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Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA (i7-9750H, RTX 2070 Max-Q) Laptop Review

Compact powerhouse. Gigabyte's slim gaming notebook Aero 15 Classic-XA can display current games smoothly on its matte 15.6-inch screen (240 Hz, FHD, IGZO) thanks to its Core i7-9750H processor and GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU. Its other components look promising as well: an NVMe SSD, 16 GB of RAM in dual-channel mode and Thunderbolt 3.
Coffee Lake Gaming Geforce Laptop Windows

The Aero 15 Classic-XA is the newest model in Gigabyte's Aero 15 series. The Aero 15 Classic presents itself in the stylishly slim case that we already know from its predecessors. The changes are found on the inside. While the previous model was equipped with a Core i7-8750H, today's test unit features a Core i7-9750H. The 144-Hz IPS panel has also been replaced by a 240-Hz IGZO FHD display. We will be taking a look at whether these changes can be considered advantages or disadvantages in our review.

The competition includes devices such as the Razer Blade 15, the Acer Predator Triton 500, the Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX, the Schenker XMG Neo 15 and the Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICH.

Because the Aero 15 Classic-XA has the same build as the Aero 15-X9 and Aero 15X v8, we will not go into details on the case, connectivity, input devices or speakers. Please refer to the predecessor's review for further information on these aspects.

Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA (Aero 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 885 MHz, Memory: 6000 MHz, GDDR6, 256-bit bus, ForceWare 430.39, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, SO-DIMM DDR4-2666, Dual-Channel, two storage bays (both occupied), max 64 GB
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (SHP14C5), IGZO, 240 Hz, X-Rite Pantone, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8, 512 GB 
, NVMe, 2x M.2 Typ 2280 (one slot occupied)
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Cannon Point-LP PCH - cAVS (Audio, Video, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined audio jack, Card Reader: SD/SDHC/SDXC, TPM 2.0
Networking
Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (10/100/1000MBit/s), Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW) (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 356 x 250 ( = 0.75 x 14.02 x 9.84 in)
Battery
94.24 Wh, 6200 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 15.2 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2 Watt Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 230-Watt AC adapter, XSplit Gamecaster Premium (3 month trial), XSplit Broadcaster Premium (3 month trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.122 kg ( = 74.85 oz / 4.68 pounds), Power Supply: 724 g ( = 25.54 oz / 1.6 pounds)
Links
Gigabyte homepage
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

❌
362 mm / 14.3 inch 265 mm / 10.4 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg4.97 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 243 mm / 9.57 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 2.1 kg4.73 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 268 mm / 10.6 inch 15.75 mm / 0.62 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 2.1 kg4.68 lbs356 mm / 14 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 2.1 kg4.67 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
200 MB/s +2%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
197 MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (19 - 202, n=100, last 2 years)
98.4 MB/s -50%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
79 MB/s -60%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
242 MB/s 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
242 MB/s
Average of class Gaming
  (25.8 - 269, n=94, last 2 years)
121.3 MB/s -50%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
89 MB/s -63%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (885 - 1412, n=4, last 2 years)
1139 MBit/s +68%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
683 MBit/s +1%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
680 MBit/s 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
678 MBit/s
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
677 MBit/s 0%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
655 MBit/s -3%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
644 MBit/s -5%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
588 MBit/s -13%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Gaming
  (881 - 1700, n=4, last 2 years)
1379 MBit/s +98%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
696 MBit/s
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
684 MBit/s -2%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
678 MBit/s -3%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
676 MBit/s -3%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
671 MBit/s -4%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
661 MBit/s -5%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Killer Wireless-AC 1550i Wireless Network Adapter (9560NGW)
596 MBit/s -14%

Display - 240 Hz, IGZO

The matte 15.6-inch display of the Aero 15 Classic has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Its brightness (247 cd/m²) and contrast (858:1) are not particularly impressive and we would have expected more considering the device's price range. We basically consider values above 300 cd/m² and 1000:1 as acceptable. The Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX is actually the only device in our comparison field that fulfils these expectations.

The 240-Hz display in our Aero offers good response rates, although the Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX can top these as well.

