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Gigabyte Aero 15 review: A spunky gaming notebook with a touch of elegance

By Koh Wanzi - 25 Jun 2017
Launch SRP: S$3099

Performance benchmarks

Test setup and performance

We put the Aero 15 through our usual suite of gaming and performance benchmarks to see how it fared against the competition. For comparisons, we turned to other notebooks equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, such as the Aftershock S-15, ASUS ROG Strix GL502, MSI GS63VR 6RF Stealth Pro, and the refreshed Razer Blade.

However, other than the Blade that comes with the 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ (2.8GHz, 6MB L3 cache), the other notebooks are equipped with 6th-generation equivalents, so the numbers are intended as just a rough guide.

Here’s a list of the benchmarks used:

  • PCMark 8
  • 3DMark
  • VRMark
  • Ashes of the Singularity
  • Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
  • Tom Clancy’s The Division

Test notebooks compared
  Gigabyte Aero 15 Razer Blade (2017) Aftershock S-15 (2016) ASUS ROG Strix GL502VM (2016) MSI GS63VR 6RF Stealth Pro
  Gigabyte Aero 15 Razer Blade (2017) Aftershock S-15 (2016) ASUS ROG Strix GL502VM (2016) MSI GS63VR 6RF Stealth Pro
Launch SRP
  • From S$3099
  • From S$2899
  • From S$2158
  • From S$2498
  • From S$3199
Processor and Chipset
  • Intel Core i7-7700HQ (2.8GHz, 6MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-7700HQ (2.8GHz, 6MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-6700HQ (2.60GHz, 6MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-6700HQ (2.60GHz, 6MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-6700HQ (2.60GHz, 6MB L3 cache)
Operating System
  • Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
  • Windows 10 (64-bit)
  • Windows 10 Home 64-bit
  • Windows 10 Home 64-bit
  • Windows 10 Home 64-bit
System Memory
  • 16GB DDR4 2,400MHz RAM
  • 16GB DDR4 2,400MHz RAM
  • 8GB DDR4
  • 16GB DDR4
  • 16GB DDR4
Video & Display
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel VA X-Rite Pantone-certified display
  • 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080-pixel IPS matte display
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS G-Sync display
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
  • 15.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 IPS display
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
Storage
  • 512GB M.2 SATA SSD
  • 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • 128GB M.2 SATA SSD
  • 1TB 7,200RPM HDD
  • 128GB M.2 SATA SSD
  • 1TB 7,200RPM HDD
  • 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD
  • 1TB 5,400RPM HDD
Optical Drive
  • None
  • None
  • None
  • None
  • None
Connectivity
  • Wireless 802.11ac/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • Wireless 802.11ac/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
  • Realtek Gaming GBe Family controller
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
  • Realtek Gaming GBe Family controller
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • Killer Wireless-AC 1535 2x2 MU-MIMO
  • Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet controller
  • Killer Doubleshot Pro
  • Bluetooth 4.1
Audio
  • Built-in stereo speakers
  • Built-in stereo speakers
  • Sound Blaster X-Fi MB5
  • ASUS SonicMaster Technology
  • Nahimic 2 Sound Technology
I/O Ports
  • 3x USB 3.1 (Gen 1)
  • 1x HDMI 2.0
  • 1x Mini DisplayPort
  • 1x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3
  • 1x audio combo jack
  • 3x USB 3.1 (Gen 1)
  • 1x HDMI
  • 1x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3
  • 1x audio combo jack
  • 3x USB 3.0 Type-A (1x powered USB port)
  • 2x USB 3.1 Type-C
  • 1x RJ-45
  • 2x mini DisplayPort
  • 1x HDMI
  • 1x SD card reader
  • 3x USB 3.0 Type-A
  • 1x Thunderbolt 3
  • 1x RJ-45
  • 1x mini DisplayPort
  • 1x HDMI
  • 1x SD card reader
  • 3x USB 3.0 Type-A
  • 1x USB 3.1 Type-A
  • 1x Thunderbolt 3
  • 1x RJ-45
  • 1x mini DisplayPort
  • 1x HDMI
  • 1x SD card reader
Miscellaneous
  • Per-key RGB illumination
  • Per-key RGB illumination
  • SteelSeries Engine 3 keyboard
Battery Type
  • 94.24Wh
  • 70Wh
  • 60Wh
  • 64Wh
  • 65Wh
Dimensions
  • 356.4 x 250 x 19.9mm
  • 345 x 235 x 17.9mm
  • 385 x 271 x 25.4mm
  • 390 x 266 x 23.5mm
  • 380 x 249 x 17.7mm
Weight
  • 2.1kg
  • 1.86kg
  • 2.49kg
  • 2.24kg
  • 1.8kg

