If budget is your main concern, the less expensive Gigabyte Aorus 17H offers solid performance for everyday tasks and some gaming, but if you need top-tier performance for demanding applications like 3D rendering, machine learning, or the latest games, the MSI Titan 18 HX, despite its higher cost, provides stronger performance. The MSI Titan 18 HX is typically less portable due to its larger size and weight, and this may affect battery life compared to the Gigabyte Aorus 17H, but for power users, its advanced features could justify the extra investment and reduced mobility. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Very good for general use
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
351.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
5.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H offers a balance of performance and screen quality suitable for everyday tasks, but it lacks the superior CPU and RAM of the MSI Titan 18 HX which gives it an edge in more demanding applications at the expense of heavier weight and shorter battery life. While both handle general use well, the Titan's higher-grade components and cooling system enhance its longevity for intensive tasks, however, you'll find the Aorus 17H easier to carry around and use on-the-go.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
9.4/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H provides a strong gaming experience due to its high-quality GPU and fast screen refresh rate, ensuring smooth graphics and gameplay. While the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its top-tier GPU and an even higher screen refresh rate, offers an exceptional level of detail and fluidity in 3D environments and games, and it benefits from a more powerful CPU and superior screen quality, elevating it above the Aorus for the most demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
9.9/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H, with strong CPU, ample RAM, and high-end GPU, delivers solid performance for engineering tasks; however, the MSI Titan 18 HX surpasses it with even more robust specs and a superior screen for the most demanding engineering and design work. While both are less portable due to their size, the difference in keyboard, speakers, and operating noise are minor, with the key deciding factor being the higher performance of the Titan 18 HX for resource-intensive applications.
Content Creation
8.0/10
9.0/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Gigabyte Aorus 17H is very 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.
Software Development
7.5/10
8.9/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has a better screen than the MSI Titan 18 HX for gaming and AI, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H provides a balanced display suitable for everyday tasks, offering a solid resolution and brightness, but may fall short when it comes to the color accuracy required for professional design work and doesn't have the high refresh rate sought after by gamers. On the other side, the MSI Titan 18 HX stands out with exceptional color reproduction for accurate visual work in engineering and design due to its coverage of color gamuts, while also delivering crisp visuals for general use with its high-resolution and bright panel; however, like the Gigabyte, it lacks the high refresh rate that would benefit 3D applications and gaming, rendering it less ideal for those purposes. These considerations will be crucial in choosing which device aligns best with your intended uses, balancing between image quality for creative work or optimal gaming experience.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Gigabyte Aorus 17H and MSI Titan 18 HX both have poor portability, though the Gigabyte Aorus 17H has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$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 Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
"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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 17H or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,495
Recommendations made
21,558
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.