Product Listing

Aftershock Forge 15 Pro review: Fast and affordable gaming notebook

By Koh Wanzi - 27 Jun 2019
Launch SRP: S$2080

Performance benchmarks

Test setup and performance

Here's a full list of the notebooks we're looking at:

  • Aftershock Forge 15 Pro
  • ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX531GW
  • Lenovo Legion Y740
  • Razer Blade 15

I don't have comparison numbers for an equivalent GeForce RTX 2060 notebook with an Intel Core i7-8750H, so I've simply included notebooks with the GeForce RTX 2070 and 2080 Max-Q. Other than the Forge 15 Pro, all the other notebooks are equipped with 8th-generation Intel processors.

Test notebooks compared
  Aftershock Forge 15 Pro ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX531GW Lenovo Legion Y740 Razer Blade 15 (2019)
  Aftershock Forge 15 Pro ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX531GW Lenovo Legion Y740 Razer Blade 15 (2019)
Launch SRP
  • From S$2080
  • From S$3698
  • From S$3600
  • From S$4679
Processor and Chipset
  • Intel Core i7-9750H (2.6GHz, 12MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-8750H (2.2GHz, 9MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-8750H (2.2GHz, 9MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-8750H (2.2GHz, 9MB L3 cache)
Operating System
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 10
System Memory
  • 16GB DDR4-2666 dual-channel RAM
  • 16GB DDR4-2666 dual-channel RAM
  • 32GB DDR4-2666 dual-channel RAM
  • 16GB DDR4-2667 dual-channel RAM
Video & Display
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel 144Hz AHVA display
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel 144Hz IPS-type display
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel 144Hz IPS G-Sync display
  • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel 144Hz IPS display
Storage
  • 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
  • 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
  • 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
  • Samsung PM981 512GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
Optical Drive
  • None
  • None
  • None
  • None
Connectivity
  • Intel Wireless-AC 9560
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Intel Wireless-AC 9560
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • Intel Wireless-AC 9560
  • Bluetooth 5.0
Audio
  • Built-in stereo speakers
  • Built-in stereo speakers
  • Built-in Dolby Atmos speakers
  • Built-in stereo speakers
I/O Ports
  • 1x USB 2.0 port
  • 1x USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1) port
  • 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port (Type A)
  • 1x DisplayPort 1.3 over USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-C)
  • 1x Mini Display 1.2 port
  • 1x HDMI 2.0 output port (with HDCP)
  • 1x 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone / Microphone)
  • 1x Microphone jack
  • 1x RJ-45 LAN port
  • 1x USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C
  • 1x USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-C
  • 1x USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-A
  • 2x USB 2.0
  • 1x HDMI 2.0
  • 1x 3.5mm headphone and microphone combo jack
  • 1x Kensington Lock
  • 1x USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-A
  • 2x USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-A
  • 1x Thunderbolt 3
  • 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
  • 1x HDMI 2.0
  • 1x RJ-45
  • 1x 3.5mm mic/headphone combo jack
  • 1x microphone-in, headphone-out jack
  • 1x Thunderbolt 3
  • 3x USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-A
  • 1x HDMI 2.0b
  • 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Battery Type
  • 47Wh
  • 60Wh
  • 57Wh
  • 80Wh Li-ion polymer
Dimensions
  • 361 x 258 x 27.9mm
  • 360 x 268 x 15.35-16.15mm
  • 361.42 x 267 x 22.45mm
  • 355 x 235 x 17.8mm
Weight
  • 2.2 kg
  • 2.1 kg
  • 2.2 kg
  • 2.14 kg

I ran the notebooks through the following benchmarks:

  • PCMark 10
  • PCMark 8
  • 3DMark
  • Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
  • Far Cry 5
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider

 

How good is it for work?

The Forge 15 Pro does pretty well in PCMark 10 Extended, coming in only slightly behind the other notebooks equipped with GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q. It's not immediately clear how much of a benefit the 9th-generation processor confers though, and even though the Forge 15 Pro is very competitive when it comes to the Essentials and Productivity benchmarks, it still didn't carve out a clear lead for itself.

That said, storage performance numbers look a lot better, and the Forge 15 Pro topped the leaderboard with 599.59MB/s of storage bandwidth.  

 

How does it do in games?

As it turns out, the combination of the Intel Core i7-9750H and GeForce RTX 2060 looks pretty capable of running demanding AAA titles at over 60FPS. It's still nowhere near being able to take full advantage of the 144Hz screen in demanding games like these, but it should have few problems with less taxing esports titles. Still, it's pretty impressive that even with the settings cranked all the way up, the Forge 15 Pro still churns out a fully playable experience, and it isn't even that far behind the GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q notebooks in Far Cry 5 and Shadow of the Tomb Raiser

In Deus Ex: Mankind Divided though, the Forge 15 Pro was 30 per cent behind the ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX531GW, the biggest difference yet. 

 

How good is the battery life?

Battery life is one of the areas where Aftershock has had to make the biggest compromise, and the removable 48.96Wh battery won't last for too long away from a power socket. Power consumption figures are on par with that of the Razer Blade, so it's really the battery size and not power efficiency that's dragging the laptop down. However, given that the Forge 15 Pro has a GeForce RTX 2060 to the Blade's GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, it may be the higher clocked Core i7-9750H processor that's pushing the power consumption numbers level with the Blade. 

This also affects it in our portability index, which is intended to be a measure of how portable a laptop is, after taking into account factors like weight, dimensions, and battery life. It's nowhere near as mobile as the ASUS or Razer laptops, especially since they're also slimmer and lighter. However, it does beat the Lenovo Legion Y740, thanks to its better battery life and the latter's poor power efficiency. 

 

Does it run hot?

Cooling is one of the strong points of the Forge 15 Pro, even though its fans get really noisy at maximum speed. Surface temperatures were particularly impressive, and both palm rests remained pretty cool throughout. There were also no particular hot spots anywhere, and heat distribution appears fairly even. 

However, the vents at the side exhaust a steady stream of warm air, which may disturb you somewhat if you're in the habit of holding your mousing hand close to the notebook. 

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8.0
  • Design 7
  • Features 8
  • Performance 8
  • Value 8.5
  • Mobility 4.5
The Good
Good gaming performance and 144Hz display
Great cooling and low surface temperatures
Cheaper than the competition
The Bad
Small battery capacity and poor battery life
Chunky, dated design
Fans run quite loud
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