Unfortunately, the display uses PWM at a frequency of 23580 Hz to regulate brightness levels below 24 percent. This frequency is quite high, however, so even sensitive users should not be affected by it.

242
cd/m²		249
cd/m²		241
cd/m²
255
cd/m²		266
cd/m²		248
cd/m²
245
cd/m²		246
cd/m²		236
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (SHP14C5) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 266 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 247.6 cd/m² Minimum: 8 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 266 cd/m²
Contrast: 858:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.78 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.91
ΔE Greyscale 3.58 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
95.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.3% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.46
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (SHP14C5), IGZO, 1920x1080, 		Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080, 		Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
LG Philips LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080, 		Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 		SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
BOEhydis NV156FHM-N4G (BOE07AF), IPS, 1920x1080, 		Acer Predator Triton 500
AU Optronics B156HAN08.2 (AUO82ED), IPS, 1920x1080, 		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
LP156WFG-SPB2, IPS, 1920x1080,
Display
-3%
-0%
-1%
-3%
-2%
-3%
Display P3 Coverage
65.3
63.5
-3%
65.3
0%
65.6
0%
63.5
-3%
64.2
-2%
63.5
-3%
sRGB Coverage
95.5
93.1
-3%
94.9
-1%
92.2
-3%
92.3
-3%
92.6
-3%
92.4
-3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.5
64.5
-3%
66.3
0%
66.9
1%
65
-2%
65.7
-1%
64.7
-3%
Response Times
-15%
-8%
34%
-14%
24%
-21%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
15.2 ?(7.6, 7.6)
16.4 ?(8.8, 7.6)
-8%
16.8 ?(9.2, 7.6)
-11%
7 ?(3.6, 3.4)
54%
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
42%
8 ?(4, 4)
47%
18.8 ?(11.6, 7.2)
-24%
Response Time Black / White *
11.2 ?(6.8, 4.4)
13.6 ?(8.4, 5.2)
-21%
11.6 ?(7.2, 4.4)
-4%
9.6 ?(4.4, 5.2)
14%
10 ?(6, 4)
11%
11.2 ?(6, 5.2)
-0%
13.2 ?(8, 5.2)
-18%
PWM Frequency
23580 ?(24)
1000 ?(99)
-96%
Screen
16%
-4%
-11%
-18%
-18%
-17%
Brightness middle
266
250
-6%
314.7
18%
323.6
22%
268
1%
304
14%
320.4
20%
Brightness
248
235
-5%
312
26%
315
27%
270
9%
299
21%
298
20%
Brightness Distribution
89
85
-4%
90
1%
91
2%
84
-6%
89
0%
85
-4%
Black Level *
0.31
0.29
6%
0.38
-23%
0.29
6%
0.24
23%
0.27
13%
0.42
-35%
Contrast
858
862
0%
828
-3%
1116
30%
1117
30%
1126
31%
763
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.78
1.46
47%
2.56
8%
3.31
-19%
4.51
-62%
4.66
-68%
3.21
-15%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.96
2.47
59%
4.89
18%
5.74
4%
9.58
-61%
9.65
-62%
5.54
7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.91
1.71
-88%
2.73
-200%
1.57
-73%
1.72
-89%
2.36
-159%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.58
1.27
65%
3.4
5%
2.9
19%
5.36
-50%
5.53
-54%
3.6
-1%
Gamma
2.46 89%
2.4 92%
2.3 96%
2.29 96%
2.51 88%
2.5 88%
2.27 97%
CCT
7186 90%
6749 96%
6435 101%
6765 96%
7826 83%
8028 81%
6503 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
62
60
-3%
60.7
-2%
59.7
-4%
59
-5%
60
-3%
59
-5%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
96
93
-3%
94.6
-1%
91.8
-4%
92
-4%
93
-3%
92
-4%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-1% / 8%
-4% / -4%
7% / -3%
-12% / -15%
1% / -10%
-14% / -15%

* ... smaller is better

The color display is already good at factory settings (active X-Rite Pantone). We measured a DeltaE-2000 color deviation of 2.78, which is within the ideal range of DeltaE below 3. The display does not have a blue cast. Our own calibration improved the colors even more with the deviation dropping to 0.91. Grayscales are also displayed more evenly. Users can download our color profile above and adjust the colors of their screen according to our calibration.

