With the mobile version of Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060, you can achieve respectable performance in modern games. Because of this, the GTX 1060 is a popular choice for thin and light laptops such as the Razer Blade or MSI GS63VR Stealth Pro. There aren’t many thin, light, and powerful systems on the market, though, so every new addition to the segment is a welcome one.
The Gigabyte Aero 14 was one such system, but it appealed to a smaller audience of gamers because of its 14-inch display. To remedy this, Gigabyte has announced the Aero 15, which features a wider 15-inch display, but as Gigabyte describes it, maintains “14-inch-like” dimensions. It does so because of the display’s 5mm thin bezel. The overall dimensions measure are about 13.1 x 9.8 x 0.78 inches, and it weighs in at under 5 lbs, making it portable enough to carry in a bag.
Besides gaming, Gigabyte aims to make the Aero 15 ideal about productivity. Thunderbolt 3 grants the new Aero up to 40Gbps of bandwidth (minus the overhead penalty), which is useful if you intend to pair it with an external graphics dock. Additionally, you can daisy chain two 5K monitors; this, along with a Mini DisplayPort 1.3 and HDMI 2.0 port, allow the Aero to run up to four monitors.
To compete with the thin-and-light class, Gigabyte has to deliver in the aesthetics department. To do so, the Aero 15 took design cues from its predecessor: near the hinge, you’ll find a surface stylized using nanoimprint lithography. Color-wise, the Aero 15 comes in black, black on orange, and green. Additionally, the RGB per-key backlit keyboard features full customization, with 13 different lighting effects and 5 custom modes.
The Gigabyte Aero 15 is available now on Newegg.
| Gigabyte Aero 15 | |
|---|---|
| Display | FHD (1920×1080) or UHD (3840×2160) WVA, 5mm thin bezel, X-Rite Pantone certified |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-7700HQ |
| Memory | Up to 32GB of DDR4-2400 |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 |
| Storage | M.2 2280 x 2 (SATA3 or PCIe 3.0 x4) |
| Battery | 94Wh |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 13.1 x 9.8 x 0.78 inches |
| Weight | 4.62 |
| Price | $1,900 |
