If you prioritize top-of-the-line performance for demanding tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15, while pricier, delivers significantly better performance. It also comes with more storage space and a higher refresh rate display, which is beneficial for fast-paced gaming. However, its battery life is shorter, and it is heavier, which reduces portability. Conversely, the Gigabyte A5 is less expensive and offers longer battery life, making it more portable. Although it has less storage and less power compared to the ASUS, it still provides suitable performance for general use and lighter engineering applications. Both have ample RAM and similar display size and type, delivering adequate screen quality for most 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 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
Good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
283.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 with its high-end Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics is ideal for intensive tasks and gaming, but its moderate battery life and heft affect portability. The Gigabyte A5, featuring the AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, provides balanced performance for everyday tasks with slightly better battery life and improved portability, but it might not handle demanding applications as smoothly as the ASUS.
Gaming and AI
8.3/10
7.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 stands out for its superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a higher refresh rate of 300 Hz, making it excellent for high-end gaming and 3D applications, whereas the Gigabyte A5, with a capable Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a refresh rate of 144 Hz, offers good performance for gaming and 3D tasks as well, but at a potentially lower cost point.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
7.3/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 is very good for engineering and design due to its high-end CPU and GPU, extensive RAM, and superior screen quality, enabling powerful performance for intensive tasks, but it is less portable due to its weight and lower battery life.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.3/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 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.
Screen Quality
7.9/10
7.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
283.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When looking at laptops for general use, both the ASUS and Gigabyte models offer screens with pleasing resolution and brightness, ensuring comfortable viewing and readability for daily tasks such as web browsing, office work, and video streaming. For engineering and design purposes, professionals require accurate color representation which both laptops provide through their coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, important for tasks like photo editing and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, high refresh rates are crucial for smooth visuals and responsiveness, a feature where both these laptops fall short, making them less suitable for fast-paced games and dynamic 3D simulations.
Build Quality
7.8/10
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Gigabyte A5 both have good build quality, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$830
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has a price of $2,000 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
5.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has 5.5 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
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte A5 to have good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and the Gigabyte A5 compare to other laptops
"Asus continues to refine the ROG Strix Scar lineup with new upgrades. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 offers almost everything you would expect from a gaming laptop at this price. The build quality is great, connectivity options are decent, and there is enough scope for internal upgrades as well. Asus reverts to membrane switches for the keyboard — though not as "clickety" as the opto-mechanical ones we saw with last year's model, they still make for a decent typing and gaming experience. The lack of biometrics in any form is a downer."
"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 Scar 15 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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