The color spaces AdobeRGB and sRGB are not covered entirely at 62 percent and 96 percent, respectively. The Aero 15 Classic models that are equipped with a 4K screen should offer better color space coverage. Gigabyte actually claims 100 percent AdobeRGB coverage for those panels.  

CalMAN: grayscales (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: grayscales (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: color saturation (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: color saturation (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: colors (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: colors (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN: grayscales (after calibration)
CalMAN: color saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: color saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN: colors (after calibration)
CalMAN: colors (after calibration)
Aero 15 Classic-XA vs. sRGB (96%)
Aero 15 Classic-XA vs. sRGB (96%)
Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Aero 15 Classic-XA vs. AdobeRGB (62%)
Aero 15 Classic-XA vs. AdobeRGB (62%)

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
11.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 6.8 ms rise
↘ 4.4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 25 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
15.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7.6 ms rise
↘ 7.6 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 24 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 23580 Hz ≤ 24 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 23580 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 24 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 23580 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Gigabyte has equipped the Aero with an IGZO panel with stable viewing angles. This means that screen content can be read from every angle. The low luminosity makes it rather difficult to read the screen outdoors.

Outdoor use in the sun
Outdoor use in the sun
Outdoor use in the sun
Outdoor use in the sun
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - room for improvement

Gigabyte has created the Aero 15 Classic as a compact mobile 15.6-inch gaming notebook. It can display all current games smoothly and also does a good job in other areas. Our test unit is currently available for around $2,700.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
Intel XTU

Testing Conditions

The preinstalled Gigabyte Control Center lets users set an energy profile. We used the "auto" setting (with the AI function activated), which enables the Control Center to choose the suitable settings itself. We used the Windows energy profiles for our battery runtime tests.

Processor

The Aero 15 is equipped with a six-core Intel Core i7-9750H processor (Coffee Lake Refresh), which is the successor of the Core i7-8750H. This CPU has a TDP of 45 watts and 9750H clocks at a base rate of 2.6 GHz. It can reach a turbo of 4 GHz (six cores), 4.1 GHz (five cores), 4.2 GHz (four cores), 4.3 GHz (three cores), 4.4 GHz (two cores) and 4.5 GHz (one core).

Technically speaking, the difference between the i7-8750H and the i7-9750H is not particularly big. Both chips are based on Coffee Lake. However, the 9750H has a larger L3 cache (12 MB instead of 9 MB). Both CPUs offer the same performance-per-MHz.

The i7-9750H should offer slightly more processing power than the i7-8750H due to its higher clock rates. However, this is only true for the benchmarks that do not max out the processor for a prolonged period - for example the GeekBench benchmarks. The CPU cannot reach its full potential during our CineBench benchmarks.

The processor clocks at between 2.6 and 4.0 GHz (average 3.5 GHz) during our Cinebench R15 Multi Thread benchmark and between 4.0 and 4.2 GHz during the single-thread test. This is when the device runs on power supply. The clock rates drop slightly on battery with a maximum of 3.4 GHz (multi thread) and 4.1 GHz (single thread).

Single-core rendering
Single-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
Multi-core rendering
GPU load
GPU load

We ran the Cinebench R15 Multi Thread in a loop for 30 minutes to find out how the CPU turbo fares under prolonged load. The results drop significantly between the first and second run and then continue to drop slowly but steadily throughout the remainder of the test.

Surprisingly, the results are significantly below those of the Aero 15-X9 equipped with a Core i7-750H. The latter's average speed was around 10 percent higher than that of our test unit.

