Gigabyte Aorus 16X Review

Summary

Lisa from Mobile Tech Review introduces the Gigabyte AR 16x, a 2024 gaming laptop that also caters to Pro app creators, featuring Nvidia Studio drivers. Priced in the upper mid-range, it competes with models like the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and Acer Nitro 16. The laptop offers a 165Hz IPS display, Intel 14th generation processors, and up to Nvidia RTX 4070 140 watt GPUs. It has a robust cooling system, good performance, and a 99.2 watt-hour battery for impressive battery life. However, the display's black levels and color gamut leave room for improvement. The laptop has a plastic chassis, a programmable RGB keyboard, and a variety of ports including HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 7. The software experience could be better, with the need for improved localization and clearer instructions. The laptop is priced from $1,700 for an RTX 4060 and Core i7 to around $2,100 for a Core i9 and RTX 4070, offering a mix of pros and cons for potential buyers.

Takeaways

• 💻 The Gigabyte AR 16x is a 2024 edition gaming laptop that also targets Pro app creators, featuring Nvidia Studio drivers pre-installed.
• 💰 Price-wise, it's positioned in the upper mid-range, competing with models like the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and Acer Nitro 16.
• 🛡️ Trend Micro's Premium Security Suite is highlighted as a comprehensive solution for device and identity protection, suitable for various devices including Macs, Windows PCs, iOS, and Android.
• 🔧 Upgradability is a strong point for the laptop, with easy access to internals like the SSD, Wi-Fi card, and RAM slots.
• 🎨 The laptop comes with a 165Hz IPS display with QHD+ resolution, but has average black levels and 80% of the P3 color gamut, which is decent but not top-tier for gaming.
• 🔊 It boasts impressive speakers with good bass and volume, but the software and localization could use improvement for a better user experience.
• 🌐 Connectivity options are plentiful, including HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A ports, and even a Gigabit Ethernet port.
• 🔋 The laptop has a large 99.2Wh battery, offering 7 to 8 hours of mixed productivity use, which is commendable for a gaming laptop.
• 💡 The cooling system is robust, with two large fans and a substantial heatsink, allowing for good performance from the GPU and CPU.
• 🔗 The laptop features Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, representing some of the latest wireless technology available in 2024.
• 🖥️ The design is reminiscent of older, more 'gamery' styles with embossed plastics and gamer aesthetics, which may not appeal to all users.
• 💰 Pricing starts at around $1,700 for an RTX 4060 and Core i7 configuration, going up to approximately $2,100 for a Core i9 and RTX 4070 model.

Q & A

What is the target audience for the Gigabyte AR 16x laptop?

The Gigabyte AR 16x is aimed at both gamers and professional app creators, as it comes with Nvidia Studio drivers pre-loaded.

How does the price of the Gigabyte AR 16x compare to its competitors?

The price of the Gigabyte AR 16x is considered upper mid-range, making it an interesting competitor to models like the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and the Acer Nitro 16 without being shockingly expensive.

What are the key features of the Gigabyte AR 16x that cater to gamers?

The Gigabyte AR 16x features an Nvidia RTX 4060 or 4070 140 watt GPU, a 165 HZ IPS display, RGB keyboard with translucent keycaps, and an RGB logo projector.

What is the performance of the Intel Core i7 processor in the Gigabyte AR 16x?

The Intel Core i7 in the Gigabyte AR 16x is a full HX processor, which provides sufficient performance for most users, with the option to upgrade to a Core i9 configuration.

How does the cooling system in the Gigabyte AR 16x contribute to its performance?

The cooling system in the Gigabyte AR 16x is very good, with two large fans providing plenty of room for efficient cooling, allowing the GPU and CPU to run well.

What is the battery life like on the Gigabyte AR 16x?

The Gigabyte AR 16x has a 99.2 watt-hour battery, which offers 7 to 8 hours of mixed productivity use with the display set at 200 nits of brightness.

What are some of the software issues mentioned in the review of the Gigabyte AR 16x?

The review mentions issues with the localization of the software, poor translations, and a lack of clarity in the Gigabyte Control Center software, which could be improved with better localization and clearer explanations.

What is the quality of the display on the Gigabyte AR 16x?

The display on the Gigabyte AR 16x is a 16-inch QHD+ panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and good brightness, but it has lower black levels and only covers 80% of the P3 color gamut.

