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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is more expensive and offers high performance for intensive gaming, engineering tasks, and 3D/machine learning, along with a larger screen and a high refresh rate. It has a robust build, good heat management, and hardware ray tracing capabilities, but it's heavier and has a bulkier design, which could hinder portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is less expensive, considerably lighter, and has a higher resolution touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio that's excellent for productivity and creative tasks. It includes a good quality pen-enabled display for drawing or note-taking and a more modern look, but it has less battery capacity and might not handle intensive tasks as well. 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 gaming and AI
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.5
6.6
7.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G is considered good for gaming and 3D because it includes a robust Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 300 Hz, which provides smoother visuals and better responsiveness while gaming. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, with a less powerful Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and a lower screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, is only considered fair for gaming and 3D tasks, offering less graphic processing power and reduced motion fluidity.
Engineering and Design
7.8
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
7.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for engineering and design, though the Gigabyte Aorus 17G is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G boasts a high-performance CPU, plentiful RAM, and a powerful GPU suitable for engineering software, paired with a quality screen, but it's heavier and less portable. In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers a comparable CPU and RAM, a decent GPU, and a higher resolution touchscreen with better color accuracy, packed into a more portable and versatile form with a flexible hinge, which may appeal to users in design fields needing mobility and tablet functionality.
Screen Quality
8.0
8.0
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
282.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio boasts a higher resolution and brighter display, providing sharper images and better visibility in various lighting conditions, which enhances the viewing experience for everyday tasks. The color accuracy and wide color gamuts of both the Surface Laptop Studio and the Gigabyte Aorus 17G make them suitable for engineering and design work, where precise color representation is crucial. However, when it comes to gaming and 3D applications, both lack high refresh rates, resulting in less fluid motion and slower screen updates that could detract from an immersive gaming experience.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17G has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,329
$1,700
$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 Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
282.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.5
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 17G and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Gigabyte Aorus 17G 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.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 17G and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aorus 17G | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,329 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2021 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 10.8'' x 1'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.9" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.8" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 300Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 282 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
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 | 3 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aorus 17G
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | June 2021
"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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 17G or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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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