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Updated January 10, 2024·
For tasks like general use or media consumption, both the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and Gigabyte Aero 17 offer high-quality displays and solid performance, with the MacBook having an edge in battery life. However, if you require high performance for activities such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Aero 17's Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU provides stronger capabilities. The MacBook stands out for design work with its color accuracy and Mini LED display. Portability leans towards the MacBook due to its lighter weight, and it also offers a longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use. The Aero 17 typically caters more to gamers and power users who require a dedicated graphics card and a larger screen, sacrificing some battery life and portability for improved performance in intensive tasks. 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 16 (2021)
- Excellent for general use
- 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
General Use
9.0
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) is excellent for general use, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is rated very high for general use due to its combination of the powerful M1 Pro chip, substantial RAM, superior screen quality, relatively better battery life, and strengths like a high-quality keyboard and speakers, despite being less portable and offering less storage than some competitors.
Gaming and AI
7.0
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.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 boasts an Apple M1 Pro GPU, which provides adequate power for 3D applications; however, its macOS may limit gaming options as many popular games aren't compatible. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aero 17 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and runs Windows, offering superior gaming performance and a wider selection of game titles, along with its screen's high refresh rate, enhancing both gaming and 3D experiences.
Software Development
8.9
7.9
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 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.
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
9.4
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.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels for general use and engineering due to its high-resolution display, exceptional brightness, and wide color gamuts, ensuring precise colors for professional design work. However, it lacks a high refresh rate, which is a significant downside for 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. The Gigabyte Aero 17, while also boasting a high-quality display for general use and design tasks, similarly falls short for gaming and 3D because, despite its high resolution and color accuracy, it doesn't offer the fast refresh rates that enhance the gaming experience.
Battery
17.5 Hours
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.
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
Good
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
8.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.7
8.8
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in engineering and design tasks due to its powerful M1 Pro CPU and GPU, which are optimized for Mac-specific software, superior screen quality, and longer battery life, but it is less portable and has fewer options for upgradable components compared to the Gigabyte Aero 17, which offers a strong Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU combo, a higher resolution display, and is more customizable but has a shorter battery life and lower portability.
Content Creation
8.8
8.4
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
32.0 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.
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.
Cost
$1,949
$2,071
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 costs $2,071.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the Gigabyte Aero 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) | Gigabyte Aero 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,949 | $2,071 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 15.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (10C) | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 497 nits | 368 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
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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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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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