How is the upgradeability of the Gigabyte AR 16x in terms of internal components?

The Gigabyte AR 16x offers a pleasant upgrade experience with two RAM slots, a second SSD M.2 2280 slot for storage expansion, and a socketed Wi-Fi 7 card that is removable.

What are the audio capabilities of the Gigabyte AR 16x?

The Gigabyte AR 16x has excellent speakers that are loud, full, and have bass. It also features a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello for facial recognition login.

What are the connectivity options available on the Gigabyte AR 16x?

The Gigabyte AR 16x includes an HDMI 2.1 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, two USB-A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a Micro SD card slot.

How does the design and build of the Gigabyte AR 16x contribute to its overall appeal?

The design of the Gigabyte AR 16x is reminiscent of gaming laptops from several years ago with gamer taglines, embossed plastics, and a rigid lid. The chassis is made of plastic, but it is of fine quality and the laptop does not have any wobbles.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Introduction to Gigabyte AR 16x Gaming Laptop

Lisa from Mobile Tech Review introduces the Gigabyte AR 16x, a 2024 edition gaming laptop that is also suitable for pro app creators due to its pre-loaded Nvidia Studio drivers. It is priced in the upper mid-range and competes with models like the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and Acer Nitro 16. The laptop features an RGB keyboard, customizable lighting, and a unique AORUS projector. It has a 165Hz IPS display with QHD+ resolution, good brightness but average black levels and color gamut. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i7 or i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 or 4070 GPU, with efficient cooling that allows for strong performance. The laptop also includes comprehensive security software from Trend Micro.

05:00

🔊 Gigabyte AR 16x Performance and Design Critiques

The video discusses the laptop's performance settings, which can be adjusted depending on the user's needs. Although the laptop can get loud under heavy use, the noise is not overly annoying. The surface temperatures remain warm due to efficient cooling. Criticism is given to the laptop's software and the need for better localization and translation. The Gigabyte Control Center has improved but still lacks clear explanations. The laptop offers a good range of ports, including HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, and Wi-Fi 7. The 1080p webcam is adequate, and the speakers provide excellent sound quality. The laptop is also praised for its upgradeability, with easy access to internals like the SSD, Wi-Fi card, and battery.

10:02

🔋 Battery Life and Final Thoughts on the Gigabyte AR 16x

The laptop features a 99.2 watt-hour battery, which provides good battery life for a gaming laptop, with 7 to 8 hours of mixed productivity use. The keyboard is described as tactile but slightly mushy, and the trackpad, while glass and of good size, can be a bit dense. The design is reminiscent of older gaming laptops with gamer aesthetics. The price range is from $1,700 for the RTX 4060 and Core i7 model to around $2,100 for the Core i9 and RTX 4070 model. The reviewer concludes by noting that while the laptop has its merits, some aspects like the display and chassis materials make it feel a bit pricey for what's offered.

Keywords

💡Gigabyte AR 16x

The Gigabyte AR 16x is a gaming laptop released in 2024 by Gigabyte, a company known for high-quality motherboards. It is part of the video's main theme as it is the product being reviewed. The laptop is noted for its Nvidia Studio drivers, which are pre-loaded, making it suitable for professional app creators as well as gamers.

💡Nvidia Studio Drivers

Nvidia Studio Drivers are specialized drivers designed to optimize the performance of Nvidia graphics cards for creative applications like video editing and 3D rendering. In the context of the video, the Gigabyte AR 16x comes with these drivers pre-installed, indicating its dual-purpose appeal to both gamers and professional app creators.

💡Nvidia RTX 4060/4070

The Nvidia RTX 4060 and 4070 are graphics processing units (GPUs) that offer high-end performance for gaming and creative applications. They are key components in the Gigabyte AR 16x, contributing to its ability to handle demanding tasks and games, as discussed in the video.

💡Intel 14th Generation Processor

Intel's 14th Generation Processor refers to the latest line of CPUs from Intel, which are featured in the Gigabyte AR 16x. These processors are known for their high performance and are a significant aspect of the laptop's appeal, offering power for both gaming and professional applications.

💡165Hz IPS Display

A 165Hz IPS Display is a type of screen with a refresh rate of 165 times per second and uses In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology for better viewing angles. It's a feature of the Gigabyte AR 16x and is important for gamers due to its high refresh rate, which provides smoother visuals during gameplay.

