As many of you know I currently use the Gigabyte Aero 15x laptop, it’s what all of my Computex
2019 videos are being made on. While it’s certainly not perfect, for me it’s one of
the best options available, which is why upon arriving at the Gigabyte suite I was pleasantly
surprised to see that the Aero appeared to have a new design. It’s not wildly different,
but there are some excellent improvements. Firstly, there’s now finally a 17 inch version
of the Aero as well as a 15 inch model, which is great based on how many comments I get
asking for a 17 inch model.
The Aero is now also available in white, as well as the usual black. The lid also looks
better in my opinion, with just a sleek “AERO” logo on the back rather than the Gigabyte
one in previous generations. The bottom of the lid also has this subtle design, while
the older ones had the carbon fiber pattern there.
Above the keyboard deck we can see what I’m most interested about, there are additional
air intake vents here to assist with cooling, a very welcome change considering how hot
the older generations could get under heavy workloads. In addition to this on the back
there are also air exhaust vents towards the corners, again something the older Aero’s
did not have, as they just exhausted air below the screen. There’s also a little Aero badge
in the center which gets its own lighting.
Underneath the air intake vents are a little different, they look a bit bigger in the new
model when compared with the old one, unfortunately I didn’t whip out my 15X and compare them
side by side, maybe I should have. The rear feet are similar to Gigabyte’s recent Aorus
15 gaming laptop, where they seem to double as blockers to prevent some of the hot air
exhaust from coming straight back in. We can also see that there are air exhaust vents
on both the left and right sides up the back, so yeah it’s looking like a serious cooling
redesign.
The touchpad now has a fingerprint scanner towards the top left hand side, something
not present in older models.
In terms of specs the new Aero’s are available with Intel’s latest 9th gen i7 and i9 CPUs,
as well as Nvidia RTX graphics going all the way up to 2080 Max-Q, though that part isn’t
new. I noted that I was skeptical of these specs when they were announced at CES 5 months
ago, but with that improved cooling setup we should see better performance now. Otherwise
Gigabyte are also offering the Aero with Nvidia’s new 16 series graphics options too. All of
this while still maintaining the large 94.24 watt hour battery
The I/O is a little different on the 15 and 17 models, let’s first cover the 15”.
On older models the Aero didn’t have air exhaust vents on the sides, but now it does,
so it’s got to shift forward as a compromise. On the left from the back to the front there’s
a HDMI 2.0 output, USB Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 support, USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A port, 3.5mm
audio combo jack, and the ethernet port which has been moved from right at the back to right
at the front, which honestly looked a little strange seeing it plugged in, it would likely
get in the way if you’re a left hander and use a mouse. On the right hand side from front
to back there are two more USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A ports, Type-C Thunderbolt 3 port, the full
size UHS-II SD card slot remains, thank you, and the power input.
I prefer the I/O layout of the new 17” model, it’s got the ethernet port on the left but
closer towards the back this time, full size SD card slot, two USB Type-A ports and separate
3.5mm jacks. On the right there’s a third USB Type-A port, two USB Type-C ports, one
of which is Thunderbolt 3 while the other supports DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0 output
and power input.
Like many other new 9th gen laptops, it’s also got WiFi 6, so 802.11ax, the fastest
currently available.
The next change is the screens, the 15 inch Aero is now available with a 4K AMOLED panel,
and even in the brightly lit suite it looked amazing, otherwise it’s also available with
a 1080p 240Hz IGZO panel. The Aero 17 is available with either 1080p 144Hz, 240Hz, or an AUO
4K HDR panel, so no OLED there, which seems to be a limitation from panel manufacturers.
Nose cam is still a thing, however it looks more sleek, and has a physical cover that
you can block it with, so while still not ideal for those that need it I think this
is an improvement.
The keyboard has also received an upgrade, the lighting was noticeably brighter, and
Gigabyte say the key presses are more responsive, otherwise the layout looks the same.
I’m not aware of prices just yet, but I’ve been advised the 17 inch model is coming in
Q3 2019. Honestly I’m impressed they were able to fit in so many different changes while
keeping the overall design so familiar. As I said earlier, the Aero 15 is my laptop of
choice and these improvements and additions are just making it even better. With that
said, I still need to wait until I get them for testing to see just how they go, so make
sure you’re subscribed for my full reviews.
The Aero wasn’t all Gigabyte had to announce at Computex this year, in an upcoming video
we’ll be taking a look at what’s coming to the higher end Aorus side, so stay tuned
for that.
Let me know what you guys think about Gigabyte’s new Aero laptop options down in the comments,
right now I’m interested in seeing how the 8 core ones hold up with the new and improved
cooling system, I could use an editing laptop upgrade, and if you haven’t already get
subscribed so you don’t miss the rest of my Computex 2019 coverage.