In our first Intel 9th Generation laptop we take a look at the new AERO 15 from GIGABYTE which carries the new Intel Core i7-9750H, RTX 2070 and a SHARP IGZO 240Hz display. Sound interesting? Read on!
Product on Review: AERO15-Classic-XA-512GFHD70
Manufacturer: GIGABYTE
Street Price: £2300 GBP / $2500 USD / $3500 AUD
Since Intel announced their new 9th Generation Processors for the mobile platform, laptop partners have been taking the wraps off their next-gen models featuring these shiny new CPUs. Such a release comes after only a matter of months since partners revamped their models in time for the NVIDIA RTX 20-Series launch. The debut of RTX for laptops was surrounded by plenty of hype, formed largely on the notion that the specifications between mobile and desktop counterparts remained almost identical – meaning that mobile users can indeed reap similar results to a fully-fledged desktop gaming configuration.
Well, today we have a new laptop which delivers a double dosage of new tech – the GIGABYTE AERO 15. This laptop features the Intel Core i7-9750H, 16GB DDR4, RTX 2070, an astounding SHARP IGZO 240Hz display, all complying to the NVIDIA Max-Q Design. Does it get much better than this? Let’s find out!
About GIGABYTE
A global leader in the PC industry, GIGABYTE offers a comprehensive product lineup that aims to “Upgrade Your Life.” With expertise encompassing consumer, business, gaming, and cloud systems, GIGABYTE uses research and innovation to consistently meet user needs. GIGABYTE is renowned for award-winning products including motherboards, graphics cards, laptops, mini PCs, and other PC components and accessories, and has revolutionized the PC industry with patented DualBIOS™ and Ultra Durable™ technologies. As an expert in PC technology, GIGABYTE is poised to extend our scope in business servers and cloud systems with hardware and software solutions that integrate AI and AloT applications to develop the ideal infrastructure for future prospects in 5G.
Technical Specifications
Below are the technical details surrounding AERO 15 from GIGABYTE:
OS
Windows 10 Pro
Display
15.6″ (1920×1080) SHARP IGZO 240Hz
CPU
Intel Core i7-9750H
Graphics
NVIDIA RTX 2070
Memory
16GB (2×8) DDR4 (2666MHz)
SSD
1x 512GB M.2 SSD (Intel 760p PCIe Gen3)
HDD
None (Upgradable)
Webcam
720p / 30fps
Communication
LAN – Gigabit Ethernet
WiFi – 802.11ac
Audio Jack
1x Mic-in 1x Headphone-out (HiFi / SPDIF) 1x Line-in 1x Line-out
USB 3.1 Gen2
2x
USB 3.1 Gen1
2x
Card Reader
1x UHS-II Card Reader
Video Out
1 x HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz)
1x MiniDP
Battery (Cell)
8-Cell
Battery (Type)
Li-Ion
AC Adapter
180W adapter
Dimension (WxDxH) mm
356 x 250 x 18.9
Weight (kg w/ Battery)
2 KG
Battery (Whr)
41
Windows 10 Pro
Display
15.6″ (1920×1080) SHARP IGZO 240Hz
CPU
Intel Core i7-9750H
Graphics
NVIDIA RTX 2070
Memory
16GB (2×8) DDR4 (2666MHz)
SSD
1x 512GB M.2 SSD (Intel 760p PCIe Gen3)
HDD
None (Upgradable)
Webcam
720p / 30fps
Communication
LAN – Gigabit Ethernet
WiFi – 802.11ac
Audio Jack
1x Mic-in 1x Headphone-out (HiFi / SPDIF) 1x Line-in 1x Line-out
USB 3.1 Gen2
2x
USB 3.1 Gen1
2x
Card Reader
1x UHS-II Card Reader
Video Out
1 x HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz)
1x MiniDP
Battery (Cell)
8-Cell
Battery (Type)
Li-Ion
AC Adapter
180W adapter
Dimension (WxDxH) mm
356 x 250 x 18.9
Weight (kg w/ Battery)
2 KG
Battery (Whr)
41
Closer Look Video Review
For this review we’ve produced a video which reveals a close, detailed overview of AERO 15. Please check out the video below for a comprehensive look at this new product:
Benchmarks: Temperatures
For our first benchmark test we observe the max. CPU/GPU temperatures of the system while allowing Unigine Heaven 4.0 to run on a 30 minute loop. To report back on the temperatures we use RealTemp and GPU-Z which provide the peak figures.
