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MagyarGigabyte Aero 15 XA Laptop Review: With OLED panel and 4K in a new design
In the past, Gigabyte was always able to score a positive point for its compact case. However, in the Aero 15 Y9 and Aero 15 Classic XA models, we could also see the disadvantages of this design in the form of high temperatures. At first glance, the updated design is just as compact as before, and we will see how well the cooling was designed here.
Inside our test unit, an Intel Core i7-9750H and 16 GB of working memory ensure a smoothly running system. In addition, there are a 512 GB SSD and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q to handle the display of graphical contents.
In our test, the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA must also compete against comparable notebooks from the competitors. We select the Medion Erazer X15805, the Aorus 15-W9, the Asus ROG Zephyrus S GX502GW, and the MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG. You can add other notebooks from our database for comparison underneath each of our comparison charts.
Case - A notebook with a webcam that can be covered
Gigabyte continues to use aluminum in the case of the Aero 15, so the high-value impression and good stability remain. The base unit cannot be warped even with the use of stronger force. However, the lid shows some slight give, when it is opened with one hand.
The Aero 15 OLED XA is available in the colors black and silver, with our black test unit proving itself to be very susceptible to fingerprints and dirt. The webcam continues to be placed below the display, but now a mechanical cover protects it from unwanted views. Dust can also gather quickly here, and it is difficult to remove it with the sliding mechanism.
The dimensions of the Gigabyte Aero 15 remain almost unchanged by the redesign of the case. Only the thickness of the case is now specified as 20 mm (~0.79 in), instead of 19 mm (0.75 in) compared to the Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic XA.
Equipment - Gigabyte Aero 15 offers Thunderbolt and USB Type-C
While the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA offers a large amount of connections, it forgoes a Mini-DisplayPort. Instead, the gaming notebook now offers a USB-3.1 Gen1 port in the Type-C format with DisplayPort-1.4 support in addition to the Thunderbolt 3 port. The card reader and Gigabit-LAN continue to be included, offering many connection options to the user.
However, the connections have been moved significantly towards the front, making it possible for the plugs and cables to be in the way on the left as well as the right side. Under some circumstances, it might become tight for an external mouse that is supposed to sit next to the laptop.
SD Card Reader
The SD card reader of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA does not swallow inserted storage cards completely, but they stick out of the case by about 1 cm (~0.4 in). Using our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference storage card, the card reader achieves very good read and write rates, which are sufficient for second place in our test field. However, some of the competitors do not include a storage card reader.
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Average of class Gaming (19 - 202, n=99, last 2 years) | |
| Medion Erazer X15805 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Average of class Gaming (26 - 269, n=92, last 2 years) | |
| Medion Erazer X15805 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Communication
Gigabyte has equipped the Aero 15 OLED XA not only with fast ac WLAN, but also bets on the 802.11 ax standard (WiFi 6) that looks toward the future. Not only does this allow the gaming notebook to create wireless connections to the existing nets in the 2.4 and 5-GHz bands, but it will also benefit from the improved connectivity of future routers.
In our WLAN test, the Aero 15 OLED XA achieves very good speeds of 682 Mbps when receiving and 716 Mbps when sending data. This places the Gigabyte notebook first in our test field, with the Aero 15 Classic XA doing even slightly better while receiving data.
Accessories
The box of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA includes the power supply, a feedback request that offers a 20-Euro (~$22) Steam coupon, and a small cooling pad that can be glued on an SSD you might want to install later. Gigabyte does not offer any additional accessories that were particularly designed for the Aero 15.
Maintenance
In order to reach the insides of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA, you have to first remove 12 screws on the bottom of the case. After removing them, the case bottom can be taken off with relative ease, giving you access to the fan, RAM, and storage solution. Our test unit is equipped with 16 GB of working memory consisting of 2x 8 GB modules configured in dual-channel mode. These can be replaced, allowing you to expand the memory up to 64 GB. In addition, the gaming notebook offers two NVMe slots, only one of which is occupied in our test configuration.
Warranty
Gigabyte offers a warranty period of 24 months to buyers of the Aero 15 OLED XA.
