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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a larger, brighter display with higher resolution and superior color accuracy, and require a powerful machine for tasks like 3D rendering, video editing, or gaming, despite it being heavier and with shorter battery life, the Gigabyte Aero 17 is suitable for you. On the other hand, if portability, longer battery life, and a touchscreen are more important, and you’re looking for a device that can handle general productivity tasks and some lighter creative work, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio would be a better fit, also coming at a lower cost. Both laptops are equipped with good quality keyboards and similar RAM and processing power, but the Aero 17 has a better GPU, contributing to its higher performance in demanding applications. 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 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.1
7.4
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 17, with its high-end CPU and ample RAM, offers strong performance for general use and is well-suited for creative professionals due to its excellent screen quality, although it is less portable and has shorter battery life than some alternatives. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, also equipped with considerable RAM and a capable CPU, shines with its high-quality, versatile touchscreen display and longer battery life, making it a more portable option while still delivering a solid performance for general use and creative tasks.
Gaming and AI
7.9
6.6
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is equipped with a higher-end GPU, the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, which outperforms the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio's Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti, providing better gaming and 3D capabilities. Although both laptops have similar screen refresh rates, the superior GPU in the Gigabyte Aero 17, along with a larger screen size and higher resolution, makes it more suitable for intensive gaming and 3D tasks compared to the Surface Laptop Studio.
Engineering and Design
8.8
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
8.4
7.4
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aero 17 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
9.2
8.0
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aero 17, with its high resolution and brightness suitable for general tasks and detailed work, also offers outstanding color accuracy covering wide color gamuts, which is essential for professional engineering and design. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, while slightly lower in resolution and brightness, still provides a very good visual experience for general use and design tasks with solid color representation. However, for gaming and 3D where the refresh rate is crucial for smooth visuals, both laptops fall short, with panels that prioritize resolution and color over the high refresh rates preferred by gamers and those doing real-time 3D rendering.
Battery
5.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,071
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a price of $2,071 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte Aero 17 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aero 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,071 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.6" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.5" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 368 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aero 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | May 2021
"Not only is the Aero 17 a very good laptop for gamers but also for content creators. With the upgrade to the Intel Core i9-11980HK, Gigabyte particularly improved the system performance. In addition, the hardware package is rounded by the extremely fast SSD and 32 GB of working memory in dual-channel mode. Compared to the predecessor, the battery life is reduced only moderately, and the 4K display also basically keeps its good qualities."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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.
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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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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.
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