The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a higher price but offers a more powerful processor, better graphics performance, a larger and better-quality OLED screen, and more storage and RAM. Ideal for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software, its battery life is decent, and it comes with high color accuracy, which is essential for professionals in creative fields. On the other hand, the MSI Bravo 15 is more affordable, less heavy, and offers good gaming performance and faster screen refresh rates, making it suitable for gaming. However, the Bravo 15 has a smaller IPS screen, lower resolution, and less battery capacity, so it's less optimal for intensive tasks and high-quality visuals. 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 software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good portability
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Bravo 15
The MSI Bravo 15 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aero 16.
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.1/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Bravo 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 delivers a better general-use experience thanks to its superior main processor, higher RAM, and a high-quality OLED screen, which supports better screen quality with a higher resolution, making it well-suited for various tasks. However, it is less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Bravo 15, which nevertheless offers adequate general performance with its own capable CPU and GPU but may fall short with its lower screen quality and half the RAM of the Aero 16.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
7.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and MSI Bravo 15 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aero 16 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aero 16, with its high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and OLED screen delivering rich colors and a clear display, excels in gaming and 3D tasks, although its screen's refresh rate is lower which might not be as smooth for fast-paced games when compared to the MSI Bravo 15, which has a more mid-range Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU but a higher refresh rate, sacrificing some color accuracy and visual fidelity for a more fluid visual experience.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Bravo 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 outshines the MSI Bravo 15 for engineering and design primarily due to its superior CPU, larger and higher-quality OLED screen, and more powerful GPU, which are very important for such tasks. Although both laptops have good portability and adequate keyboard quality, the Aero 16's additional RAM also offers a smoother multitasking and design experience.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Bravo 15 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
6.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
6.5/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is good for software development, while the MSI Bravo 15 is only fair.
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
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
267.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen than the MSI Bravo 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use where reading and browsing are common, the Gigabyte Aero 16's higher resolution and brightness offer clearer and more vibrant visuals than the MSI Bravo 15. In engineering and design work where precise color representation matters, the Aero 16's wider color gamut ensures more accurate colors, giving it an edge over the Bravo 15. However, in gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key, the lower refresh rate of the Aero 16's screen can make fast-paced visuals less smooth compared to screens with higher refresh rates, despite the MSI Bravo 15's other limitations.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has good build quality, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,260
$862
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a price of $1,260 and the MSI Bravo 15 costs $862.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Bravo 15 has 6 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
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 16 to have good portability, while the MSI Bravo 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aero 16 and the MSI Bravo 15 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Overall, the MSI Bravo 15 C7U is a great gaming device for the masses that isn’t too pricey. The capable hardware (for the price range), the 144Hz display, and the comfortable keyboard are one of the things that should attract buyers who don’t want to spend a fortune on a new gaming laptop."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 16 or the MSI Bravo 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.