If your priority is high-end graphics performance and a larger, high-resolution OLED display, the Gigabyte Aero 16 is the better option, especially for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming. However, it's heavier and bulkier, making it less portable. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" prioritizes portability with its lighter and slimmer design, making it ideal for general use and on-the-go productivity, though it has a smaller, lower resolution screen and less powerful integrated graphics which aren't suitable for intensive tasks. Essentially, choose the Gigabyte for power-intensive purposes or the Surface Laptop for lightweight everyday 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 Aero 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 offers a robust processor, ample RAM, and a high-resolution OLED screen, making it well-suited for demanding applications and enjoying high-quality media, but it's heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which has a less powerful processor but a lighter frame and longer battery life, providing a balance between performance and portability for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
6.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is equipped with a Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, a high-performance GPU that excels in gaming and 3D tasks, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" uses an Intel i7-1255U Iris Xe, which is less powerful and therefore offers only modest gaming and 3D capabilities. Both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, but the superior GPU in the Gigabyte Aero 16 makes it a better fit for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 stands out for engineering and design use with a high-powered CPU and GPU combination, essential for demanding software, and its OLED screen delivers unmatched color accuracy and quality, crucial for precise design work. In comparison, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers portability and a high-quality keyboard, but with less powerful integrated graphics and a lesser screen resolution, it may not handle engineering tasks as efficiently as the Aero 16, which has a dedicated graphics card and higher screen quality.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.9/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aero 16 is somewhat better.
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
8.4/10
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, a vibrant and sharp display is key; therefore, the Gigabyte Aero 16's high resolution and bright screen make it very appealing, while the Surface Laptop 5's lower resolution is still adequate but a notch below in clarity and brightness. Professionals in engineering and design require accurate colors, and the Aero 16 excels with a wide color range, essential for precision work, whereas the Surface Laptop 5 delivers respectable color accuracy but not as extensive coverage. However, gaming and 3D work benefit from smooth motion, for which a high refresh rate is crucial, and the Aero 16 falls short in this aspect, while the Surface Laptop 5's display is similarly limited for such fast-paced environments, with neither being the optimal choice for these activities.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
"The Gigabyte Aero 16 is a workstation laptop for light gaming. It's design is still muted, with a silver chassis alongside a black keyboard and trackpad that provides some contrast. The Gigabyte Aero’s full-size chiclet-style keyboard is enjoyable to type on thanks to its snappy feel and responsiveness. The 4K+ AMOLED display is good, but it could be better. It doesn’t handle true black very well and suffers from strong reflections and glare. The Gigabyte Aero excels at productivity performance and can keep up with other gaming laptops in 1080p. But it has very few ports and its refresh rate leaves a bit to be desired."
"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 Aero 16 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.
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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