The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is generally less expensive than the MSI GE66 Raider, offering substantial savings. The Aorus 15X also boasts a newer main processor and a high-refresh-rate screen, though the Raider has a higher-resolution display. If portability is key, the Raider is lighter but has a slightly lower portability score. For those needing more RAM or the best possible screen color accuracy, the Raider stands out. It's more suitable for tasks that benefit from a higher resolution and color detail, like photo editing. Both are gaming-capable, but the Raider may perform better with its more powerful GPU for gaming and machine learning tasks. In terms of battery life, both have similar capacities, but the Aorus 15X lasts slightly longer on a typical usage. Choose the Aorus 15X for a cost-effective balance of performance and features or the Raider for top-tier screen quality and more intensive 3D 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 Aorus 15X
Good portability
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X offers strong performance and a high refresh rate screen, making it smooth and responsive for general use, but it's slightly heavier and thicker than the MSI GE66 Raider, which could affect portability. Meanwhile, the MSI GE66 Raider boasts a higher RAM for better multitasking, a more pixel-dense 4K display for sharper images, and slightly better portability due to its lighter weight, but it has a lower screen refresh rate which may not be as fluid for certain tasks.
Software Development
7.7/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
8.2/10
8.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a better screen than the MSI GE66 Raider for gaming and AI, while the MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Gigabyte Aorus 15X and the MSI GE66 Raider offer high resolution and brightness, which provides clear and vibrant visuals, making them suitable choices. For engineering and design professionals who need precise color accuracy, both laptops have good color gamut coverage, ensuring that the designs appear true to life. However, their lower refresh rates are less optimal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion and quicker screen updates are crucial for an immersive experience.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,600
$3,199
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a price of $1,600 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
The MSI GE66 Raider and Gigabyte Aorus 15X are both very 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
8.6/10
9.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GE66 Raider to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good.
The MSI GE66 Raider boasts a more powerful graphics unit and double the RAM compared to the Gigabyte Aorus 15X, enabling smoother handling of complex engineering applications and better multitasking; though the Aorus 15X's newer CPU and higher refresh rate display might offer advantages in certain scenarios, the GE66's superior screen resolution and color accuracy make it highly suited for precise design work. While both laptops are relatively heavy, the Aorus 15X is slightly thicker but offers a quieter operating noise, and both feature high-quality keyboards and other important factors like hardware ray tracing and DLSS, which are beneficial for engineering and design software.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider and Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
Battery
5.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte Aorus 15X to have good portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 15X and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 Aorus 15X or the MSI GE66 Raider
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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