Gigabyte Aero 16 review: a workstation that can game (kind of)

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The company has long claimed that its Aero model is a creator-specific line. I have always been a bit skeptical there. Aero models, despite their branding, tend not to look too different from the company's Aorus gaming lineup. Outside of Dell's XPS line, Windows-based creators laptops are usually smaller and less colorful.

Aero makes sense as a device for workers who have some heavier tasks in their workload or who want to game here and there. It has anOLED screen that reaches 400 nits of brightness and covers 100 percent of the sRGB, AdobeRGB, and P3 gamut. The aluminum structure is appropriate for work. It also has a flagship processor from Intel and a top mobileGPU. It's a setup that's best used by people who want the best processor they can get but who don't need the graphics card as often.

The model I was sent was $4,399. The most expensive model of the ROG Zephyrus G15 is almost $2,000 more expensive than this device. It is more expensive than a comparable 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is a common choice for creative professionals.

The creators who buy the MacBook Pro will find it better than the Aero in many ways. The Aero is competitive with the M1 chips in terms of raw performance, but it is also ahead of the game in terms of gaming. If you're looking for a device that can pull off close to the productivity the MacBook offers while also serving as a gaming option, the Aero is a place you could turn your attention to.

The Aero model I was sent has a Core i9-12900HK, a GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, a 99WHr battery, and a UHD AMOLED display. This is the most expensive model that I have been able to find. I've seen a Core i7 / RTX 3070 Ti / 16GB / 1TB floating around for $2,349.99. I don't think Aero will be a better deal for many people, but I will only review the configuration I have.

• 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900HK (2.5GHz–5GHz) 
• 32GB DDR5, 2x DDR5 Slots (DDR5-4800, Max 64GB)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU 16GB GDDR6 (Boost Clock 1125 MHz / Maximum Graphics Power 105W)
• 1x Gen4 SSD 1TB + 1x Gen4 2TB 
• 16-inch UHD+ 3840 x 2400 Samsung AMOLED Display
• 14.02 x 9.78 x 0.88 inches, 5.07 pounds
• Li Polymer 99Wh battery
• 230W power brick
• Two Thunderbolt 4 (both support DP, one supports 100W PD), one USB 3.2 Gen 2 type-C (supports DP), one 3.5 mm audio combo, one DC-in
• Wi-Fi 6E AX210 (Gig+) Wireless (802.11ax, a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible)
• Bluetooth V5.2

The Aero is 5.47 pounds and 0.88 inches thick. It's well-built, with little flex to be found, and a nice silver finish that doesn't smudge or scratch easily. It does feel more portable than the average 16-incher you will find in the gaming sphere because it is not nearly as thin.

The front-facing camera lives on the lip of the lid, which is a departure from the notch-loving companies like Apple. While this lip may look odd in photos, it faded into the background during my Aero testing and did not affect my life in any way.

How well does this game do? It is not amazingly at native 3840 x 2400 resolution. Shadow of the Tomb Raider averaged over 30 frames per second with ray tracing on medium and off. Cyberpunk 2077 wouldn't run with ray tracing on ultra, stumbling along at an average of seven frames per second, and turning ray tracing off brought it to 29 frames per second. Red Dead Redemption 2 wouldn't allow me to run it in 4K. Red Dead can be difficult sometimes.

It was possible to play everything in1080p and maxed out the 60Hz screen. Tomb Raider hit 80, 104, and 115 frames per second, while Red Dead averaged 70 on its built-in benchmark. The Aero had a rough time with the ray tracing in Cyberpunk, with an average frame rate of 38 per second and jumping up to 63 with the help of auto. It averaged 66 frames per second. All games were played at their highest possible settings.

The results are better than what we have seen from Apple machines. The Aero 16 is not above what we would expect from a well-cooled, well-powered RTX 3070, which underscores the fact that what you are really paying for is theCPU power. Last year's Aorus 15G with an RTX 3070 and a Core i7 which was thousands of dollars cheaper than this Aero, was only 5 to 15 frames per second slower across titles.

This device is loud, so I should point that out. The fan profile I had was the one you want for maximum performance. I couldn't hear a video on another computer because the fans were so loud. The cooling appears to be doing its job, as evidenced by the fact that theCPU hit the low 90s every so often. The keyboard and palmrest were often warm, even outside of benchmark testing.

The device was quieter when I used the Normal and Eco cooling profiles. It was still audible. Aero could easily run my regular heavy load and power an external display with a battery saver on. It did better in testing than we usually see from gaming laptops. This is expected since the Aero uses the studio drivers from Nvidia rather than the GeForce drivers found in gaming rigs. The M1 Pro MacBook models are slightly more expensive than the Premiere Pro 4K models, but it took two minutes and 15 seconds for it to complete our test. The Aorus took seven minutes to complete the task. The Aero got a score of 941 on the Puget Systems benchmark, which is better than many of the gaming systems in our database, and it's not too far off from the M1 Pro.

The battery life is a big caveat. We haven't historically expected Windows workstations to last all day, but I had faint hopes that Intel's switch to big-little architecture would bring about an efficiency revolution. The Aero 16 only lasted about two and a half hours on a charge with battery saver on, screen at medium brightness, and the graphics card disabled. It's important for anyone who plans to use this on the go to consider that.

The device may look like it has a bunch of ports on the sides, but they are actually vents. There are only two ports available, one for Thunderbolt 4, one for DC-in, and one for audio. It's a shame that those with needs for both theusb-A and thesd will be in the same area. The external camera you want to use is mediocre and noisy, and it does not support Windows Hello.

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it. It is impossible for us to read and analyze all of these agreements. We started counting how many times you have to agree to use devices when we review them.

You have to agree to use the Gigabyte Aero 16.

• Request for your region and keyboard layout
• Microsoft Software License Terms

The following agreements are not mandatory.

• Connect to Wi-Fi
• Privacy settings, including Find My Device, inking and typing, advertising ID, location, diagnostic data, and tailored experiences

There are three mandatory agreements and seven optional ones.

The Aero 16 is an effective combination of features. That combination doesn't come cheap, but the price combined with the battery life may make it difficult to justify for many people. If you're hoping to spend less but still like what the Aero has to offer, you might consider the Blade 17, which is available with a 4K screen for $100 cheaper or a QHD screen for several hundred dollars cheaper. If you want better gaming chops, you may want to look at the Aorus laptops, which are gaming-focused and can get you a 3080 for much cheaper.

The Aero has an argument that it can deliver MacBook-competitive performance in creative applications while being much stronger than those MacBooks on the gaming front. The M1 Pro MacBook can last over six times as long as the Aero, and it has various other advantages. The Aero has a legitimate case if you want a laptop to stay at your desk.