The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is typically more expensive and is a high-performance option suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and engineering work, with better processing power and graphics, larger screen, and higher refresh rates, though with less battery life and portability due to its size and weight. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is more affordable, portable, and has longer battery life, but with lesser performance capabilities, making it suitable for general use and lighter work tasks, and includes touchscreen functionality which the Aorus 17G lacks. Choose the Aorus 17G if performance is a priority and the Surface Laptop Go 2 for better portability and value. 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 17G
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
7.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
282.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both good for general use, though the Gigabyte Aorus 17G is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G offers better performance for general use due to a more powerful processor and higher RAM, which means smoother multitasking and handling of demanding applications, but it is less portable and has a lower-rated battery life than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2. While the Surface Laptop Go 2 is lighter with a longer battery life, making it great for on-the-go use, its processor and RAM are more modest, making it less suitable for intensive tasks despite its high-quality keyboard and portability.
Gaming and AI
7.5/10
6.0/10
7.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
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
7.8/10
6.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
7.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is equipped with a robust Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design applications that require strong CPU, GPU, and adequate memory; it also boasts superior screen quality, all of which are crucial for these types of tasks. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has a less powerful Intel i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and relies on integrated graphics, which makes it only moderately suitable for engineering and design due to the lower capacity to handle intensive tasks, despite its advantage in portability and form factor for on-the-go use.
Screen Quality
8.0/10
6.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
282.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, laptops with vivid displays, crisp resolution, and ample brightness, like the Gigabyte Aorus 17G and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2, provide clear and comfortable viewing experiences. When it comes to engineering and design, these same laptops offer good color accuracy essential for detailed work, but they might not cover the entire color gamuts professionals may require. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short on refresh rates needed for smooth visuals, though they still maintain adequate resolution and panel quality for less demanding tasks.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has 6 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
Fair
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
12.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,329
$565
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has a price of $2,329 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 costs $565.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 are both 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
7.2/10
7.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 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
7.4/10
7.8/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 and Gigabyte Aorus 17G 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 17G and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2 compare to other laptops
"The Aorus 17G isn't among the top RTX 3080 laptops due to its relatively low TGP of 105 watts. The device's gaming performance is average for an RTX 3080. For maximum performance, competitors like the Lenovo Legion 7 or the Alienware m17 R4 are recommended With the Aorus 17G, Gigabyte delivers a well-rounded gaming laptop. However, the device generates a high noise level. Throttling is not an issue. The CPU and GPU can develop their performance uniformly. Nevertheless, the device produces a lot of noise under load - more than many competitors."
"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 17G 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.
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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