A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For general use with a preference for portability and budget-friendly options, the Gateway 11.6" is a solid choice due to its smaller size and lower price. However, the Gigabyte Aero 17 offers significantly better performance, with a higher quality display, more storage capacity, increased RAM, and a powerful processor and graphics card suitable for intensive engineering tasks, 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming. The Aero 17's larger screen is also superior for detailed work and entertainment, although it comes at a higher cost and reduced portability due to its larger size and heavier weight. If top-tier performance and a premium display are vital and within budget, despite the tradeoff in portability, the Aero 17 will be the better 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 Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aero 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6
8.1
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" is less suitable for general use due to its weaker Intel Celeron processor, lower RAM, and poorer screen quality compared to the Gigabyte Aero 17, which boasts a powerful Intel i7 processor, higher RAM, and a high-resolution Mini LED display. Additionally, the Aero offers a much larger storage capacity and better keyboard and speaker quality, although it is heavier and offers shorter battery life than the Gateway, making the Gateway more portable but less functional for diverse tasks.
Gaming and AI
5.4
7.9
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has an entry-level Intel Celeron processor and integrated Intel UHD Graphics that aren't suited for the demands of gaming and 3D applications, plus a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, which leads to poor performance in these areas.
Engineering and Design
5.4
8.8
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
8.4
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
7.9
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
9.2
11.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 11.6" likely has a low-resolution display, which while adequate for basic tasks, falls short when fine details and crisp visuals are needed in design tasks or during gaming, where screen clarity enhances the experience. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aero 17, with its excellent resolution and high brightness, provides sharp and vibrant images that are a boon for engineering and general use, though its lesser refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops may not deliver as fluid motion demanded by fast-paced 3D games. Additionally, the Aero 17's color gamut coverage would satisfy designers and professionals who rely on color accuracy for their work.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 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
Excellent
Fair
11.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1
8.0
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$2,071
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the Gigabyte Aero 17 costs $2,071.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 11.6" and the Gigabyte Aero 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 11.6" | Gigabyte Aero 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$89 | $2,071 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | March 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | 15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11" | 15.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.5" | 9.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 11.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 368 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aero 17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
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 Gateway 11.6" or the Gigabyte Aero 17
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,295
Recommendations made
21,298
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
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.
Featured in