💡AI Image Generation

AI Image Generation refers to the use of artificial intelligence to create images based on textual descriptions. In the video, it is mentioned in the context of the Gigabyte Control Center Software, which includes a feature for AI image generation. However, the reviewer found the results to be inconsistent and sometimes bizarre.

💡Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7 is the next generation of Wi-Fi technology that offers faster speeds and improved performance over its predecessors. It is highlighted in the video as a feature of the Gigabyte AR 16x, indicating that the laptop is equipped with the latest wireless connectivity options.

💡Trend Micro Premium Security Suite

Trend Micro Premium Security Suite is a comprehensive security software that provides protection for various devices, including PCs, Macs, iOS, and Android devices. It is mentioned in the video as a sponsor and is recommended for protecting the new laptop, showcasing its importance in safeguarding digital devices against threats.

💡Battery Life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate on a single charge. The Gigabyte AR 16x is praised in the video for its impressive battery life of 7 to 8 hours during mixed productivity use, which is above average for a gaming laptop and a significant selling point.

💡Price Range

The price range indicates the cost of the Gigabyte AR 16x, which is described as 'upper mid-range' in the video. This sets the expectation for potential buyers regarding the laptop's affordability and value proposition, especially when compared to other gaming laptops in the market.

💡RGB Keyboard

An RGB keyboard is a type of computer keyboard that features customizable backlighting with multiple colors, often programmable for individual keys. It is a desirable feature for gamers and is included in the Gigabyte AR 16x, enhancing the laptop's appeal to its target audience.

Highlights

Gigabyte AR 16x is a 2024 edition gaming laptop suitable for Pro apps creators, featuring Nvidia Studio drivers.

Price is upper mid-range, competing with Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and Acer Nitro 16.

Comes with a 165 Hz IPS display with QHD+ resolution and good brightness but average black levels and color gamut.

Equipped with Intel 14th generation processors, up to Core i9, and Nvidia RTX 4060 or 4070 GPUs.

Cooling system is efficient with two large fans, allowing for good performance from both GPU and CPU.

Design includes RGB keyboard, programmable lighting, and an aorus word projector.

Software and localization could be improved; translations are sometimes awkward.

Gigabyte Control Center has been improved for stability and organization but lacks clear explanations.

AI features for intelligent cooling system management and different performance settings.

Ports include HDMI 2.1, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, and a Micro SD card slot.

Battery life is impressive for a gaming laptop, with 7 to 8 hours of mixed productivity use.

Keyboard is tactile but feels slightly mushy, and the trackpad is glass with a good size but can be dense.

Pricing ranges from $1,700 for RTX 4060 and Core i7 to around $2,100 for Core i9 and RTX 4070 configurations.

Includes Wi-Fi 7 with an Intel BE2 200 Wi-Fi card and Bluetooth 5.4.

Upgradable components with easy access to internals, featuring two RAM slots and an additional SSD slot.

Speakers are of high quality with loud, full sound and bass, and the microphone is also good.

Design reminiscent of older gaming laptops with gamer aesthetics and embossed plastics.

Trend Micro Premium Security Suite is recommended for device and identity protection, covering a range of devices and including parental controls.

Transcripts

this is Lisa from mobile tech review and

this is the gigabyte AR 16x their 2024

edition of their well obviously 16in

gaming laptop and they figure it's good

for Pro apps creators as well in fact it

comes with Nvidia Studio drivers

pre-loaded on it the price here is sort

of upper mid-range and it's an

interesting laptop that competes with

the likes of the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro for

example of the Acer Nitro 16 and the

price is not shockingly expensive it's

not top tier expensive we're going to

look at it now so after you buy that new

laptop you need to protect it right and

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security monitors the dark web in case

people have got your information and are

doing nasty things with it and it even

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help figuring out what the heck is going

on with some security warning or

something like that and better yet your

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Trend Micro premium Security Suite and