Input Devices - A quiet keyboard with a clear pressure point
Keyboard
The keyboard of the Aero 15 OLED XA offers very soft feedback with a noticeable pressure point. The slightly rubberized surface of the keys prevents slipping, and frequent typists will also be satisfied with the Gigabyte notebook. All the keys can be reached easily and the number block offers the same-size keys as the rest of the keyboard.
Users can turn on a two-step keyboard backlight that illuminates the key labels well. However, it is slightly too bright at the highest setting. The colors can be adjusted in Gigabyte's Control Center and set for each key individually.
Touchpad
As mouse replacement, the Aero 15 OLED XA offers a ClickPad, whose area is slightly reduced by a small fingerprint sensor in the top left corner. The surface is very smooth and hardly offers any resistance to the fingertips moving the mouse pointer. Touch input is accepted reliably and both the left and the right mouse keys can be triggered easily by pressing on the pad, which responds with a clear pressure point.
Display - A Gigabyte gaming notebook with an OLED panel
Update 09/16/19: Due to several strange display measurement results, Gigabyte has sent us another test unit for the Aero 15 OLED. For the second test unit, many values turned out significantly better (such as the Grayscales, Color Accuracy, and Color Space). All the corresponding charts and screenshots were replaced for the updates. However, the text still refers to the original values.
The display of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA consists of a 15.6-inch AMOLED panel from Samsung that offers a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. As typical for OLED panels, there is no screen bleeding. At an average brightness of 402 cd/m², the Aero 15 is able to place first in our test field. At 89%, the brightness distribution can be considered good.
As is also typical for OLED panels, the display flickers at a frequency of about 236 Hz. This effect occurs at brightness levels less than 78% and can cause some trouble for users with sensitive eyes.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 373 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.98 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.81 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
97% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
78% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
Gamma: 2.62
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA Samsung SDCA029, OLED, 3840x2160 | Medion Erazer X15805 LG Philips LP156WFG-SPB2, IPS, 1920x1080 | Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (SHP14C5), IGZO, 1920x1080 | Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW AU Optronics B156HAN08.2 (AUO82ED), IPS, 1920x1080 | MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (SHP14C5), IPS, 1920x1080 | Aorus 15 W9 LG Philips LP156WFG-SPB2 (LGD05E8), IPS, 1920x1080 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | ||||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 61.7 | 65.3 | 64.9 | 67.6 | 64.3 | |
| sRGB Coverage | 91.9 | 95.5 | 91 | 97.5 | 93.5 | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 63 | 66.5 | 65.9 | 68.9 | 65.6 | |
| Response Times | -396% | 12753% | -250% | 12585% | -541% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 2.4 ? | 14 ? -483% | 15.2 ? -533% | 7.2 ? -200% | 13.6 ? -467% | 16.8 ? -600% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 2.2 ? | 9 ? -309% | 11.2 ? -409% | 8.8 ? -300% | 12 ? -445% | 12.8 ? -482% |
| PWM Frequency | 60 ? | 23580 ? 39200% | 23260 ? 38667% | |||
| Screen | -24% | -10% | 2% | 13% | -22% | |
| Brightness middle | 373 | 343 -8% | 266 -29% | 286 -23% | 282.3 -24% | 295 -21% |
| Brightness | 375 | 290 -23% | 248 -34% | 275 -27% | 269 -28% | 292 -22% |
| Brightness Distribution | 93 | 74 -20% | 89 -4% | 90 -3% | 90 -3% | 80 -14% |
| Black Level * | 0.37 | 0.31 | 0.37 | 0.32 | 0.34 | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.98 | 4.22 -6% | 2.78 30% | 2.19 45% | 1.17 71% | 3.89 2% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 6.28 | 7.83 -25% | 5.96 5% | 4.4 30% | 3.29 48% | 7.28 -16% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.81 | 5.1 -81% | 3.58 -27% | 2.2 22% | 1.3 54% | 4.98 -77% |
| Gamma | 2.62 84% | 2.2 100% | 2.46 89% | 2.41 91% | 2.2 100% | 2.45 90% |
| CCT | 6434 101% | 6970 93% | 7186 90% | 6405 101% | 6643 98% | 6407 101% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 78 | 58 -26% | 62 -21% | 59 -24% | 63.8 -18% | 60 -23% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 97 | 92 -5% | 96 -1% | 91 -6% | 97.5 1% | 93 -4% |
| Contrast | 927 | 858 | 773 | 882 | 868 | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 1.33 | 0.91 | 2.27 | 1.06 | 1.44 | |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -210% /
-99% | 6372% /
3471% | -124% /
-49% | 6299% /
3441% | -282% /
-126% |
* ... smaller is better
Another characteristic of OLED panels is the contrast ratio beyond the measurable range and a black value of 0 cd/m². The latter results from black image areas being formed by pixels that are turned off. Our measurements attest the Aero 15 OLED XA a color space coverage of 90% in the sRGB and 68% in the AdobeRGB color space.
