If affordability is your priority and you want a basic laptop for tasks like browsing and document editing, the Gateway 14.1" would be sufficient and lighter for travel. However, if you need a machine with higher performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering applications, the Gigabyte A5, while more expensive and heavier, offers a powerful processor, superior graphics, and more RAM and storage, which are essential for these intensive 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 Gateway 14.1"
Very good portability
Advantages of the Gigabyte A5
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" delivers a less satisfying general use experience due to its basic Intel Celeron processor, lower RAM, and less vibrant screen, whereas the Gigabyte A5 offers a stronger AMD Ryzen processor, more RAM, and better screen quality for a more responsive and visually engaging experience. Meanwhile, the Gateway is lighter and boasts a higher portability score, but the Gigabyte has a higher battery life for typical use, more storage space, and superior keyboard and speaker quality, which are significant factors for comfortable and extended general use.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" falls short for gaming and 3D because it has the Intel UHD Graphics 600 which is less capable for such demands and a screen refresh rate of only 60Hz, making it less smooth in fast-paced scenes. In contrast, the Gigabyte A5 sports a powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher refresh rate of 144Hz, providing a much better experience for gaming and 3D graphics-intensive activities.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
7.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.3/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A5 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" lacks the powerful CPU, ample RAM, high-performance GPU, and superior screen quality required for engineering and design, making it unsuitable for those tasks. Conversely, the Gigabyte A5, with its stronger processor, more memory, advanced graphics card, and quality display, excels in the demanding environment of engineering and design work.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte A5 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
5.8/10
7.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
6.0/10
7.2/10
14.1in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
281.0 nits
The Gigabyte A5 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 14.1" may have sufficient resolution and acceptable brightness for everyday tasks, but its color accuracy might not stand up to the needs of engineering and design professionals who require precise color representation. Conversely, the Gigabyte A5 likely offers better color fidelity, making it suitable for design work, though its panel might not be top-tier for gaming where higher refresh rates are crucial for smooth visuals. Both laptops, however, may fall short for gaming and 3D applications due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and ghosting in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" 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
Very Good
Good
14.1in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A5 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.2/10
The Gigabyte A5 has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$99
$830
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the Gigabyte A5 costs $830.
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
"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 Gateway 14.1" or the Gigabyte A5
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.
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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