065130195260325390455520585650715780845910975104011051170Tooltip
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1007 (976.09-1115.02)
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1095 (1087.31-1156.25)
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø922 (913.2-999)
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1072 (986.63-1110.9)
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø994 (961.98-1074.38)
Acer Predator Triton 500 Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø980 (961.82-1019.05)
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1183 (1168.7-1209.56)
CPU clock rates during the CB15 loop
CPU clock rates during the CB15 loop
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6704
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
33694
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
9464
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
175 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1115 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
109.8 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help
Cinebench R15 | Cinebench R10 | Cinebench R20 | Geekbench 3 | Geekbench 4.4 | Mozilla Kraken 1.1 | Octane V2 | WebXPRT 3 | JetStream 1.1
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 318, n=231, last 2 years)
268 Points +53%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Intel Core i7-8750H
176 Points +1%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
175 Points
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points -1%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
174 Points -1%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-8750H
173 Points -1%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H
168 Points -4%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
166 Points -5%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=232, last 2 years)
3090 Points +177%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-8750H
1238 Points +11%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
1156 Points +4%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H
1122 Points +1%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
1115 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
1079 Points -3%
Acer Predator Triton 500
Intel Core i7-8750H
1019 Points -9%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H
999 Points -10%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (5719 - 15819, n=24, last 2 years)
9030 Points +35%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
6704 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
6645 Points -1%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
6351 Points -5%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Gaming
  (32456 - 112749, n=24, last 2 years)
58921 Points +75%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
33923 Points +1%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
33694 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
31800 Points -6%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 855, n=228, last 2 years)
698 Points +63%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
429 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
418 Points -3%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=228, last 2 years)
7423 Points +206%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
2427 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
2340 Points -4%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
23246 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
21659 Points -7%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
21358 Points -8%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
4166 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
4139 Points -1%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
3741 Points -10%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Gaming
  (31241 - 71700, n=26, last 2 years)
48889 Points +109%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
23396 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
20592 Points -12%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
18716 Points -20%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Gaming
  (5986 - 8936, n=26, last 2 years)
7580 Points +45%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H
5218 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H
5123 Points -2%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H
4810 Points -8%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44)
1138 ms * -6%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44.17763.1.0)
1126 ms * -5%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44)
1122 ms * -5%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-8750H (Microsoft Edge 44.17763.1.0)
1119 ms * -4%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 42.17134.1.0)
1103 ms * -3%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H (Edge 44)
1072 ms *
Average of class Gaming
  (421 - 824, n=210, last 2 years)
520 ms * +51%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Gaming
  (69893 - 111243, n=52, last 2 years)
92245 Points +155%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H (Edge 44)
36178 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44)
35120 Points -3%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-8750H (Microsoft Edge 44.17763.1.0)
34062 Points -6%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44)
33659 Points -7%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 42.17134.1.0)
33637 Points -7%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44.17763.1.0)
30594 Points -15%
WebXPRT 3 - Overall
Average of class Gaming
  (215 - 480, n=194, last 2 years)
300 Points +31%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H (Edge 44)
229 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Gaming
  (357 - 650, n=27, last 2 years)
493 Points +98%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44.17763.1.0)
255.9 Points +3%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44)
255.5 Points +2%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 42.17134.1.0)
250.7 Points +1%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Intel Core i7-8750H (Microsoft Edge 44.17763.1.0)
250.2 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel Core i7-9750H (Edge 44)
249.4 Points
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel Core i7-8750H (Edge 44)
245.4 Points -2%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The PCMark results are very good and confirm that our test unit offers sufficient processing power for all usual areas of use. The device can easily handle gaming, video editing and image processing. Thanks to the combination of a six-core processor, an NVMe SSD and dual-channel RAM the Aero 15 Classic can offer a fast and smooth system.

PC Mark 10
PC Mark 10
PCMark 7 Score
6854 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4851 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5574 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
6035 points
PCMark 10 Score
5697 points
Help
PCMark 10 | PCMark 8
PCMark 10 - Score
Average of class Gaming
  (5235 - 9852, n=197, last 2 years)
7580 Points +33%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5941 Points +4%
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-256G-1014 (RAID 0)
5883 Points +3%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
5697 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1TB
5651 Points -1%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5492 Points -4%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5416 Points -5%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8
5353 Points -6%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4166 - 6653, n=34, last 2 years)
5222 Points +8%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5115 Points +5%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
4851 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1TB
4582 Points -6%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8
4338 Points -11%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4150 Points -14%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
3979 Points -18%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Gaming
  (4622 - 7085, n=32, last 2 years)
6048 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
6035 Points
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5852 Points -3%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1TB
5679 Points -6%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8
5645 Points -6%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5607 Points -7%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8
5289 Points -12%

Storage Devices

The M.2 2280 NVMe SSD comes from Intel and has a capacity of 512 GB. Users have 427 GB available after the initial set-up. The remaining space is taken up by the Windows OS and Recovery partition. Thanks to its PCIe interface, the SSD has very good transfer rates. NVMe drives are usually significantly faster than SATA III storage devices (maximum of 600 MB/s). Users who are interested in expanding storage capacity will be happy to find a free M.2 2280 storage bay inside the device. This can be connected to a SATA III or an NVMe SSD.

