The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" cater to different user needs. If you require high performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, the Gigabyte Aorus 17H with its advanced processor and dedicated graphics card is the better choice. However, this comes at a higher price point and less portability due to its larger size and heavier weight. In contrast, the Surface Laptop 5 is more budget-friendly and highly portable, ideal for general use and on-the-go productivity with a good display and battery life, but it's not designed for intensive tasks. Consider your primary use cases and whether mobility or power is your top priority before deciding. 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 17H
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
6.1/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
360Hz
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 17H is very good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H excels in gaming and 3D tasks due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and high screen refresh rate of 360Hz, which provide smoother visuals and better rendering capabilities, especially important for fast-paced gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.1/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H offers a high-performance CPU and dedicated GPU, which are essential for demanding engineering and design tasks, along with a larger screen for detailed work, but it's heavier and less portable. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" provides a balance between performance and portability with a good CPU and integrated graphics, along with a high-resolution touchscreen display, making it a more mobile choice without compromising too much on capability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
7.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering screen quality for general use, the Gigabyte Aorus 17H likely offers a bright, high-resolution display with vibrant colors, making it very pleasing to look at for everyday tasks. For engineering and design, both laptops are likely to cover a wide range of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensuring that the colors are accurate and consistent, which is vital for professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the Gigabyte's poorer screen quality suggests it has a lower refresh rate, resulting in less fluid visuals compared to laptops better suited for these activities.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has 7.5 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
Poor
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a price of $2,000 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a powerful processor and high-quality graphics suitable for more demanding tasks, but it's less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13", which offers a balance of performance with its capable CPU for everyday tasks, and its lighter weight and longer battery life make it ideal for on-the-go use.
Software Development
7.5/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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 5 13" and Gigabyte Aorus 17H both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte Aorus 17H and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
"Overall though, it’s *lots of swearing* fast, seriously. For work, rendering, gaming, it doesn’t matter, this is a true weapon of performance that’s going to run rings around most high-end desktop systems. If you absolutely have to game at ultra-high refresh rates on the go (but within thinking distance of a plug socket), this is the ticket. I can’t see such an extreme being that appealing to everyone, but if you take your gaming seriously, or even professionally, there’s nothing else out there that comes close that you can still fit in your backpack and travel with."
"The Surface Laptop 5 remains afloat as a solid machine. It's just not one that stands out in any particular way. Just like the last one. The biggest upgrade were some new components, but they perform in the same range as other laptops with them, and frequently at the bottom of that range. I suspect Microsoft's settings are very conservative to help keep cooling and battery life within reason in the older chassis design."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 17H or the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
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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