The Gigabyte A7 offers a balance of performance and value, suitable for general use and gaming with its Ryzen 7 processor and RTX 3060 GPU, though it may not excel in the most demanding engineering tasks. Its larger screen and 144Hz refresh rate are great for fast-paced gaming, but the 1080p resolution is less sharp than higher-end options. It's also more portable than the MSI Raider 18 HX, with a lighter weight and smaller size.
In contrast, the MSI Raider 18 HX is a powerhouse designed for the most intensive tasks in gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, thanks to its top-tier i9 processor and RTX 4080 GPU. The Mini LED display with 4K resolution and a high refresh rate offers exceptional color accuracy and clarity, ideal for professionals and enthusiasts who demand the best visual experience. However, its size and weight make it less suitable for frequent travel. If you prioritize top-of-the-line performance and don't mind a heftier, less portable laptop, the MSI Raider 18 HX is the way to go. 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
The Gigabyte A7 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider 18 HX.
Advantages of the MSI Raider 18 HX
Very good for general use
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
318.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
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.
Gaming and AI
7.3/10
9.0/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
9.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.3/10
9.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Gigabyte A7 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
7.0/10
8.8/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
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
7.3/10
9.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the Gigabyte A7 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
4.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Gigabyte A7 has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$940
$3,999
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gigabyte A7 has a price of $940 and the MSI Raider 18 HX costs $3,999.
"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."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A7 or the MSI Raider 18 HX
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Laptops Expert
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