CrystalDiskMark 3.0
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
hddimg
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8
Sequential Read: 2478 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1190 MB/s
512K Read: 1611 MB/s
512K Write: 1163 MB/s
4K Read: 73.1 MB/s
4K Write: 194.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 611 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 457.1 MB/s
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8		Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8		Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8		SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1TB		Acer Predator Triton 500
2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-256G-1014 (RAID 0)		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-15%
-13%
-33%
-6%
7%
-20%
Write 4K
115.5
97.1
-16%
93.9
-19%
93.9
-19%
92.5
-20%
93.6
-19%
81
-30%
Read 4K
58
53.7
-7%
40.56
-30%
46.29
-20%
40.45
-30%
38.82
-33%
36.03
-38%
Write Seq
1555
1526
-2%
1468
-6%
974
-37%
1197
-23%
2455
58%
1687
8%
Read Seq
2590
2020
-22%
1540
-41%
1425
-45%
1018
-61%
2107
-19%
1835
-29%
Write 4K Q32T1
369.3
285.6
-23%
293.5
-21%
259.4
-30%
288.6
-22%
298.7
-19%
205.3
-44%
Read 4K Q32T1
441.7
321.8
-27%
346
-22%
296.5
-33%
332
-25%
338.7
-23%
229
-48%
Write Seq Q32T1
1547
1533
-1%
1941
25%
977
-37%
3317
114%
2902
88%
1683
9%
Read Seq Q32T1
2969
2351
-21%
3266
10%
1666
-44%
3515
18%
3536
19%
3363
13%

Graphics Performance

The Aero 15 is equipped with a dedicated GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q from Nvidia. This is the more efficient version of the regular RTX 2070 that is made with thin-and-light notebooks in mind. The chip in our test unit reached a maximum speed of 1785 MHz. However, the GPU did not manage to keep this speed up for long. We measured an average rate of 1080 MHz during our benchmarks. The GPU has an 8192-MB GDDR6 VRAM available.

The results of the various 3DMark benchmarks are normal for this GPU. The device uses Nvidia's graphics switching solution Optimus, which means that the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 is also used for certain applications.

Fire Strike Ultra
Fire Strike Ultra
Time Spy
Time Spy
Port Royal
Port Royal
3DMark 06 Standard Score
35193 points
3DMark 11 Performance
18171 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
113186 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
35891 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
15494 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
6639 points
Help
3DMark | 3DMark 11
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (781 - 53059, n=235, last 2 years)
29450 Points +70%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
21237 Points +23%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
18153 Points +5%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
17598 Points +2%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
17335 Points
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
16989 Points -2%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
16589 Points -4%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Gaming
  (224 - 22547, n=233, last 2 years)
12063 Points +80%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
8171 Points +22%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6728 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6716 Points
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6562 Points -2%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6460 Points -4%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
6368 Points -5%
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Gaming
  (1029 - 72070, n=231, last 2 years)
40470 Points +84%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
28997 Points +32%
Acer Predator Triton 500
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q
28083 Points +28%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
22723 Points +3%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
22089 Points 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
22005 Points
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
21860 Points -1%
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
21723 Points -1%

Gaming Performance

The Aero 15's hardware can display all current games in our database smoothly at Full-HD resolution and high or even maximum details. The GPU can also display resolutions above Full HD if you connect a suitable external monitor, although this requires the quality settings to be tuned down - particularly if we are talking about 4K resolution.

The Aero 15 Classic offers higher refresh rates than the Aero 15-X9, which is equipped with the same GPU. This is because the RAM in our Aero 15 X9 test unit was limited to single-channel mode. Had we inserted a second RAM module in the Aero 15 X9 the refresh rate would probably be the same.

