If you require a laptop with a larger, higher-resolution screen, the Gigabyte Aero 17 with its unique Mini LED display could serve well for detailed visual work, but it is heavier and might offer a bit less battery life for typical use. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE66 offers more RAM for multitasking or demanding tasks and a higher screen refresh rate which is advantageous for gaming or fast-paced video content, all in a more compact and slightly more portable form. Both have very capable processors and graphics cards, well-suited for general use, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software. 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 MSI Raider GE66
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9/10
8.5/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and MSI Raider GE66 are well-suited for gaming and 3D applications due to their capable Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics cards; however, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals during fast-paced actions.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
8.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen than the MSI Raider GE66 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Raider GE66 has a better screen for content creation.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aero 17's high resolution and brightness offer crisp, vivid visuals, while the MSI Raider GE66 provides similar benefits with slightly less clarity. In engineering and design, the Aero 17 stands out due to its wider color gamuts, ensuring more accurate color reproduction, which is crucial for professionals, whereas the Raider GE66, while still capable, doesn't quite meet the same standard. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate of the Aero 17's screen may lead to less fluid motion compared to laptops designed for gaming, which can negatively impact the experience; the Raider GE66’s refresh rate, while not top-tier for gaming, may fare a bit better in this respect.
Cost
$2,071
$2,499
$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 MSI Raider GE66 costs $2,499.
The MSI Raider GE66 and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aero 17 offers more storage and a higher resolution screen which is valuable for general use, but its larger size and slightly heavier build make it less portable compared to the MSI Raider GE66, which has double the RAM for smoother multitasking and a higher refresh rate screen that is beneficial even for general users. The MSI Raider GE66, however, may appeal more due to its better portability, higher battery life in typical usage, and greater keyboard and heat management quality, making it very good for general use despite less storage.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
8.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Gigabyte Aero 17 shines in engineering and design due to its high-quality Mini LED screen with superior color accuracy and contrast ratio, paired with a powerful CPU, a significant amount of RAM, and a capable GPU, which are crucial for engineering software and design work. Meanwhile, the MSI Raider GE66 also excels in similar tasks with a robust CPU and a greater amount of RAM, while offering a high refresh-rate screen that benefits engineering visualization, despite its slightly lower screen resolution and color fidelity compared to the Aero 17.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and MSI Raider GE66 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
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE66 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.
Battery
5.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE66 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
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Raider GE66 and Gigabyte Aero 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE66 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 MSI Raider GE66 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 MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 17 or the MSI Raider GE66
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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