Considering your needs, if portability and price are major factors, the Gateway 15.6" laptop is a more affordable and lighter option which still offers decent general use performance; it has a longer battery life which suits everyday tasks or light productivity works. On the other hand, if you require greater performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, gaming, or engineering software, the Gigabyte Aorus 17 would be a better fit, despite being heavier and more expensive. This machine has a higher-end processor, a more powerful graphics card, and a higher refresh rate display, which are essential for intensive applications and gaming but result in shorter battery life. 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 15.6"
Good portability
Advantages of the Gigabyte Aorus 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aorus 17 is somewhat better.
The Gateway 15.6" with its lighter weight and smaller screen size is more portable than the Gigabyte Aorus 17, making it suitable for users who prioritize ease of carrying and longer battery life for general usage. On the other hand, the Gigabyte Aorus 17, with a more powerful CPU and higher quality speakers and keyboard, offers better performance and user experience for those who can sacrifice portability and don't mind a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it fair for casual gaming and 3D tasks, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a high 360 Hz refresh rate screen, offering better performance and smoother visuals for more serious gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
8.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is more suitable for engineering and design use due to a higher performance CPU, a powerful dedicated NVIDIA graphics card, and a superior screen quality that includes better brightness and a higher refresh rate. The Gateway 15.6", although offering decent performance, has a lower-tier CPU and integrated graphics, which may not be ideal for demanding engineering software, and it has a less impressive screen in terms of brightness and color coverage.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.0/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" 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.
Software Development
6.7/10
7.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a clear, sharp image and bright display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the Gigabyte Aorus 17 with its higher resolution and brighter panel outperforms the Gateway 15.6", which may appear less vibrant. When dealing with engineering and design work that requires precise color representation, the Gateway 15.6" lacks the wider color gamuts found in the Gigabyte Aorus 17, which means colors may not be as accurate or vivid. However, for fast-paced 3D applications and gaming, neither laptop is ideal, as they both offer poor refresh rates which are essential for smooth motion and gameplay, although the Gigabyte's higher resolution and panel quality provide a somewhat better visual experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Gigabyte Aorus 17 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Gateway 15.6" has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.4/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17 has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$380
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the Gigabyte Aorus 17 costs $1,700.
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
"The Gigabyte Aorus 17 is a powerful high-end gaming machine. The Aorus 17 is a potent gaming notebook in a 17.3-inch format designed for FHD gaming at maximum settings. A Core i7-12700H processor and GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU make this possible. A lightning-fast PCIe 4 SSD (1 TB) provides the necessary storage space and ensures short loading times. With the Aorus 17 XE4, Gigabyte delivers a well-rounded, high-performance gaming notebook."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the Gigabyte Aorus 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.
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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