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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte Aero 17 offers a high-resolution mini LED screen, while the Razer Blade 18 features a high refresh rate and larger screen size for smoother visuals. If your priority is gaming or 3D work with higher frame rates, the Razer Blade 18 with its more powerful graphics might be better despite being more expensive and heavier. However, for general use and a balance of performance and price, the Gigabyte Aero 17 is more cost-effective, has a better battery life, and is slightly more portable. For work that benefits from high color accuracy, like photo editing, Gigabyte's display is superior. Both have ample connectivity options, though only the Gigabyte supports USB-C charging. 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 Razer Blade 18
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.9
8.9
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.2/10
The Razer Blade 18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is good.
The Gigabyte Aero 17's performance in gaming and 3D tasks is driven by a robust GPU and a substantial screen refresh rate, offering smooth visuals which are critical for these applications. However, the Razer Blade 18 edges out with a more powerful GPU and a significantly higher screen refresh rate, culminating in even smoother gaming and 3D experiences, albeit its performance comes at a higher cost.
Software Development
7.9
8.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Razer Blade 18 is 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.
Screen Quality
9.2
8.9
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has a better screen than the Razer Blade 18 for general use, and engineering and design, while the Razer Blade 18 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize accurate colors and detail for tasks like graphic design or video editing, the Gigabyte Aero 17's display with its superior color range and higher resolution will be more convenient. However, for gaming or 3D modeling where smooth motion is key, neither of these laptops would be ideal due to lower refresh rates. Instead, the Razer Blade 18 offers a good balance with a display that still delivers on vivid colors and clarity for general use and professional design work, but it doesn't excel in the fast refresh rates desired by gamers.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 17 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Razer Blade 18 has 4 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.
Cost
$2,071
$10
$0
$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 Razer Blade 18 costs $10.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.1
8.5
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
524.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.1/10
The Razer Blade 18 and Gigabyte Aero 17 are both very good for general use.
The Razer Blade 18 is highly regarded for general use due to its superior central processor and double the RAM of the Gigabyte Aero 17, which translates to swifter and more robust performance in various tasks. Despite the Aero 17 having a higher resolution Mini LED display that excels in color coverage, its heavier weight and shorter battery life make the Blade 18 a more favorable choice for those prioritizing a balance of power, display quality, and portability.
Engineering and Design
8.8
9.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Razer Blade 18 to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aero 17 is very good.
The Gigabyte Aero 17's Intel i7 and RTX 3070 Ti support demanding design and engineering software, while its Mini LED display offers high screen quality; however, the Razer Blade 18's more powerful Intel i9 and RTX 4070 provide exceptional performance for intensive tasks with a superior screen quality and higher refresh rate, though both are less portable due to their size and weight. The Razer Blade 18 further stands out with double the RAM of the Aero, which can be crucial for complex projects, but this comes with the tradeoff of lower battery life compared to the Aero 17.
Content Creation
8.4
8.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Razer Blade 18 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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Gigabyte Aero 17 and Razer Blade 18 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The Razer Blade 18 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 Razer Blade 18 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aero 17 | Razer Blade 18 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,071 | $10 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2022 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 9.5'' x 0.92'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 6.68 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.6" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.5" | 10.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i9-13950HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 91.7 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 368 nits | 524 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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."
Razer Blade 18
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | March 2023
"Razer made a powerful laptop in the Blade 18, showing off a beautiful and fast display and the same high-quality build we’ve come to expect from this product line. It’s also quite expensive, which is hardly a surprise, but bears repeating even in this price range. It’s pricier than the Scar 18 despite an inferior GPU and half the storage, so you really have to want the Blade 18’s design to justify the cost."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 17 or the Razer Blade 18
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.
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