The Witcher 3 | BioShock Infinite | Far Cry 5
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Average of class Gaming
  (8.61 - 216, n=226, last 2 years)
117.1 fps +83%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
80.3 fps +25%
Acer Predator Triton 500
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
76.5 (63min) fps +19%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
68.9 fps +7%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
64.1 fps
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
63.8 fps 0%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
58.3 (48min) fps -9%
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
57 fps -11%
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
211 fps +40%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H
166 fps +10%
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
152.5 fps +1%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
150.3 fps
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
148.5 fps -1%
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
127.7 fps -15%
Far Cry 5 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T
Average of class Gaming
  (14 - 218, n=125, last 2 years)
126.3 fps +42%
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H
89 fps
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H
67 fps -25%

We ran the game "The Witcher 3" at Full HD resolution and maximum settings for around an hour to find out whether the refresh rates remain stable over a prolonged period. We did not move the character at all during this period. The frame rate never fell to an unacceptable level, but we did note two short drops in the frame rate during our test.

05101520253035404550556065707580Tooltip
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8: Ø63 (1-68)
Gigabyte Aero 15-X9 GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW010T8: Ø51.3 (44-61)
Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ: Ø62.2 (57-70)
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8: Ø72.3 (68-77)
SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1TB: Ø63.9 (59-68)
Acer Predator Triton 500 GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, i7-8750H, 2x WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-256G-1014 (RAID 0): Ø76.1 (70-81)
Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ: Ø56.9 (51-61)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 321.3 279.3 238 150.3
The Witcher 3 (2015) 273.1 189.2 113.2 64.1
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 117.6 87.9 62.9
World of Tanks enCore (2018) 490.3 218.9 129.1
Far Cry 5 (2018) 127 100 95 89
Forza Horizon 4 (2018) 150 121 118 98
Far Cry New Dawn (2019) 113 93 87 79
Metro Exodus (2019) 128.8 79.8 56.3 47.7
The Division 2 (2019) 147 108 87 70
Anno 1800 (2019) 92 82.1 68.1 34

Emissions - loud and hot under load

System Noise

The fan of the Aero runs slowly but continuously while idling with regular changes in the RPM. Nonetheless, the noise it produces is acceptable. It would be possible to run the system silently while idling by choosing the "Quiet" setting in the Gigabyte Control Center. However, this would also have an impact on the available processing power. Therefore, this is mainly suitable when doing office jobs.

The fan noise is very audible under load. We measured 55 dB(A) during our stress test and 53 dB(A) during our "Witcher 3" test, which makes it almost impossible to play games without headphones. The fan turns up high under load but often calms down again after a while. Overall, the Aero 15 Classic is louder than its sibling Aero 15-X9 with the same build. 

System noise while idling
System noise while idling
System noise under load
System noise under load
System noise speakers
System noise speakers

Noise Level

Idle
31 / 34 / 39 dB(A)
Load
46 / 55 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
  
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30 dB(A)
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q		SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Acer Predator Triton 500
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
Noise
6%
16%
3%
2%
8%
13%
off / environment *
30
30
-0%
28.8
4%
28.7
4%
30
-0%
29
3%
28
7%
Idle Minimum *
31
32
-3%
28.8
7%
29.8
4%
30
3%
30
3%
32.6
-5%
Idle Average *
34
34
-0%
28.8
15%
32.4
5%
32
6%
32
6%
32.7
4%
Idle Maximum *
39
36
8%
29.4
25%
38
3%
35
10%
34
13%
32.7
16%
Load Average *
46
42
9%
35.7
22%
38.2
17%
47
-2%
44
4%
33.3
28%
Witcher 3 ultra *
53
44
17%
42.5
20%
56.6
-7%
53
-0%
46
13%
41.6
22%
Load Maximum *
55
48
13%
45
18%
56.6
-3%
55
-0%
47
15%
45.2
18%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark running for at least an hour) has slightly different results depending on whether the Aero 15 is running on power supply or in battery mode. When connected to the grid, the processor clocks at 2.4 GHz for the first 36-37 minutes while the GPU works at 885 MHz. The clock rates then throttle to 1.8 GHz (CPU) and 555 MHz (GPU). The processor behaves similarly on battery while the GPU continuously jumps between 300 MHz and 1365 MHz. The stress test is an extreme scenario which will not occur during everyday use. We use the test to find out whether the system remains stable under maximum load.

