Review: Gigabyte Aero 14W v7

by Parm Mann on 6 February 2017, 16:00

Tags: Gigabyte (TPE:2376), Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

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Conclusion

...this 14in machine has power where it counts and delivers an impressive collection of hardware in a petite form factor measuring less than 20mm thick.

The Gigabyte Aero 14 is a potent and portable laptop designed for working gamers with deep pockets.

Armed with a latest-generation Core i7-7700HQ processor and GeForce GTX 1060 graphics, this 14in machine has power where it counts and delivers an impressive collection of hardware in a petite form factor measuring less than 20mm thick. Generous battery life adds to the appeal, as does as a spacious and ultra-fast 512GB M.2 SSD, and there's an enjoyable QHD IPS display to round-out the package.

The ability to function effectively as both an everyday workhorse as well as a mobile gaming rig make it an attractive proposition, and anyone who is deterred by the outlandish appearance of rival solutions is likely to appreciate Gigabyte's refined approach. There's still room for improvement - the display hinge could be more rigid and the trackpad isn't great - but the positives easily outweigh these minor issues.

Bottom line: Aero 14 does a commendable job of balancing the work-play lifestyle and stands out as a viable candidate for anyone seeking genuine gaming potential in a slim-and-light profile.

The Good
 
The Bad
Core i7-7700HQ and GeForce GTX 1060
Fast and spacious 512GB SSD
Good selection of I/O ports
Enjoyable QHD IPS display
Respectable battery life
Sleek for a gaming laptop
 
Pricey at £1,800
Display prone to wobble
Erratic trackpad



Gigabyte Aero 14

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The Gigabyte Aero 14 gaming laptop is available to purchase from Scan Computers.

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HEXUS Forums :: 8 Comments

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Respectable battery life? That's damn near incredible in my opinion. Razer should take note and get this battery in their 1080p Blade. Could you imagine? If Gigabyte can do it, so can they.
Looks fantastic, ticks lots of my boxes - but the price!

By the time I've saved up for this, AMD might have finally delivered enough competition to the market leaders in laptop-friendly CPUs and GPUs that prices become more affordable.

It's also a shame that it's still not yet possible to have long battery life (when not needing ultimate GPU performance) whilst having discrete-level GPU capability and working adaptive sync for the display.
chinf
It's also a shame that it's still not yet possible to have long battery life (when not needing ultimate GPU performance) whilst having discrete-level GPU capability and working adaptive sync for the display.

It seems like a problem you could fix. Why not have some sort of hardware switch to go from discrete to onboard graphics? Almost like an internal Razer Core-like setup.
So its a laptop for lazy, lardy arsed chair sitters rather than hard grafters.
This looks awesome. Now, if only Gigabyte would get around to selling laptops here in Norway. Come on. Heck, we even use the same keyboard layout as the UK - all they'd have to change is the print on the keycaps and the lead from the power brick to the wall …