The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers high performance for gamers and professionals with intensive tasks thanks to its advanced processor and graphics, larger screen, and higher resolution. Its significant storage and fast refresh rate enhance gaming and heavy workloads, but it is more expensive and less portable due to its size and weight. In contrast, the Gigabyte A5 is more affordable and portable with decent performance for everyday use and moderate gaming, but it has less storage and a lower screen resolution, and it may not handle demanding 3D tasks as effectively. Consider the ASUS for top-tier performance if budget allows, and the Gigabyte for a balance of cost and portability with sufficient capabilities for general use. 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 ASUS ROG Strix G18
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers exceptional performance with a high-end Intel i9 CPU and plenty of RAM, as well as superior screen quality with high brightness and color coverage, but its size and weight make it less portable and it has a moderate battery life. Meanwhile, the Gigabyte A5 still provides adequate power for general use with a good amount of RAM and a competent AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, while being lighter and more compact, yet it has a shorter battery life and a less impressive screen compared to the ASUS.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
7.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 stands out for gaming and 3D with its more advanced GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which means smoother visuals and better performance in intensive tasks compared to the Gigabyte A5, which has a capable but less powerful GPU and a lower refresh rate. While both have quality CPUs and screens, the ASUS offers a sharper, brighter display and a more robust processor, enhancing the overall gaming and creative experience.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 excels in engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and GPU, more RAM, and superior screen quality, providing faster processing, better multitasking, and more vivid visuals crucial for intensive tasks. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A5 offers a more portable package with commendable performance capabilities, but with less powerful components and screen quality, which are suitable for engineering and design but may not handle the most demanding workloads as efficiently.
Content Creation
8.6/10
7.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for content creation, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
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.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.0/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte A5 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
8.7/10
7.2/10
18.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers a high-resolution display with bright, vibrant colors appropriate for general tasks and sufficient color accuracy for engineering and design work, though its lower refresh rate diminishes its suitability for fast-paced 3D gaming. The Gigabyte A5 also provides a decent-resolution screen for everyday tasks and design work, with respectable brightness and adequate color spaces, but like the ASUS, it falls short for gaming due to a less-than-ideal refresh rate. Both laptops prioritize resolutions and color reproduction over the high refresh rates that are crucial for a smooth gaming and 3D content creation experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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
Poor
Good
18.0in
SIZE
15.6in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gigabyte A5 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and Gigabyte A5 both have good build quality, though the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,299
$830
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a price of $2,299 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix G18 or the Gigabyte A5
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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