now back to our video so gigabyte well

known for making high quality

motherboards is still in the laptop game

their arrow is probably still their

claim to fame in laptops that thin and

light laptop for gamers that well back

when that was a rare thing they were

doing that sort of thing the AOS is a

more affordable line and thus you can

get with in Nvidia RTX 460 or

470 140 watt D gpus and Intel 14th

generation that's Raptor like refresh

processors core i7s and there is a core

I9 model so that puts it in sort of the

upper end of the mid-tier gaming laptop

there's no 480 there's no 490 obviously

it's not super highend but it has a lot

of the things that you would see on a a

solid better than average offering like

perky RGB keyboard it also has WD

extended area that has translucent key

caps and by default you better change

the lighting on those cuz at first it

looks like oh that is so cool and then

you realize in ambient room lighting

when the back liting is on you can't see

those key maskings at all so good thing

it's programmable and you should do that

anyway it also has RGB piping on the

back obviously you can turn this off if

you want to look chill at the office or

something like that and it even has a

little aorus the word a projector that

projects on the desk about 1 inch out

and sort of like cars you know the door

cills you open them up and they project

the the brand of the car that sort of

thing it's kind of cool it's obviously a

little bit more gamery than it is

Creator oriented for these kinds of well

Creature Comforts we have 165 HZ IPS

display on board unfortunately it feels

a little bit more low tier I mean 165 HZ

well that's fine 16 in nice it's 16x 10

aspect ratio QHD plus 25 60 x600 those

things are good uh brightness is also

quite good they don't even claim it to

be this bright but we measured it at 567

nits nice that's right up there with

razor blade high quality IPS displays

where it falls down is the black levels

aren't that great which means the blacks

don't get very black it's IPS but even

still and the color gamut on this is

only 80% of P3 so games by today's

standards if you're looking at some of

the nicer displays look okay but not woo

we going to have fun on this now if

you're going to use this with an

external monitor most of the time then

you're probably like that's fine with me

I get that that's where some of the

little bit of potential cost savings go

the Intel Core i7 here is a full HX

processor you can also get it with the

14900 HX processor if you want the core

I9 configuration I think the i7 is

probably going to be enough for most

people here and the gpus do really well

you know why because we got 140 watts

and because the cooling is very good on

this unit it somehow looks and feels a

bit old school it's pretty beefy you

know chunky by today's standards and as

a result there's plenty of room for

coing you have two large fans in there

this thing can really run those gpus

well and the CPU too so the performance

is better than you might expect for a

4060 or 4070 here certainly the 4070 is

going to pass some 4080 super slim in

light gaming laptop so now way that's

good stuff noise also isn't that bad

either the fans move a large volume of

air so it sounds like that it's not

shrill it's not shrieky or anything like

that but you know you've got a bunch of

performance settings you can set on this

thing it depends on where you put it but

I ran it in performance and you'll hear

it in the room you'll hear it sounds

like somebody's running a fan literally

in the room it's not horrible but it's

you know you're looking at 45 to 50 DB

but of non-annoying sound the surface

temperatures are remarkably only warm

the cooling is efficient that's

something I do like here obviously the

display is something I don't the

software is something I still continue

to complain about with gigabyte

um please just hire some decent

localization people the translations are

still something like look at this here

screenshot just after I booted the thing

up it's almost Mad Lib level of words

that just really don't go together as

nicely as they should it doesn't give

you confidence in the product it makes

you feel like you're buying a bargain

rate brand or something like that and

gigabyte isn't that so they're doing

themselves a disservice by not just

hiring better translators

and then there's gigabyte control center

which used to be a hair raising mess 5

years ago and now at least is stable and

it's compact you know for those you who

hate things like ausa's Army crates

bloat and stuff settings everywhere this

at least has stuff in a fairly organized

compact way but

um they've before AI was a big buzzword

like it is in 2024 they were pushing AI

which basically means intelligent

management of the cooling system is the

thing plugged into AC power do this you

know versus is it game running run the

CPU and GPU higher that sort of thing so

there's still pushing the AI thing here

with the different performance settings

which for some people might seem a

little baffling at first but just go

like with performance it's fine it won't

be too

L there's no setting it does have

advanced Optimus it does have a mck you

have to go into the BIOS to actually

activate the MX there's no explanation

of how to achieve this otherwise like

put it in performance mode and you are

running the D ated graphics processor uh

you can click through the Nvidia control

panel that's about it so

