined with a high-quality screen and effective heat management, make it suitable for demanding tasks, albeit with a trade-off in portability and reduced battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
8.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is good for 3D tasks thanks to its capable Apple M1 Pro GPU and high-quality Mini LED screen, but it's limited in gaming due to lesser compatibility with popular game titles. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X excels in gaming and 3D with its superior Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a screen with a high refresh rate, making it more suitable for dynamic and visually demanding tasks.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
9.2/10
8.2/10
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
301.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 15X for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a vibrant, crisp display for everyday tasks and professional design work, the Apple MacBook Pro's high-resolution screen with wide color gamuts will be beneficial as it can reproduce a wide range of colors accurately and will be very bright and clear for general use. However, if you're into 3D work or gaming, its lower refresh rate may not be as smooth as other options. The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good general and design display qualities as well but lacks in gaming and 3D because its good color reproduction is offset by a less impressive refresh rate, which is crucial for a seamless visual experience in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
13.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has 5.5 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,600
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X costs $1,600.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its Apple M1 Pro chip is valued for engineering and design because of its powerful CPU and GPU integration, high-resolution Mini LED screen, and impressive battery life, making it portable without sacrificing performance. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X stands out with its high-performance Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, larger screen with a high refresh rate, but it's heavier and has a bulkier form factor which might limit its portability.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.0/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and Gigabyte Aorus 15X are both very 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the Gigabyte Aorus 15X compare to other laptops
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is a strong showing of Raptor Lake and RTX 4000 series. While the Aorus had trouble keeping up in older games like Grand Theft Auto V, it nudged past the competition in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It also flexed its next-generation muscle in Far Cry 6 and Borderlands 3. While we were impressed with the overall build quality and design of the Aorus 15X, the keyboard lacked good tactile feedback. The display performed well in real-world testing despite its on-paper shortcoming with brightness, but the speakers are lackluster at best."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the Gigabyte Aorus 15X
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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
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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