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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for engineering tasks or gaming, the Gigabyte A7 is a better choice with a dedicated graphics card providing more power for such activities. However, it is less portable due to its larger size and weight. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a higher resolution display with better portability due to its smaller size and weight, making it more suitable for general use and carrying around. The Surface also typically has a build quality and design that many find appealing, but this comes at a higher cost compared to the Gigabyte A7. Keep in mind that the Surface's integrated graphics are sufficient for everyday tasks but not for intensive 3D applications or gaming. 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 A7
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.3
6.1
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte A7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Gigabyte A7 is well-suited for gaming and 3D applications because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a high refresh rate screen of 144Hz, which can deliver smoother visuals in fast-paced games. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a less powerful Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, making it adequate for lighter gaming and 3D tasks but not as capable as the Gigabyte A7 for more demanding scenarios.
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for engineering and design, though the Gigabyte A7 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte A7, with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, is robust for engineering and design tasks, offering high processing and graphical power, but it is heavier and less portable. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" balances portability and performance with a lighter build and a high-quality display, but it relies on integrated graphics which, while capable, may not handle highly demanding engineering applications as effectively.
Screen Quality
7.3
7.2
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Gigabyte A7 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a better screen for content creation.
The Gigabyte A7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" both offer displays with adequate resolution and brightness, making them suitable for general tasks like browsing and document editing where these characteristics ensure clarity and comfort for extended use. For engineering and design work, these laptops provide respectable color reproduction within relevant color gamuts, ensuring that designers and engineers see accurate and consistent colors. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short primarily due to lower refresh rates, which can make fast-paced visuals appear less smooth compared to displays with higher refresh rates.
Battery
4.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Portability
Fair
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte A7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Gigabyte A7 both have good build quality, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$940
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Gigabyte A7 has a price of $940 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
318.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Gigabyte A7 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte A7 offers a larger screen and a more powerful CPU and GPU suited for demanding applications, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" shines with a higher-resolution touchscreen and longer battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use and consuming media, at the expense of gaming or intensive application performance.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Gigabyte A7 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Gigabyte A7 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte A7 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte A7 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$940 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2022 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.19'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.58 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.59" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.31" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 318 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte A7
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | October 2021
"In terms of looks, the Gigabyte A7 X1 is certainly not a trendy, slim, and ultra-mobile gaming laptop. But it does what it's supposed to do, namely bringing games smoothly onto the screen, very well. Both the processor and the GeForce RTX 3070 are able to unleash their performance without restrictions thanks to the well-ventilated case. The Gigabyte A7 X1 brings modern games smoothly onto the screen and offers excellent maintenance options."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A7 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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.
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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