The Gigabyte Aero 17 offers a larger screen and higher resolution ideal for detailed work such as engineering, 3D rendering, or creative tasks, but it's heavier, making it less portable. It might be less expensive and has better battery capacity. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight, has a higher RAM capacity which is great for multitasking and complex operations, and its touchscreen could enhance user interaction. However, it might be more expensive. Consider portability, battery life, performance needs, and cost when making your 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 17
Excellent overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for software development
Good portability
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
9.2/10
7.9/10
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
503.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for content creation.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aero 17's high resolution and brightness offer clear and vibrant visuals, while its panel type provides wide viewing angles, making it great for everyday tasks and media consumption. The Aero's extensive color gamut coverage excels in engineering and design, providing accuracy needed for detailed and color-critical work. However, its lower refresh rate is less ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and faster screen updates are key for an optimal experience.
Battery
5.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
4.4 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,071
$3,300
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a price of $2,071 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for general use.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is rated very good for general use due to its superior portability, better battery life, and flexible touchscreen display, which makes it versatile and easy to use on the go. In contrast, the Gigabyte Aero 17, although offering a larger, high-quality screen and more RAM, is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less convenient for users who need mobility.
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
7.7/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
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 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both good for gaming and AI.
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
8.8/10
8.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for engineering and design.
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
8.4/10
8.4/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Gigabyte Aero 17 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.
Software Development
7.9/10
8.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 to be very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 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.
Build Quality
8.0/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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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How the Gigabyte Aero 17 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 17 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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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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