it's not confidence inspiring it's not

explanatory enough maybe the software as

to what's going on and a nod to the

popularity of AI and the fact that

gigabyte keeps branding everything AI at

least there is a link within the

gigabyte Control Center Software go

figure it to a launching stable

diffusion so you don't have to set it up

elsewhere and it's some of the worst

image generation that I've seen I have

to admit though like I asked to make an

image of a donkey playing a banjo and I

got a two armed donkey two-headed donkey

I got a man singing to a donkey I got

all these weird things so it's not the

best iteration of AI image generation

anyway I almost wish it wasn't

there and as we go at the ups and downs

and the pros and cons of this thing

which are just all over the place

there's plenty of ports here which is

nice you got your HDMI 2.1 you have a

thunderbolt four port and a USBC 3.2 Gen

2 Port two usba a ports yay gigabit

Ethernet we still have an ethernet port

on board nice right a Micro SD card slot

which was a full sizee yada yada you

know the story but it's not and then

there's the barrel pin 240 W charger

that plugs in and doesn't go in all the

way by Design which just makes people

feel they're going to get electrocuted

or something even though the outer edge

of the barrel is usually just the

grounding sleeve on it um why design it

like that that's just not nice

you have a 1080p webcam that's okay and

it has Windows hello so you can do

facial recognition login there is no

fingerprint scanner them the speakers on

this are excellent I mean loud full they

have bass they're really surprisingly

good again there's pros and there's Cons

with this thing and they're just kind of

all over the place speakers are

definitely good no problem with those no

problem with the microphone I know I've

seen another reviewer had some problems

with those maybe that was a bad unit cuz

boy ours is it's one of the nicest

things about it also upgradeability is a

pleasant experience as you would expect

and we'll take a look at the internals

in a minute but do note that we have

Wi-Fi 7 that has been available for 2024

but we rarely actually see it

implemented in any laptops this one has

an Intel be2 200 Wi-Fi card with

Bluetooth

5.4 okay to get inside we have Torx

screws note that these two here have

little stickers over them so you're

going to have to peel those off first

not reusable rubber covers just well I

tamper indicators so it comes off pretty

easily the plastic bottom here you can

see we've got some heat thermal strips

here to help with the ssds could fit s

double-sided ssds here so here's the one

that's included you have a second SSD m.

22280 slot if you want to expand that

the Wi-Fi 7 card is here we've got

thermal goo on that too boy I guess

those cards must run hot it is a

socketed card it is removable big 99.2

hour battery there they're proud of it

they put that in a big label to let you

know uh good size stereo drivers there

and are2 RAM slots and lastly the

cooling system right here obviously a

two- fan solution with which you're

going up only to a 4070 that's more than

an adequate this might look like a vapor

chamber but I think it's just a very

nice and tidy well heat sink plate

really there doesn't seem to be any kind

of chamber that I can see involved in

here anyway obviously it's more than

adequate because the thing does run

plenty cool enough by gaming laptop

standards battery is another one of the

good parts of the story 99.2 wat hour

battery again 240 W Barrel charger that

doesn't go all the way in uh good

battery life on this better than I

expected actually given the components

inside I was able to get 7 to eight

hours of mixed productivity use with a

display set at 200 nits of brightness

for gaming laptop with these chops

they're doing something right there with

the AI Control the power management yada

yada and obviously that's with Optimus

turn on so it switches it to internal

graphics for these kinds of tasks the

keyboard is tactile but not very tactile

it feels slightly mushy to me uh the the

rigidity of the keyboard deck isn't bad

there's a little bit of flex but

everything other than the lid is made of

plastics it's okay the trackpad is glass

it's a pretty good size it seemed a

little dense sometimes it just kind of

missed things every once in a while it

wasn't my favorite trackpad let's put it

that way but it's okay the design on

this kind of reminds me of a several

years ago you you've got like gamer

taglines going on this you've got some

embossed Plastics and all that sort of

thing I leave it up to you as to how you

like the looks of it I think it looks

okay it certainly looks well gamery it

doesn't Creek it doesn't have any

problems the plastic is actually a fine

material and the lid is fairly rigid I

didn't have any problem with wobbles on

it uh but but for the price this isn't

as cheap as you might think given the

fact that there are some things like the

display concession you know and the

plastic chassis and stuff I it's

anywhere from $1,700 with an RTX 4060

and a core i7 up to around $2,100 if you

want to go with the core I9 and the 4070

we have the ineter one which is around

19949 on Amazon right now and that's the

core i7 32 gigs of RAM a terabyte SSD

and we have the 470 so it's kind of it

feels a little pricey for what you're

getting

here I'm Lisa from mobile tech review be

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