The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is less expensive, with a decent processor and a high-refresh-rate screen, ideal for fast-paced gaming. It also comes with a dedicated numeric keypad and colorful backlit keys. However, it's heavier and bigger, not the best for frequent travel. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE66 offers higher resolution for sharp visuals, a more powerful processor, double the RAM, and a substantially better GPU, making it better suited for more intensive engineering tasks, 3D modeling, and machine learning work. It's also more portable due to its lighter weight and slightly smaller size but is priced higher. Both have comparable battery lives, and neither excels in portability, but consider the Raider GE66 for higher performance in demanding applications or the Aorus 7 for gaming and general use at a lower cost. 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
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE66.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE66
Very good for general use
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
351.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good.
The MSI Raider GE66 offers more storage, double the memory, and a higher-resolution screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 7, which contributes to its very good rating for general use. However, the Aorus 7 is slightly better in portability, and both laptops have similar battery life and CPU performance; these factors make Aorus 7 a good option for general use as well.
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
8.5/10
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good.
The MSI Raider GE66 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a higher-resolution screen, making it very good for gaming and 3D applications; however, the Gigabyte Aorus 7 offers a higher screen refresh rate, which is good for gaming but has a lower-tier RTX 4060 GPU and lower screen resolution than the MSI.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 are both very good for engineering and design, though the MSI Raider GE66 is somewhat better.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its capable Intel i5 processor, 16GB of RAM for multitasking, and a powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU which supports graphics-intensive tasks, paired with a large 17.3-inch screen offering good color accuracy and high refresh rate for smooth visuals.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.3/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE66 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
8.0/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Raider GE66 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
8.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE66 has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 7 for engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering a laptop for general use, aspects such as panel type, resolution, and brightness are crucial; the Gigabyte Aorus 7 and MSI Raider GE66 offer very good quality screens with crisp imagery and brightness that facilitate everyday tasks. For engineering and design, color accuracy and range are paramount; the MSI Raider GE66 has an edge with its superior color gamut coverage, enhancing the fidelity of the visual content. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key, both the Aorus 7 and Raider GE66 fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which may not provide as smooth an experience as models with higher refresh rates tailored for these purposes.
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Raider GE66 and Gigabyte Aorus 7 both have only fair portability, though the MSI Raider GE66 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE66 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
$2,499
$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 MSI Raider GE66 costs $2,499.
"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 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 7 or the MSI Raider GE66
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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