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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Gigabyte Aorus 7, being less expensive, offers a larger 17.3-inch screen and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, making it better for gaming and intensive engineering tasks but less portable due to its size and weight. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is more portable with a smaller 13.5-inch screen, with better display sharpness and an improved build quality. The Surface Laptop is more suited for general use and boasts a longer battery life. Consider the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for performance-demanding tasks and the Surface Laptop 5 13" for portability and day-to-day operations. 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 7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.1
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is equipped with a higher-end Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 360 Hz which are very important for smooth gaming and 3D applications, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has a less powerful Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it less optimal for such demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is very good for engineering and design due to its powerful CPU, ample RAM, dedicated RTX GPU, and a quality IPS screen, which collectively deliver robust performance necessary for demanding tasks. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" is good for similar uses with its competent CPU and integrated graphics, but its portability, high-resolution touchscreen, and quieter operating noise make it a better fit where mobility and less intensive applications are prioritized.
Screen Quality
8.3
7.2
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 7 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 offers a display that provides crisp and vivid colors, making it suitable for tasks that do not require fast refresh rates, like browsing and office work, but its slower refresh rate can hinder the gaming and 3D modeling experience. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" delivers a sharp and bright display adequate for daily activities and professional design work due to accurate color representation, yet it falls short for gaming and 3D content creation because of its average refresh rate. Both laptops have screens well-suited for general use and engineering due to their resolution and color accuracy, but gamers and 3D artists may need to look elsewhere for smoother visuals.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 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
Fair
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.5in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" has excellent portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2256 x 1504
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
351.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7, with its larger screen and high-performance CPU and GPU, suits general use with an edge towards gaming and intensive tasks but sacrifices portability and has a shorter battery life. Conversely, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" offers a compact, lightweight design with a high-resolution touchscreen and longer battery life, making it ideal for users prioritizing mobility and screen quality for everyday tasks.
Content Creation
7.6
7.4
8.5/10
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 7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" 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
7.4
7.2
8.5/10
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 7 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
7.8
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" and Gigabyte Aorus 7 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,190
$1,200
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a price of $1,190 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" costs $1,200.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 7 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aorus 7 | Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,190 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10'' x 1.02'' | 12.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.57'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 2.86 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 12.1" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.8" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | Intel i7-1255U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 47.4 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2256 x 1504 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 351 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
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 | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aorus 7
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Matt Hanson | July 2020
"The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is a gaming laptop that is pitched at perhaps the hardest market to get right: the mid-range. So, unlike high-end gaming laptops that can throw the latest and greatest components together in a bid to attract gamers with plenty of money to spend, or budget gaming laptops that can make wise cuts that are justified as long as the price is low enough, mid-rangers like the Gigabyte Aorus 7 have to balance the two."
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13"
See more
Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Lori Grunin | October 2022
"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 7 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.
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