Benchmarks: Boot Time & Battery Uptime
In this test we observe how fast the boot into Windows 10 is by using a digital stopwatch. Battery uptime is another important observation, for this we charge the notebook up to 100% and then disconnect the charging unit and leave Heaven 4.0 running on a continuous loop until the notebook loses all power.
Benchmarks: Cinebench R20 & 7-Zip
Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user. Best of all: It’s free.
Benchmarks: PCMark 10
PCMark 10 is the latest version in our series of industry standard PC benchmarks. Updated for Windows 10 with new and improved workloads, PCMark 10 is also faster and easier to use.
PCMark 10 features a comprehensive set of tests that cover the wide variety of tasks performed in the modern workplace. With express, extended, and custom run options to suit your needs, PCMark 10 is the complete PC benchmark for the modern office.
PCMark 10 features a comprehensive set of tests that cover the wide variety of tasks performed in the modern workplace. With express, extended, and custom run options to suit your needs, PCMark 10 is the complete PC benchmark for the modern office.
Benchmarks: 3DMark TimeSpy & Port Royal
Time Spy is a DirectX 12 benchmark test for gaming PCs running Windows 10. With its pure DirectX 12 engine, built from the ground up to support new API features like asynchronous compute, explicit multi-adapter, and multi-threading, Time Spy is the ideal benchmark for testing the DirectX 12 performance of the latest graphics cards.
Benchmarks: Metro Exodus, Apex Legends, AC: Odyssey, Fortnite
The AERO 15 uses the RTX 2070 for graphics delivery, in this section we test the latest gaming titles to see how effective the 3D capabilities are. We report on the average framerate using FRAPS or in-game benchmark tool.
Conclusion
This is the first Intel 9th Generation laptop that we’ve had the pleasure of taking a look at and actually the first laptop which combines a nex-gen CPU, next-gen GPU and 240Hz display and we have to say the results are impressive.
As can be expected, combining the might of Intel Coffee Lake and NVIDIA Turing delivers solid all-round performance. AERO 15 has no qualms about offering reliable 3D performance in the latest triple-a gaming titles nor does it shy away from contributing to improve content creation workflows.
The Max-Q Design lends itself to providing us with a thin and lightweight machine that is able to be transported to different locations with ease but there are unfortunately some caveats – high temperatures. In our tests with the cooling system set to the default of “auto” we found the CPU rose beyond 90C when fully loaded and similarly the GPU shifted up to the mid-80s. The temperatures will improve with the fan speeds set to maximum, in fact the CPU barely alters but the GPU receives a 10C temperature adjustment. We have to wonder whether adding in more than two heatpipes would improve this and whether sustained periods of time with the CPU at such high-temperatures will affect longevity/lifespan.
At a cost of £2300 GBP / $2500 USD / $3500 AUD, the AERO 15 enters high-end territory and for this price we expect a secondary drive, rivals are offering it at the same price-range.
The AERO 15 Classic-XA is ideal for content creators and gamers who need a powerful laptop with specialist tools at their disposal.
Pros
+ Simple design
+ Conforms to Max-Q Design
+ RGB Backlit keyboard
+ SHARP IGZO 240Hz display
+ X-Rite Pantone certified
+ Great overall performance
+ Offers Thunderbolt 3
+ UHS-II SD slot reader included
Cons
– Expensive
– CPU temperatures soar above 90C
– Lacks secondary storage drive
– Could do with more USB 3.1
+ Simple design
+ Conforms to Max-Q Design
+ RGB Backlit keyboard
+ SHARP IGZO 240Hz display
+ X-Rite Pantone certified
+ Great overall performance
+ Offers Thunderbolt 3
+ UHS-II SD slot reader included
Cons
– Expensive
– CPU temperatures soar above 90C
– Lacks secondary storage drive
– Could do with more USB 3.1
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