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Updated January 12, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is less expensive and offers powerful performance with advanced components suitable for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, and engineering work. It's known for a good balance between performance and portability, making it easier to carry around. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aero 17 stands out with a larger and higher resolution display which is great for creative professionals who require superior screen real estate and color accuracy for tasks like video editing and graphic design. However, this comes with a heftier price tag and the laptop is less portable due to its larger size and weight. The Zephyrus has a newer generation processor and higher tier graphics card which may provide better performance for demanding software and games, while the Aero emphasizes the quality of its display and includes a professional-grade operating system, which might be more suitable if your work demands a top-notch visual experience and additional business features. 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 Zephyrus M16
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5
7.9
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, making it exceptionally smooth for gaming and 3D rendering. Whereas the Gigabyte Aero 17, while still powerful with an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, offers a lower refresh rate of 120 Hz but compensates with a higher resolution display which might be more appealing for tasks that benefit from finer detail.
Screen Quality
9.0
9.2
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aero 17 for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, a laptop with a vibrant and bright display ensures comfortable viewing, hence the Gigabyte Aero 17 with its higher resolution and luminance makes for an excellent experience. In engineering and design, accurate color representation is crucial; therefore, the Aero 17's wider color gamuts mean more precise color work. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, a high refresh rate is essential for smooth motion, so although both laptops may fall short in this area, their high resolutions and quality panels still deliver a decent visual experience for less refresh rate-sensitive tasks.
Battery
4.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 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
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,842
$2,071
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $1,842 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 costs $2,071.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.1
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
627.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 17 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a strong CPU and high screen refresh rate suitable for smooth general computing and gaming, in a lighter, more portable package with a reasonable battery life, but with less storage compared to its counterpart. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aero 17 boasts a larger, higher-resolution Mini LED display and larger battery, ideal for creative work requiring precision and longer unplugged use, though it's heavier and might be less convenient to carry around.
Engineering and Design
8.8
8.8
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both very good for engineering and design.
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.
Content Creation
8.2
8.4
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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
7.7
7.9
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Gigabyte Aero 17 both have 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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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 | Gigabyte Aero 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,842 | $2,071 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | 15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 15.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.69" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 627 nits | 368 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
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 ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the Gigabyte Aero 17
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.
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