GIGABYTE AORUS 17G Gaming Laptop Review
AORUS always focusses on quality and applies a philosophy to tune every detail when designing and building our machines, cutting the aluminium alloy body precisely and thanks to CNC Anodized technology creates the strong and beautiful GIGABYTE AORUS 17G Gaming laptop. Not only does AORUS 17G come equipped with premium tactile feedback key switches, but is also rich with Gaming features throughout its design.
This the first gaming laptop I have had my hands on for a long time. I was a little blown away by the size, as this isn’t a slimline laptop. Coming in at around 26mm thick, it’s bigger than the previous laptops I have used. The chassis of the AORUS laptop is made with aluminium and was designed and carved through the method of CNC to create a tighter, more robust fitting chassis. The extra power given by the additional size is well worth it. GIGABYTE has used that space to their advantage and packed some killer hardware inside.
For the XB unit, we got an Intel Core™ i7-10875H, which can be overclocked to 5.1GHz. There’s a base clock of 2.3 GHz, 16 MB of L3 cache and a 45W TDP. Intel is touting the chip’s ability to push up to 5.1 GHz on a single-core (up from 4.8 GHz). This is achievable with Thermal Velocity Boost. Giving the processor 200 MHz of extra frequency when running below 65C, and 100 MHz when running below 85C. If the CPU isn’t running nice and cool, the actual maximum turbo frequency tops out at 4.9 GHz. This is also perfect for 4K gaming, video editing or rendering.
The memory used was 3,200MHz DDR4, but from what I could see was only operating at 2,933MHz. I wasn’t able to easily change this, so it may be something that can change in the future. I was happy to see the use of NVMe SSD, though 512GB is a little small. But, you can add more storage if needed.
The graphics are handled by the RTX 2070 Super. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The GPU is operating at a frequency of 930 MHz, which can be boosted up to 1155 MHz. NVIDIA has paired 8 GB GDDR6 memory with the GeForce RTX 2070, which are connected using a 256-bit memory interface. This will have you covered for a long time, and handle Ray Tracing in real-time.
Gigabyte Aorus 17G XB specs:
- Processor: Intel Core i7 10875H
- Graphics: RTX 2070 Super Max-Q
- Memory: 16GB DDR4-2933
- Display: 17.3-inch IPS 240Hz
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Storage: 512GB NVMe PCIe 3.0
- Battery: 94Whr
- Connectivity: 1x Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C), 3x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x mini DP 1.4, 1x Headphone out, 1x Microphone in, 1x UHS-II SD Card Reader, 1x Killer E2600 RJ-45
- OS: Windows 10 Home 64-Bit
- Dimensions: 15.9 x 10.9 x 1.02 in
- Weight: 5.95lbs (2.7Kg)
I was a little disappointed that the screen was only 1080p, but then a smile crept over my face when I saw the 240Hz refresh rate. Games that require lightning-quick reflexes need a good refresh rate. I found spending time on the game settings will get you high frame rates. The Intel processor means I can plug this into 3 4K monitors and go to town. Industry-leading X-RITE Pantone® certified each AORUS 17G display, with an accuracy of Delta E<1.
The positioning of the webcam is a little bit of a letdown. It’s below the screen pointing up but does have a nice little privacy slider built-in. My only complaint is that its not a good angle, as its pointing up your nose. But, you do get a nice slim bezel from it.
OK, so here we go. The keyboard! OMG! This is such a nice mechanical keyboard. The mechanical keyboard ensures that every command registers instantly through a shorter trigger distance. Plus, the solid tactile feel and clicky sound offer clear and instant feedback. AORUS uses OMRON switches, which use gold plated contact points. Not only does the gold plated contact points transfer signals more effectively, but it also combats deterioration from friction. Each key has an LED which can be customised individually. Each key can display 16.7 million colours. Also, provide 19+ modes of lighting effects, such as Cycling, Breath, Star shooting, Crash, and Turn on Full mode…etc
Typing is a joy, with gaming being even better. Though I would recommend a gaming mouse, as the trackpad and keyboard don’t work that well together. But for navigating windows, writing up reviews, that combo works great. The trackpad features gestures of up to four fingers worth, allowing for a multitude of options. There is also a fingerprint reader in the top left corner, giving me a quick login.
Benchmarks
- Cinebench R20: 3,435 pts (Multi)
- Cinebench R20: 470 cb (Single)
- Geekbench 5: 7,398
- CrystalDiskMark Q32 Sequential (Read): 2,785MB/s
- CrystalDiskMark Q32 Sequential (Write): 2,987MB/s
- Control (RTX): 55fps
- Fortnite (RTX): 70fps
- Metro Exodus (RTX): 50ps
Though this may not be able to match the specs of desktop machines, the GIGABYTE AORUS 17G will still fight its corner. Every game I installed gave me smooth gaming at 1080p, this was at the Ultra/High settings. Turning on RTX will mean that you will have to switch down the settings slightly, but games like Control, Fortnite and Metro Exodus all gave me a fluid gaming experience, at around 50-60fps.
While testing out the games I did have a listen to the fan volume, and it wasn’t noticeable at all. During performance heavy sessions the CPU stayed under 75c, and the GPU hovered around 70c – 75c. Battery life is around what I could come to expect. Playing Fortnite I got around two hours before I got a warning. But then typing up a review I got around seven hours.
This is equipped with the latest WINDFORCE Infinity Cooling System. This will help cooling efficiency up by 37%. Helping keep the laptop quiet during gaming marathons.
I am a huge fan of the design of this laptop. I love the racecar aesthetic, with the grill along the top of the keyboard and the slight raise of each side with vents.
Overall, the GIGABYTE AORUS 17G Gaming laptop is a beast. Gaming is buttery smooth, with no real issues. Every current-gen game I throw at it will play with a solid FPS. Finally, check out our site for other reviews. Also, don’t forget to connect with the Jabba Reviews team on Facebook or Twitter.
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