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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're willing to invest in a powerful laptop for intensive tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is equipped with a high-end processor and advanced graphics card which will serve well for these purposes. However, it's heavier and has a larger footprint, so it's less ideal for travel or if you value portability. Conversely, if you prefer something more lightweight for general use, like web browsing, office applications, or video streaming, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more affordable, highly portable, and offers a touch screen, but it won't handle demanding tasks as effectively. Both run Windows 11 Home and have SSD storage, but the Gigabyte Aorus provides significantly more storage capacity and memory for multitasking. 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 Aorus 15X
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.8
7.0
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X offers superior CPU and graphics performance, more RAM and higher screen resolution which makes it very good for general use, though this comes at the cost of heavier weight and lesser portability. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, while offering fair performance for general use with a significantly lighter design for better portability, compromises on CPU power, RAM, and screen resolution, which impacts its overall performance.
Gaming and AI
8.5
6.0
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X excels in gaming and 3D work due to its powerful Nvidia RTX graphics and a high screen refresh rate, which leads to smoother visuals and better performance in high-paced scenarios. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 provides a more modest gaming experience with its integrated Intel graphics and a standard refresh rate, which is less suited for intensive gaming and rendering tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.6
6.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is superior for engineering and design due to its powerful CPU and GPU, substantial RAM, and high-resolution screen, crucial for demanding applications and detailed visual work. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, with its less robust CPU and integrated graphics, less RAM, and lower resolution screen, offers convenience in portability at the expense of lower performance for engineering tasks.
Content Creation
8.0
7.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.7
7.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for software development, though the Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
8.2
6.9
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a display that offers crisp visuals and balanced brightness suitable for tasks like browsing and watching videos, which marks it as a good fit for general use, whereas its accurate color representation makes it apt for engineering and design work that rely on precision in color details. However, its lower refresh rate can be a drawback for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion representation is key. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, on the other hand, provides the necessary sharpness and acceptable brightness for everyday tasks and sufficient color accuracy for creative work, but like the Aorus 15X, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to its less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
5.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has 5.5 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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
Good
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
12.4in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,600
$565
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a price of $1,600 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Gigabyte Aorus 15X both have 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 Aorus 15X and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aorus 15X | Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,600 | $565 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 11'' x 8.1'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 2.48 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.1" | 10.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.8" | 8.12" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900HX | Intel i5-1135G7 | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 128 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.5 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 41 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 12.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 1536 x 1024 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 301 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 9.3/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | No | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aorus 15X
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Brandon Hill | February 2023
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is a strong showing of Raptor Lake and RTX 4000 series. While the Aorus had trouble keeping up in older games like Grand Theft Auto V, it nudged past the competition in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It also flexed its next-generation muscle in Far Cry 6 and Borderlands 3. While we were impressed with the overall build quality and design of the Aorus 15X, the keyboard lacked good tactile feedback. The display performed well in real-world testing despite its on-paper shortcoming with brightness, but the speakers are lackluster at best."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | August 2022
"The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 review is a compact companion with old hardware. The Surface Laptop Go 2 shows some weaknesses. Microsoft didn't really develop the second generation of the Surface Laptop Go 2 any further but has only equipped it with a slightly more powerful Core i5 processor. However, the performance still remains at a fairly low level overall, but for many users, it definitely should still be sufficient for everyday tasks."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 15X or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 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.
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