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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte Aero 5 offers a stunning OLED display, ideal for visual tasks, but with limited portability due to its weight and average battery life. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, with its high-refresh-rate IPS display, is better suited for fast-motion activities like gaming or video editing. The Aero 5 is better for general use and 3D tasks, but the Creator Z16P excels in engineering applications and has a higher portability score. Both have similar storage, RAM, and GPUs, and are in the midrange price bracket. Choose the Aero 5 for vibrant colors and media work or the Creator Z16P for portability and engineering tasks. 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 5
- Very good for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.6
8.3
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
446.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aero 5's high-resolution and bright display offers crisp and vibrant visuals, ideal for browsing or watching videos, while its panel type ensures wide viewing angles. In engineering and design, the Aero 5's broad color gamuts deliver accurate colors crucial for design precision, but its subpar refresh rate makes it less optimal for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The MSI Creator Z16P, with similar strengths in resolution and color accuracy, also falls short for gaming and 3D for the same reason, as it prioritizes visual fidelity over motion performance.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator Z16P has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aero 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.8
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
446.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Creator Z16P are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aero 5 offers a bright OLED screen with high resolution and full coverage of various color spaces, making it excellent for general use where screen quality is paramount, and it benefits from having a larger battery, offering better battery life. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator Z16P, with its powerful processor and high-quality keyboard and speakers, ensures smooth multitasking and enjoyable media consumption, although its battery life and portability are slightly less favorable due to a smaller battery and being a bit heavier.
Gaming and AI
7.9
7.6
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.7
8.3
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.2
7.9
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aero 5 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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
7.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Gigabyte Aero 5 and MSI Creator Z16P are both good for software development.
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
7.8
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator Z16P to have very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aero 5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,250
$1,300
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
$2,000
The Gigabyte Aero 5 has a price of $1,250 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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How the Gigabyte Aero 5 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aero 5 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,250 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10'' x 1.08'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.07 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12700H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 446 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aero 5
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Dig into reviews and images
The Tech Revolutionist
Zhi Cheng | May 2022
"It is unfortunate that the Gigabyte AERO notebook series have seem to lost its charm, as it’s not exactly any much different from the AORUS series now. Regardless, content creators and designers will certainly still appreciate the features on the AERO 5 XE4, which are fundamental to their work. This largely revolved around the notebook’s display, which is colour calibrated and validated, high resolution (4K) and with great AMOLED colour representation. Now that the AERO 5 XE4 has improved its performance with the latest CPU and GPU, the professionals can also appreciate the improved productivity from the notebook."
MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aero 5 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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.
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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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