The Gigabyte Aorus 17H, being less expensive, offers solid performance with a high refresh rate display, large screen size, and advanced ray tracing graphics support, making it suitable for gaming. However, it is heavier and thicker, which might make it less portable than the MSI GE66 Raider. The Raider, on the other hand, provides superior general, 3D, and engineering performance and higher display resolution, due to its more powerful processor and more RAM. The Raider also has a better quality keyboard and more versatile port selection, including additional USB-C ports, which might make it more suitable for complex tasks and connectivity. Both have similar battery capacities, but if portability and screen resolution are more important than price and size, the MSI GE66 Raider might be the better choice. 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 speakers
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
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
9.1/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good.
The MSI GE66 Raider is equipped with a higher-tier CPU and double the RAM compared to the Gigabyte Aorus 17H, which gives it an edge in complex engineering and design tasks demanding significant computing resources. While both have top-tier GPUs, the Raider also boasts a 4K display which is more suitable for design precision, although this comes at the expense of the Aorus 17H's better screen refresh rate, potentially making the Aorus more suitable for tasks that benefit from smooth visuals, like 3D rendering or animation.
Software Development
7.5/10
8.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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
8.3/10
8.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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 17H and the MSI GE66 Raider offer high-resolution displays with ample brightness and quality panel types, ensuring sharp, vivid, and comfortable viewing. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI outperforms with a wider color gamut, providing better color accuracy for professional design tasks; meanwhile, the Aorus 17H still offers a satisfactory display but might not match the MSI in color precision. In the realm of gaming and 3D, however, neither laptop shines, as they both lack high refresh rates that are vital for smooth rendering in fast-paced visuals, though their resolution and panel types are adequate for moderate gaming purposes.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,000
$3,199
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a price of $2,000 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GE66 Raider to be very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider offers superior performance with its higher tier CPU and double the RAM of the Gigabyte Aorus 17H, which contributes to its very good rating for general use; it also has a higher resolution screen which can make for a crisper and more vibrant display. However, the Aorus 17H has a larger screen size and is heavier, potentially impacting portability, yet both have similar battery capacities which would provide comparable battery life for typical use.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
8.6/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and MSI GE66 Raider 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.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider and Gigabyte Aorus 17H 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
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has 6 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.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 17H and the MSI GE66 Raider 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 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 17H 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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