The Gigabyte Aero 16 is the more expensive option but offers superior display quality with an OLED screen and higher storage and RAM, making it well-suited for tasks that require high levels of processing power and color accuracy, such as photo/video editing and design work. Conversely, the MSI Cyborg 15 is more affordable and lighter, with good performance for general use and casual gaming, but it has a lower resolution IPS display, less storage, and RAM. If you prioritize high-end tasks and display quality over affordability and slightly better portability, go with the Gigabyte Aero 16. Otherwise, for more casual use and gaming on a budget, the MSI Cyborg 15 is a solid choice. 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
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
The MSI Cyborg 15 has no clear advantages over the Gigabyte Aero 16.
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.3/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is well-suited for general use because of its powerful Intel i7 CPU, ample 16GB of RAM, and high-quality OLED screen, which is beneficial for various tasks and multimedia enjoyment, but it is less portable due to its higher weight. Whereas, the MSI Cyborg 15 also serves general use well with a capable Intel i7 processor and a decent IPS screen, offering a balance of performance and portability that is enhanced by its longer battery life and lighter weight.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
7.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
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 Cyborg 15 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Gigabyte Aero 16 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is equipped with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and features an OLED screen which is ideal for high-quality visuals but has a lower screen refresh rate of 60Hz, making it suitable for gaming and 3D applications with prioritization on screen quality over the smoothest motion.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 is preferred for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and GPU, double the RAM, and a superior OLED screen that offers high resolution and color accuracy, all of which are critical for intensive tasks and detail-oriented work.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
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 Cyborg 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
7.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 and MSI Cyborg 15 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
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you're in the market for a laptop that excels in general use, the Gigabyte Aero 16 is preferable due to its high-resolution display and superior brightness, making everything from text to video pop on-screen. For engineers and designers needing precise color representation, the Aero 16's wider color gamuts provide more accurate hues essential for professional work. On the other hand, gamers and 3D aficionados may find both laptops underwhelming due to their lower refresh rates, but the Aero still offers a slight edge with its better resolution and panel quality.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 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
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a price of $1,260 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
"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 focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 16 or the MSI Cyborg 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.
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