Every laptop is getting an upgrade, from the premium gaming line – Aorus 17X, Aorus 17G, Aorus 15G – to the content creation line – Aero 15, Aero 17, Aero 15 OLED, Aero 17 HDR – and all the way to the mainstream gaming laptops – Aorus 7, Aorus 5.
Check out our best gaming laptops and best video editing laptopsSee our Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED and Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR reviews
Gigabyte Aorus: Premium gaming
Gigabyte’s new flagship gaming models include the Aorus 17X ($2,399 to $3,799), Aorus 17G ($1,799 to $2,799) and Aorus 15G ($1,699 to $2,899), which are all available starting today, April 2, with official sales starting on April 15. These machines will come with either an Intel Core i9-10980HK or a Core i7-10875H CPU. And for graphics, the Aorus 17G and Aorus 15G will get a choice between an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, RTX 2070 Super Max-Q, RTX 2060 or GTX 1660 Ti GPU. Meanwhile, the Aorus 17X will come packed with either a full RTX 2080 Super or RTX 2070 Super GPU. You can configure these notebooks with up to 32GB of RAM. Apart from the new components, these laptops boast 240Hz panels and full mechanical keyboards, making them ideal for eSports gaming. The Aorus laptops are also adopting Gigabyte’s exclusive Windforce Infinity cooling technology, which ensures the system performs at its full potential. We got to play with the Aorus 15G a little bit when Gigabyte visited our office, and while the system looked a bit chunky, it actually felt incredibly lightweight in my hands. And when I typed on the keyboard, it felt pretty comfortable, although I’ll save my final impressions for the full review. The Aorus 15G (4.85 pounds, 14.0 x 9.84 x 0.98 inches) and the Aorus 17G (5.95 pounds, 15.9 x 10.8 x 1.0 inches) are the lightest and thinnest of the three. Meanwhile, the Aorus 17X (8.26 pounds, 15.59 x 11.53 x 1.49 inches) comes in like a tank. All three laptops sport a 94Wh battery, so we’re excited to see what kind of battery life they can achieve (the biggest battery you can put in a laptop is 99.9Whr per TSA regulations).
Gigabyte Aero: Content creation
Gigabyte is redefining its Aero series to focus primarily on content creation. The Aero 15 ($1,599 to $2,399), Aero 17 ($1,699 to $2,299), Aero 15 OLED ($1,899 to $4,099) and Aero 17 HDR ($2,299 to $4,299) are also available starting today, April 2, with official sales starting April 15. These laptops are focused on content creation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t game on them. Like the Aorus line, the Aero laptops will come with either an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q, RTX 2070 Super Max-Q, RTX 2060 or GTX 1660 Ti GPU. The CPUs remain the same as well, giving you the option between an Intel Core i9-10980HK, a Core i7-10875H or a Core i7-10750H CPU. You can also configure them with up to 32GB of RAM. What makes the Aero laptops different from the Aorus is that they ditch the mechanical keyboards and 240Hz displays in favor of longer battery life and super bright and colorful 4K displays (at least, that’s what Gigabyte claims). Gigabyte hasn’t given us estimates on battery life, but the previous Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic and Gigabyte Aero 17 HDR got solid runtimes – hopefully, that trend continues. However, the new laptops sport the same 94Wh battery as the Aorus laptops, so it’s unclear if the battery numbers will actually be better or the same. Aero laptops also utilize Nvidia’s Studio drivers in order to optimize over 40 editing software packages you might use as a content creator. Both Aero 15s (4.4 pounds, 14.0 x 9.8 x 0.78 inches) and Aero 17s (5.5 pounds, 15.6 x 10.6 x 0.84 inches) are remarkably light and thin despite all of that power they’re carrying around.
Gigabyte Aorus: Mainstream gaming
Not everyone can afford a laptop that costs as much as a used car, so Gigabyte is still serving the mainstream gaming community with the Aorus 7 ($1,399 to $1,599) and Aorus 5 ($1,299 to $1,499), both of which are expected to launch in late April. Unlike their premium counterparts, the Aorus 7 and Aorus 5 will be specced to target a more mainstream audience, so that means sticking with a Core i7-10750H CPU. And for the GPU, you’ll get the option between RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti or GTX 1650 Ti graphics cards. However, Gigabyte didn’t skimp on features, as you’ll be getting a 144Hz display, two SSDs plus an HDD and an RGB-backlit keyboard. But the battery life will likely not be nearly as good, as you’ll be stuck with a 49Whr or 41Whr battery, depending on which configuration you buy. The Aorus 5 (4.85 pounds, 14.21 x 10.15 x 1.09 inches) and the Aorus 7 (5.51 pounds, 15.55 x 10.23 x 1.14 inches) are a little chunky, even for mainstreaming gaming laptops.
Outlook
Gigabyte is revamping nine new laptops this generation, and while we appreciate the company holding fast for mainstream gamers, we’re excited to get our hands on the premium Aorus gaming laptops and the new Aero machines with their gorgeous 4K displays. Stay tuned for our full reviews and benchmarks of the Aorus and Aero laptops.
