MSI GE66 Raider vs Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen Comparison

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MSI GE66 Raider

15.6 inches | January 2021

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Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen

17.3 inches | May 2021

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MSI GE66 Raider vs Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen Comparison Overview

MSI GE66 Raider

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Gigabyte Aorus 17X I...

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MSI GE66 Raider

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In this review, we will be comparing GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen, two laptops from MSI and Gigabyte. MSI GE66 Raider was introduced to market in January 2021 and Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen was launched in May 2021. There is only 4 months difference between GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI GE66 Raider and Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI GE66 Raider Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 10750H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
358 x 267 x 23.4 mm (14.09 x 10.51 x 0.92 inches)
Weight: 2.38 kg (5.25 lbs)

Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen Key Specs

Launched in May 2021
17.3" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i9 11980HK
GPU: GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB
8GB Ram
396 x 293 x 38 mm (15.59 x 11.54 x 1.5 inches)
Weight: 3.75 kg (8.27 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose MSI GE66 Raider over Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen

Weight	2.38 kg vs 3.75 kg	1.37 kg lighter
Side Bezel Thickness	6.3 mm vs 6.5 mm	0.2 mm thinner bezels
Screen PPI	141 ppi vs 127 ppi	More pixels per inch
Max Brightness	360 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Faster RAM
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 720 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Camera
Display Port	Yes vs No	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors

Reasons to choose Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen over MSI GE66 Raider

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~71.1% vs ~70.2%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	17.3 inches vs 15.6 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	300 Hz vs 165 Hz	Smoother media experience
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 14 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU FLOPS	21.8 TFLOPS vs 13.8 TFLOPS	Better HDMI connectivity
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 2.0	Fast way to input numbers
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen and MSI GE66 Raider

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.2 vs v5.2	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.0 vs 1x HDMI 2.0	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen and MSI GE66 Raider

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

MSI GE66 Raider vs Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI GE66 Raider and the Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.38 kg (5.25 lbs)	3.75 kg (8.27 lbs)
Surface Area	956 cm2 (148.1 inches2)	1160 cm2 (179.9 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~70.2%	~71.1%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.3 mm	~6.5 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.15 kg/inch	0.22 kg/inch
	0.33 lbs/inch	0.484 lbs/inch
Colors	Blue	Black

Comparison of the MSI GE66 Raider and the Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen External Dimensions

Weight

GE66 Raider weighs 2.38 kg (5.25 lbs), whereas the Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen weighs 3.75 kg (8.27 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

MSI GE66 Raider 2.38 kg

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 1.95 kg

Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen 3.75 kg

Avg: larger than 17.0" 2.74 kg

Thickness Comparison

MSI GE66 Raider 23.40 mm

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 20.17 mm

Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen 38.00 mm

Avg: larger than 17.0" 24.26 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the MSI GE66 Raider is 0.15 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen is 0.22 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI GE66 Raider vs Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 10750H Intel Core i7 10870H Intel Core i7 10875H Intel Core i9 10980HK Intel Core i7 11800H Intel Core i9 11980HK	Intel Core i9 11980HK
Base Frequency	2.6 GHz	2.6-3.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5 GHz	5 GHz
Number of Cores	6	8
Number of Threads	12	16
L3 Cache	12 MB	24 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 630	Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (32 EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	14 nm	10 nm

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the MSI GE66 Raider and Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 10750H

Laptops with: Intel Core i9 11980HK

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB	GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB
Base Clock Frequency	900 MHz	1420 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1425 MHz	1790 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	80 W	165 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS	21.8 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	16 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	192 bit	256 bit
Memory Speed	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective	14 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	3840	6144
TMUs	120	192
ROPs	48	96

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. MSI GE66 Raider has a FLOPS value of 13.8 TFLOPS whereas the Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen ' has a FLOPS value of 21.8 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	8GB 16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	1x8 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	3200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, the GE66 Raider offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	MSI GE66 Raider	Gigabyte Aorus 17X (Intel 11th Gen)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✔ Runs smoothly on GPU.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	99.9 Wh	99 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Bottom
Charge Power	230 / 240 / 280 W	330 W

Moreover, the GE66 Raider boasts a larger battery capacity of 100 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen's99 Wh.

Battery Comparison

MSI GE66 Raider 100 Wh

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 62.1 Wh

Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen 99 Wh

Avg: larger than 17.0" 76.88 Wh

STORAGE
Both laptops, the GE66 Raider and the Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen have similar max. storage capacities of 2 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

MSI GE66 Raider vs Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI GE66 Raider and Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. GE66 Raider has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen has a larger17.3" display.The total usable screen area of the GE66 Raider is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen's total usable screen area is 825cm² / 128inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the GE66 Raider features a higher pixel density with 141 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

MSI GE66 Raider 141 PPI

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 144 PPI

Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen 127 PPI

Avg: larger than 17.0" 141 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen offers a higher refresh rate of 300 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
The GE66 Raider offers a higher maximum brightness of 360 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

MSI GE66 Raider 360 nits

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 319 nits

Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen 300 nits

Avg: larger than 17.0" 368 nits

MSI GE66 Raider vs Gigabyte Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
GE66 Raider features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen feature 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen feature 3x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen feature an HDMI port. GE66 Raider offers 1x HDMI 2.0, while Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen offers 1x HDMI 2.1.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Both GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both GE66 Raider and Aorus 17X Intel 11th Gen are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	3x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.0	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	1x v1.4	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes