If you need a laptop with superior gaming performance and are okay with a heavier and bulkier device, consider the Gigabyte A5, as it has a more powerful graphics card. However, if portability and a sleek design for business use are more important, along with battery life, the MSI Prestige 15 could be more suitable. The MSI also offers extra features such as Thunderbolt ports and a more color-accurate display, making it better for professional creative work. Keep in mind that while the Gigabyte A5 has stronger performance for intensive tasks, it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Prestige 15. 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
Good overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
The MSI Prestige 15 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte A5.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.1/10
6.3/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The Gigabyte A5 boasts a higher-tier Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a screen refresh rate of 144Hz, providing smoother visuals and better rendering, factors crucial for gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15 is equipped with a less powerful Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q and a refresh rate of only 60Hz, which offers more modest performance suitable for less demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Screen Quality
7.2/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The Gigabyte A5 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, and gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Gigabyte A5 and the MSI Prestige 15 offer panels with the necessary resolution and brightness, making them pleasing for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. In engineering and design work, their screens cover a wide range of colors, ensuring accuracy when working with visual content. However, their lower refresh rates make them less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion is crucial for an immersive experience.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 and Gigabyte A5 both have good portability, though the MSI Prestige 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$830
$1,044
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Gigabyte A5 has a price of $830 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A5 and MSI Prestige 15 are both good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte A5 provides robust processing with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and a higher-end Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, essential for demanding engineering and design tasks, but it's heavier and has less portative ease than the MSI Prestige 15, which offers a balance of performance with an Intel i5 CPU and Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, and benefits from a higher battery capacity and screen brightness for extended work sessions.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 15 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
7.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 15 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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 15 and Gigabyte A5 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte A5 and the MSI Prestige 15 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."
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A5 or the MSI Prestige 15
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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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