As a snoozer, the Gigabyte Aorus 15 is effective. When the sturdy laptop’s lid is closed, there is virtually any sign that it is a gaming laptop. But the Aorus 15 2023 edition’s most advanced parts aren’t just two 13th-Gen Intel Core i7 processors and an RTX 4070 mobile GPU. That GPU gives the Aorus access to the Nvidia Frame Generation technology, which uses Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) to raise the number of frames in your games. Approximately 20 more frames per second, based on my benchmarks.
The Aorus costs $1849 at launch. This makes it very affordable given the performance it provides, but there are some apparent limitations, especially if you intend to use it as your main laptop.
Gigabyte Aorus 15: Features and Design
Main Features
The Aorus 15’s modest appearance is what you’ll notice right away. Yes, there are clues like per-key RGB and a bright light bar below the screen that indicate it is a gaming laptop. However, you may use the Gigabyte Control Center program to either reduce or enhance your gamer appearance. There are several different RGB light patterns that available; I preferred RGB Rainbow Wave and disliked the Pulse and Cycle options. The Aorus looks more like an actuary’s laptop than a gaming laptop when the lights are dimmed, in my opinion. In the grand scheme of things, a gaming laptop that fits in with its surroundings is a major plus. But it also means that the design could seem a little uninspired.
Special Design
Even though the Aorus’ closed height is only.82 inches, its blocky, angular chassis gives the appearance that it is considerably thicker. At 4.96 pounds, it is also not exactly lightweight. Although the top display made of metal and the base made of plastic, both feel incredibly sturdy. There is no audible breaking or squishiness in the plastic base, and the lid opens without difficulty.
It supports the 15.6-inch 2560 x 1440 display. For Gigabyte to describe it as a “Thin Bezel” frame is, at best, a stretch. The top is not big, the sides are not particularly little, and the chin is big.
For Windows Hello sign-in, a sizable camera array at the top bezel is requirement. Unfortunately, it’s not the best webcam available. Unless the lighting is optimal, the image it records is typically darker than it should be. Boosting the brightness has no effect on the image’s quality.
The Aorus 15 features the 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, the Nvidia RTX 4070 mobile GPU, high-speed 16GB DDR5 48000MHZ SODIMM memory (configurable up to 64GBs), and a terabyte of NVMe storage for the OS drive (up to 8TB). To support its powerful internals, the Aorus includes several fan vents all over. The majority of the heat is expelled through the rear exhaust, which raises the laptop’s overhang by around an inch.
Aside from the cutting-edge features, one of this year’s largest design changes is the port placement. The gadget now has five ports on its back, including an HDMI 2.1 port, DisplayPort 1.4 port, Thunderbolt with power compatibility, and DC Power. Previously, connectivity crammed around the sides. The mess of cords is greatly reduced as a result, especially when plugged in.
Gigabyte Aorus 15: Gaming Performance
The might of the Aorus 15 cannot be disputed. I was able to play almost every game I tested at 60 frames per second or higher on Ultra settings. Even with DLSS Frame Generation disabled, Cyberpunk 2077 managed frame rates of above 60 and over 100.
Equally impressive is the QHD Display, which has vibrant colors and great contrast. The 165hz refresh rate makes the game play seem fluid. I never found myself wanting for a faster refresh rate.
When being used frequently, the Aorus is silent. The fan noise is not audible while watching videos, browsing the internet, or doing other normal tasks that make up a typical day of casual use. However, things change drastically as the geometry dash lite game starts. When gamers start yelling at you while you’re playing video games. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing Valheim or Vampire Survivors. The speakers’ thin tone and inability to effectively muffle the fan’s humming only serve to highlight this. In Gigabyte’s Control Center, the fan speeds (and associated noise) can be changed.
The plus side is that the laptop stays cool thanks to the excellent fans. Without the keyboard getting too warm, the Aorus can exhaust a lot of air from the back.
Battery
Like other high-end gaming laptops, the Aorus’ battery life is short. Its 90WHr battery lasted over four hours and sixteen minutes throughout our PCMark Modern Office test. We ran the Modern Office test on Gigabyte after changing the Control Center program. And the results were all over the place. During one test, the computer lasted for seven hours and 33 minutes. The battery life while gaming was a terrible hour and fifteen minutes. So it appears that this is the exception rather than the rule.
The glass touchpad of the Aorus is eye-catchingly large and somewhat reminiscent of the Macbook’s top-of-the-line trackpad. For many tasks, it replaces the need for a mouse. Unfortunately, the touchpad’s unpredictable behavior will be a persistent cause of aggravation if. You prefer a tactile click to a touch click. It needs to be pressed pretty firmly in order to consistently register. I pressed keys repeatedly and heard the touchpad click, but the screen showed no signs of activity. Although the touchpad’s wide glass surface is just what I desire in a laptop touchpad. This incident happened frequently enough for me to develop a strange suspicion of it.
Verdict
A tale of two laptops is told by the Aorus 15. It’s an incredible powerhouse as a gaming laptop. It provides amazing performance for a price that will make you look askance at your desktop. It is more than capable of gaming at high settings because to its stunning QHD display, strong fan, and quick storage. However, its flaws are plenty to cause concern: its mushy keyboard, poor speakers, and unreliable touchpad make it difficult to recommend as a daily driver.
Gigabyte Aorus 15: Conclusion
The keyboard is better at this moment. However, I still think it’s a little too mushy. Pressing the right side of the keyboard feels very different from pressing the left. The left side of the keyboard has a little give, whilst the right feels firm. And the J, K, or L keys make a unique sound in comparison to all the other keys.
