If you prioritize a higher performance for 3D rendering or machine learning and gaming, and don't mind a heavier and bulkier device with a shorter battery life, the Gigabyte A5 with its powerful graphics card might suit you. Alternatively, if you value a lighter, more portable laptop with a higher-resolution touchscreen, better build quality, and longer battery life, but can compromise on raw graphics performance, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio would be more suitable. Keep in mind the Surface Laptop Studio typically costs more than the Gigabyte A5. Both have similar storage and RAM, making them capable for general use and engineering 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 Gigabyte A5
Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.1/10
6.6/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Gigabyte A5, equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3060 and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, offers better gaming and 3D performance compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio that has a Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and a refresh rate of 120Hz; both have capable CPUs and high-quality screens, but the GPU and refresh rate give the A5 an edge in these specific tasks.
Screen Quality
7.2/10
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the Gigabyte A5's screen offers a balance of resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio provides a higher resolution display that offers more detail and vibrant colors. When it comes to engineering and design, the Surface Laptop Studio stands out due to its wider color gamut which is critical for color accuracy in professional work, whereas the Gigabyte A5, despite its satisfactory display, might not match the color fidelity needed by professionals. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lack of higher refresh rates on both laptops means neither is ideal for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals that gamers and 3D designers typically seek.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.4in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte A5 both have good portability, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte A5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte A5 has a price of $830 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte A5 are both good for general use.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A5 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte A5 is equipped with AMD Ryzen 5 and Nvidia RTX 3060, delivering strong performance suitable for engineering and design tasks, plus it offers high color coverage for screen quality, while its weight and bulk might be less favorable for portability.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte A5 are both 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
7.0/10
7.3/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte A5 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.
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How the Gigabyte A5 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
"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."
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A5 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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