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MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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Aero 17
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
  • Very good for software development
  • Best in class overall build quality
  • Good portability
  • Best in class battery life
  • Best in class speakers
  • Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 17
  • The Gigabyte Aero 17 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021).

Key differences

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General Use

8.6
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
8.1
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.

Gaming and AI

7.0
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
7.9
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 is somewhat better.

Software Development

8.6
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
7.9
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is good.

Screen Quality

9.4
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
9.2
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aero 17 for general use, AI, software development, and content creation.

Battery

17.5 Hours
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
5.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 hours of battery life.

Portability

Good
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
17.3in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

10.0
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
8.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has very good build quality.

Cost

$1,319
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
$2,071
Product image
Product image

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,319 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 costs $2,071.
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Key similarities

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Engineering and Design

8.4
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
8.8
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.

Content Creation

8.6
MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Aero 17
8.4
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for content creation.

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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Gigabyte Aero 17 compare to other laptops

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Spec Comparison

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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)Gigabyte Aero 17
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)Gigabyte Aero 17

GENERAL

Price
$1,319
$2,071
Release Date
October 1, 2021March 1, 2022
Overall Dimensions
14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66''15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92''
Weight
4.7 lbs5.73 lbs
Width
14.01"15.6"
Depth
9.77"9.5"

INTERNAL

Processor
Apple M1 Pro (10C)Intel i7-12700H
RAM
16 GB16 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
02
Storage
512 GB2048 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
17.5 Hours5.5 Hours
Battery Capacity
99.6 Wh99 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
16.2"17.3"
Display Technology
Mini LEDMini LED
Resolution
3456 x 22343840 x 2160
Refresh Rate
120Hz120Hz
Display Brightness
497 nits368 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
10/108/10
Portability Score
7.6/106.7/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
NoYes
Premium Business Laptop
YesNo
Fan Noise Score
8.8/106.5/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
9.5/108.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
10/107.5/10
Webcam
1080p720p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
NoYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
00
USB-C ports
33
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
23
Thunderbolt Version
44

Shopping

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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."

Gigabyte Aero 17

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Dig into reviews and images

NotebookCheck

Mike Wobker | May 2021
"Not only is the Aero 17 a very good laptop for gamers but also for content creators. With the upgrade to the Intel Core i9-11980HK, Gigabyte particularly improved the system performance. In addition, the hardware package is rounded by the extremely fast SSD and 32 GB of working memory in dual-channel mode. Compared to the predecessor, the battery life is reduced only moderately, and the 4K display also basically keeps its good qualities."

Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the Gigabyte Aero 17

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.

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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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Recommendations made
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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.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

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.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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