 

PCMark 8

PCMark 8 attempts to measure the real-world performance of various test systems by putting them through real-world programs and productivity applications. However, because it is reflective of the average workload of a typical user, it does not really highlight the strengths of the respective gaming systems.

The Gigabyte Aero 15 performed more or less in line with the other extra-slim notebooks, but it also managed to edge out the Razer Blade across the board, something it continued to do in our gaming benchmarks.

The Blade has a nearly identical configuration, so it’s possible that the slightly larger chassis of the Aero 15 allowed it to pack a more capable cooling system that enabled better performance.

 

3DMark

3DMark is far more relevant in assessing gaming performance, and it puts the system through a range of graphics and computational performance tests at different resolutions, starting at 1080p and going all the way up to 4K.

In 3DMark Fire Strike, the Aero 15 was around 3 per cent faster than the Razer Blade, and it maintained its razor-thin lead for the other 3DMark benchmarks.

Performance differentials with respect to the other notebooks were also minuscule as expected, given that they are all equipped with the same GPU.

 

VRMark

Futuremark’s VRMark benchmark is designed to assess a PC’s ability to handle high-performance headsets like the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. If a PC passes the Orange Room test, it is ready for the latter two systems.

The Aero 15 passed the test handily, as did the other tested notebooks. It’s probably not worthwhile to quibble over performance differences either, since all the notebooks performed within a few percentage points of each other.

In other words, if your notebook’s got a GeForce GTX 1060, it’s pretty much ready for VR.

 

Ashes of the Singularity

Ashes of the Singularity is a demanding real-time strategy game that puts thousands of units on screen, and it’s capable of pushing even the most powerful GPUs.

The good news is that the GeForce GTX 1060 is quite capable of handling it at 1080p and High settings, netting you just over 50FPS. That’s not quite a blistering performance, but it is more than playable. The move up to Crazy settings will still get you a somewhat passable experience, but you take a 30 per cent performance hit.

 

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Shadow of Mordor is starting to show its age, and even a mid-range GPU on a laptop can now take it on quite easily.

The Aero 15 went neck-and-neck with the Razer Blade, and also came within a few frames of the remaining contenders. Performance differences this small are hardly noticeable, and not worth picking at.

If anything, our benchmarks just serve to confirm that the Aero 15 is performing in line with the competition and living up to what the GeForce GTX 1060 is really capable of.

 

Tom Clancy’s The Division

Unsurprisingly, all the tested laptops were once again within a few frames of each other in The Division. The Aero 15 pushes out an average frame rate of over 60FPS at 1080p and High settings, further testament to its prowess at a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution.

But given how similarly the Aero 15 performed compared to the other GeForce GTX 1060 notebooks, it’s clear that it’ll require more than good hardware to distinguish itself in a sea of laptops with near identical specifications.

At the end of the day, it’ll really come down to things like design, build quality and price to see if this notebook is a winner.

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8.5
  • Design 9
  • Features 8.5
  • Performance 8.5
  • Value 8
  • Mobility 9
The Good
Solid build quality
X-Rite Pantone-certified display with edge-to-edge bezels looks gorgeous
Compact size for a 15.6-inch notebook
Excellent battery life
The Bad
Keyboard can feel a little cramped
Green and orange colors not for everyone
Webcam is located on bottom bezel
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