If you prioritize higher performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering tasks and prefer a larger screen size, the Gigabyte A7 with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU could be a good option, although it is heavier and less portable. It's also more affordable. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, while usually costing more, offers better battery life, portability, and a higher-resolution touchscreen display with a unique 3:2 aspect ratio that could be beneficial for productivity work. It has an Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, which provide solid performance but not quite on par with the Gigabyte in terms of raw power. The Surface Laptop Studio also has a more versatile form factor for different modes of use. 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 Studio
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Good battery life
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.3/10
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 A7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Gigabyte A7 excels in gaming and 3D tasks primarily because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which is better for fast-paced visuals compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio's Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and 120Hz screen refresh rate.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
8.0/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the Gigabyte A7 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The Gigabyte A7's screen, suitable for general use and engineering, offers a balance of resolution and brightness that makes text and images clear and vibrant, but its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with its high resolution and brightness, provides excellent clarity and detail for both everyday tasks and professional design work, and it covers a wide range of colors, allowing for accurate color representation critical for engineering and design. However, like the A7, its lower refresh rate limits its effectiveness for gaming and 3D work, where smooth motion and rapid screen updates are key.
Battery
4.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 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
Fair
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the Gigabyte A7 has only fair 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 A7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$940
$1,700
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte A7 has a price of $940 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte A7 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte A7 with its larger screen and capable AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU is favored for general use that may include gaming or other demanding software, yet it is less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the versatile Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which offers a flexible hinge design, better portability, longer battery life, and higher screen resolution, making it excellent for general use as well.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte A7 caters to engineering and design with its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics, making it suitable for complex computations and visual rendering, but less portable due to its larger size and weight. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, although slightly less powerful with its Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti graphics, offers better screen resolution and quality along with greater portability, also being more versatile with its touchscreen and flexible hinge design.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
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 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
7.0/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
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 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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How the Gigabyte A7 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 A7 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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