For a balance of performance and cost, the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is a strong contender. It offers a robust Intel i7 processor and an RTX 4080 GPU, delivering excellent performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, while being more affordable than the Asus. However, if you prioritize top-tier gaming and creative workloads and are willing to invest more, the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D, with its superior AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D processor and RTX 4090 GPU, is the way to go. It also boasts a higher resolution and refresh rate display, though at the expense of battery life and portability due to its heavier and thicker design. The Asus is also better suited for engineering tasks with its additional RAM and storage options. Consider your budget, performance needs, and how often you'll need to carry the laptop when making your choice. 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 17 X3D
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 17H
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
9.1/10
8.6/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.3/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
351.0 nits
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 17H for engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has 3 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has 6 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.
Cost
$3,500
$2,300
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D has a price of $3,500 and the Gigabyte Aorus 17H costs $2,300.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D to be very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
9.2/10
8.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D to be excellent for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.0/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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.
Software Development
7.9/10
7.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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.
Portability
Poor
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D both have poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and Gigabyte Aorus 17H both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
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How the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D and the Gigabyte Aorus 17H compare to other laptops
"Overall though, it’s *lots of swearing* fast, seriously. For work, rendering, gaming, it doesn’t matter, this is a true weapon of performance that’s going to run rings around most high-end desktop systems. If you absolutely have to game at ultra-high refresh rates on the go (but within thinking distance of a plug socket), this is the ticket. I can’t see such an extreme being that appealing to everyone, but if you take your gaming seriously, or even professionally, there’s nothing else out there that comes close that you can still fit in your backpack and travel with."
Get a great deal on the Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D or the Gigabyte Aorus 17H
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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
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.