The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3
Stress test (Phase I)
Stress test (Phase I)
Stress test (Phase II)
Stress test (Phase II)

The device heats up significantly under load. We measured temperatures above 50 °C and sometimes 60 °C (~140 °F) during the stress test and the results are similar during our "Witcher 3" test (with the game running in Full HD resolution and maximum settings for one hour). The temperature is fine during everyday use.

Maximum load top
Maximum load top
Maximum load bottom
Maximum load bottom
Max. Load
 57 °C
135 F		58 °C
136 F		58 °C
136 F		 
 42 °C
108 F		50 °C
122 F		44 °C
111 F		 
 37 °C
99 F		40 °C
104 F		39 °C
102 F		 
Maximum: 58 °C = 136 F
Average: 47.2 °C = 117 F
63 °C
145 F		64 °C
147 F		53 °C
127 F
57 °C
135 F		56 °C
133 F		41 °C
106 F
40 °C
104 F		41 °C
106 F		37 °C
99 F
Maximum: 64 °C = 147 F
Average: 50.2 °C = 122 F
Power Supply (max.)  38 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 47.2 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 58 °C / 136 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 64 °C / 147 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.1 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 45.4 °C / 114 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 40 °C / 104 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-11.1 °C / -20 F).
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q		SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Acer Predator Triton 500
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
Heat
6%
17%
10%
-2%
2%
9%
Maximum Upper Side *
58
56
3%
49
16%
47
19%
58
-0%
49
16%
37.6
35%
Maximum Bottom *
64
66
-3%
49
23%
48.6
24%
68
-6%
58
9%
45.2
29%
Idle Upper Side *
30
27
10%
25.4
15%
28.8
4%
30
-0%
33
-10%
32.2
-7%
Idle Bottom *
31
27
13%
27.2
12%
33.2
-7%
31
-0%
33
-6%
37.2
-20%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2043.345.52539.640.63132.434.94034.435.55027.228.86329.332.38027.732.210026.832.512523.434.216022.74920022.958.325023.562.131519.962.240019.762.450019.260.263017.967.58001871.9100017.871125018.975.2160017.871.6200017.470.1250017.768.5315017.770.9400017.869.3500017.562.4630017.564.6800017.467.71000017.366.71250017.367.61600017.362.6SPL30.281.9N1.453.1median 17.8median 66.7Delta1.55.538.841.439.537.736.840.33939.938.137.734.638.733.844.233.744.332.246.131.95433.154.530.260.63066.228.670.527.371.626.967.726.566.426.568.726.363.526.265.926.161.226.159.92657.125.95925.859.225.758.325.851.925.64925.646.325.542.438.576.13.438.5median 26.3median 59.21.38.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseGigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XARazer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 32% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 61% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 19% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (71.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 7.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 84% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 67% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 26% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - slightly improved runtimes

Power Consumption

The Aero 15 Classic consumes significantly more power than the Aero 15-X9 over the entire load range. We measured a maximum consumption of 32 watts while idling. Consumption increased to 213 watts during the stress test. Gaming does not require the same amount of power and we measured a consumption of 148 watts during our "Witcher 3" test. The rated output of the device's AC adapter is 230 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.8 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 21 / 23 / 32 Watt
Load midlight 97 / 213 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q		SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q		Acer Predator Triton 500
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q
Power Consumption
21%
26%
6%
23%
9%
5%
Idle Minimum *
21
16
24%
10.4
50%
16.1
23%
13
38%
16
24%
22.9
-9%
Idle Average *
23
18
22%
14.6
37%
20.9
9%
16
30%
22
4%
27.2
-18%
Idle Maximum *
32
23
28%
16.3
49%
27
16%
21
34%
32
-0%
27.5
14%
Load Average *
97
88
9%
88.5
9%
93.4
4%
84
13%
89
8%
83.4
14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
148
120
19%
155.4
-5%
168.2
-14%
135
9%
147
1%
143.6
3%
Load Maximum *
213
167
22%
182.4
14%
215.3
-1%
183
14%
173
19%
160.5
25%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtimes

The Aero 15 Classic reaches a runtime of 7:01 h during our realistic Wi-Fi test in which we simulate browsing the web with the help of a script. The Windows energy profile is set to balanced and the display brightness to around 150 cd/m². Our video test lasts 6:48 h on this 15.6-inch device. This test includes running the short film Big Buck Bunny (encoded to H.264 at 1920 x 1080 pixels) in a loop with the wireless module deactivated and display brightness set to 150 cd/m².

