The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is more budget-friendly and designed for gaming, with a larger 17.3-inch screen and a high refresh rate, making it suitable for fast-paced games and general use, but it is bulkier and heavier, which impacts its portability. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is more expensive and has a smaller 14.4-inch touchscreen with higher resolution, which may be better for creative professionals who need a higher pixel density for detailed work. It also has more RAM and is lighter, offering better portability and performance for engineering tasks and intensive multitasking. 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 overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
351.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels in general use because it combines a higher quality display, better portability with a lighter weight and longer battery life, and more RAM which enhances multitasking capabilities compared to the Gigabyte Aorus 7, which, while offering a large screen for multimedia and robust performance suitable for gaming, falls short in battery life and portability, making it less ideal for on-the-go usage. Moreover, the Surface Laptop Studio 2's innovative design, including a flexible hinge for tablet-like interaction, adds to its appeal for a variety of general uses, augmenting its versatility beyond that of the Aorus 7.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both very good for engineering and design, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for content creation, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 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.
Software Development
7.4/10
8.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 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
7.9/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.4in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has a better screen for engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7's screen is adequate for general use due to its satisfactory resolution and brightness, but it falls short for gaming and 3D applications because of a lower refresh rate which is crucial for those activities. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 excels in general use and engineering design thanks to its high-resolution display and wide color coverage, ensuring crisp visuals and accurate color representation which are essential for detail-oriented work. However, similarly to the Aorus 7, its lower refresh rate makes it less optimal for gaming and 3D work where fluid motion and quick screen updates are key.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
4.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,190
$3,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a price of $1,190 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $3,300.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is suited for gaming and 3D tasks with its high screen refresh rate, enhancing smooth visuals, whereas the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, though having a lower refresh rate, offers higher resolution and screen quality for crisp images. Both laptops are equipped with powerful GPUs, but the Aorus 7 has a competitive edge in fast-paced games due to its refresh rate, while the Surface Laptop Studio 2 might appeal more to users who prioritize display sharpness and versatility for 3D work.
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How the Gigabyte Aorus 7 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 7 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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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