If you prioritize a higher-powered CPU, more RAM, and a more potent GPU that enhances 3D rendering and machine learning capabilities, as well as a larger screen, the Razer Blade 17 is tailored for you, although it comes with a higher price tag and heavier weight, which detracts from its portability. On the other hand, if you are looking for a device that is less expensive, offers a higher-resolution OLED screen which is better for colors and contrast but has lesser capacity for demanding tasks due to a less powerful GPU, the Gigabyte Aero 16 would be a smart pick and also boasts longer battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go 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
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Razer Blade 17
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
8.5/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Razer Blade 17 and Gigabyte Aero 16 are both very good for general use, though the Razer Blade 17 is somewhat better.
The Razer Blade 17 offers better performance for general use due to its higher-grade CPU and double the RAM of the Gigabyte Aero 16, enhancing multitasking and demanding applications, although it is a bit heavier which affects portability. The Aero 16, while more portable with longer battery life and an OLED screen for high visual quality, has less storage and may not handle intensive tasks as swiftly as the Razer Blade 17 with its more powerful components.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
8.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 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
8.6/10
9.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Razer Blade 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 is very good.
The Razer Blade 17's superior CPU and double the RAM of the Gigabyte Aero 16 make it excellent for the most demanding engineering and design applications, while both laptops boast high-quality displays and top-tier GPUs for rendering and visualization tasks. While the Gigabyte Aero 16 provides slightly better portability, the Razer Blade 17 offers a more balanced package with higher overall screen quality and keyboard, making it a stronger choice for intensive engineering and design use despite potentially more operating noise and being less portable.
Software Development
7.9/10
8.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 17 is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 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
8.4/10
8.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
486.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 17 for engineering and design, while the Razer Blade 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
The Gigabyte Aero 16 stands out for general use and design tasks due to its high resolution and panel type providing crisp visuals, supplemented by brightness that enhances viewability. For engineering and design, its wide color gamuts ensure accurate color representation crucial for detailed work. However, the lower refresh rate makes the Aero 16 less suitable for 3D applications and gaming, where the Razer Blade 17's moderate resolution and panel type suffice for general tasks, but its similar limitations in refresh rate compromise gaming and 3D performance.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 17 has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The Razer Blade 17 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,260
$4,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aero 16 has a price of $1,260 and the Razer Blade 17 costs $4,300.
The Razer Blade 17 and Gigabyte Aero 16 are both very 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 16 to have good portability, while the Razer Blade 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Gigabyte Aero 16 and the Razer Blade 17 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."
"Our test configuration of the Blade 17 targets gamers and creative professionals. A Core i9-12900H processor, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU (175 watts TGP after the BIOS update, 16 GB of VRAM), and 32 GB of working memory equip the laptop for video processing, rending, and 4k gaming at the highest level. In addition, a fast PCIe-4 SSD (1 TB) ensures short load and storage times. With the Blade 17 (Early 2022), Razer delivers a successful and powerful work device for creative professionals. But this also has its price."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 16 or the Razer Blade 17
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 Razer
Razer is an American-Singaporean technology company. Razer is best known for their Blade series laptops, well known for their strong performance and sleek design. Although Razer charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a stealthy laptop with clean fit and finish and strong performance. All of their models offer great portability and build quality compared to other gaming laptops.
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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