Although we measured a higher power consumption than on the Aero 15-X9, the battery runtimes are slightly better in our realistic tests. This could be due to the IGZO display from Sharp. These screens require less power than comparable panels. However, our test unit cannot get close to the brilliant runtimes offered by the Aero 15X v8.  

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
9h 05min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44)
7h 01min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 48min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 01min
Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 94.24 Wh		Gigabyte Aero 15-X9
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 94.24 Wh		Gigabyte Aero 15X v8
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q, 94.24 Wh		Razer Blade 15 RTX 2070 Max-Q
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 80 Wh		Asus Zephyrus S GX531GX
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 50 Wh		SCHENKER XMG Neo 15 Turing
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 62.3 Wh		Acer Predator Triton 500
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 82 Wh		Lenovo Legion Y740-15ICHg
i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 57 Wh
Battery Runtime
-6%
18%
-11%
-57%
-32%
-50%
-64%
Reader / Idle
545
549
1%
762
40%
682
25%
412
-24%
335
-39%
235
-57%
H.264
408
364
-11%
504
24%
292
-28%
WiFi v1.3
421
382
-9%
513
22%
387
-8%
181
-57%
304
-28%
190
-55%
166
-61%
Load
181
174
-4%
156
-14%
88
-51%
93
-49%
81
-55%
46
-75%

Pros

+ X-Rite Pantone
+ 240-Hz-screen
+ compact & light case
+ high-quality materials
+ narrow bezels
+ RGB backlighting
+ simple design
+ useful tools
+ NVMe SSD
+ free M.2 2280 bay
+ Thunderbolt 3
+ very fast card reader

Cons

- screen is relatively dark
- loud under load
- unusual fan noise pattern
- high temperatures
- speakers could be better
- CPU does not reach full potential

Verdict

The Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA-7DE5250P, test unit provided by Gigabyte Germany.
The Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA-7DE5250P, test unit provided by Gigabyte Germany.

Judging by the exterior, the Aero 15 Classic has not really changed compared to its predecessor Aero 15-X9. The real changes are on the inside: The notebook is equipped with a brand-new six-core Core i7-9750H, the successor of the Core i7-8750H. 

The new Core i7-9750H cannot offer any real improvements.

It cannot make real use of its slightly higher working memory and the results are often on par with those of the i7-8750H. On top of that, performance drops continuously under high load, which we measured with our CineBench R15 loop. We assume that the cooling system and processor were not very well aligned.

Nonetheless, the combination of a Core i7-9750H and a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q manages to display all current games smoothly on the matte Full HD screen. Games can be played at high to maximum settings. The fast NVMe SSD enables smooth system performance and the device also has a free slot for a second M.2 2280 SSD. 

The other thing that has been changed is the screen of the Aero 15 Classic. While the Aero 15-X9 was equipped with a 144-Hz IPS display, Gigabyte has given the Aero 15 Classic a 240-Hz IGZO panel, made by Sharp. This new panel offers stable viewing angles, short response times and of course, great colors. We were disappointed by the brightness and contrast ratio, however. These were very low considering the device's price range. The battery runtimes are great for a gaming notebook.

Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA - 05/14/2020 v7
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
68 / 80 → 85%
Weight
62 / 10-66 → 93%
Battery
71 / 95 → 75%
Display
86%
Games Performance
92%
Application Performance
88%
Temperature
71 / 95 → 75%
Noise
63 / 90 → 70%
Audio
82%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
75%
84%
Gaming - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA (i7-9750H, RTX 2070 Max-Q) Laptop Review
Sascha Mölck, 2019-05-17 (Update: 2019-05-18)