The CalMAN analysis shows that the color accuracy leaves something to be desired in the state of delivery - despite X-Rite Pantone.
As long as you seek out shady places, you can also use the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA outdoors. However, due to the reflective surface of the display, there will already be slight reflections of the surrounding objects even here. In direct sunlight, those are accordingly worse, making reading the display contents much more difficult.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 7 % 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 | ||
| 2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.8 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 60 Hz | ≤ 80 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 60 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 80 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 60 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17933 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The AMOLED panel of the Aero 15 OLED XA has very stable viewing angles. You can read the image contents from almost any angle, without them becoming distorted or the colors being distorted. Only from unusually steep viewing angles, you can see a slight green tint.
Performance - Balanced hardware
Our test unit of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA is equipped with Intel's Core i7-9750H with an integrated UHD Graphics-630 graphics unit, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. In addition, there is an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q that handles the display of contents that pose a higher demand on the graphics performance. This makes the Windows notebook suitable for gamers as well as content creators who are looking for a powerful device for creating multimedia contents.
According to Gigabyte, the Aero 15 OLED XA is also available in another storage configuration and instead of the Core i7-9750H, you can also get an Intel Core i9-9980HK.
Processor
The Intel Core i7-9750H is a hexa-core processor with a base clock speed of 2.6 GHz and a Turbo speed of up to 4.5 GHz. How long such high clock speeds can be maintained depends significantly on the cooling system used. In our Cinebench endurance test, the performance of the CPU in the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA starts at a high level and then drops by about 8% after a short time period. It is then able to maintain this value until the end of the test, performing significantly better than the other notebooks in our test field that are equipped with a Core i7-9750H.
This shows that the cooling system of the Aero 15 OLED XA is powerful and not only allows for short periods of high performance, but is able to ensure a consistent performance over a longer time period. Similarly equipped notebooks remain behind here, and in the multi-core performance, the Gigabyte notebook is able to lead our test field.
System Performance
In the PCMark benchmarks, the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA achieves results that are not as good. The measured values in the PCMark-8 Work and Home tests remain below our expectations and are only sufficient for the last place in our test field (this might be related to the 4K panel). While our test unit is still able to place third in the "Digital Content Creation" area of the PCMark 10 benchmarks, in the overall score and the remaining areas, it only achieves one of the lower places.
You can find out the results achieved by other notebooks on our CPU benchmarks page.
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3638 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4520 points | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5439 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Solution
Gigabyte has equipped the Aero 15 OLED XA with a 512 GB SSD from Intel. About 433 GB of the storage space is still available to users for installing applications and their own data. In the storage card benchmarks, the built-in SSD does not produce outstanding results, but they are still very good. During the time of our testing, we did not notice any limitations such as micro stutters or anything else that would point to delays during data access.
You can find out on our HDD/SSD benchmark page, how the Intel SSD fares in the comparison with other storage solutions.
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G8L | Medion Erazer X15805 Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ | Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 | Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW 2x Intel SSD 660p SSDPEKNW512G8 (RAID 0) | MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ | Aorus 15 W9 Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | 2% | -4% | -6% | -6% | -14% | |
| Write 4K | 126.7 | 116.8 -8% | 115.5 -9% | 97 -23% | 91.3 -28% | 99.2 -22% |
| Read 4K | 66.1 | 41.42 -37% | 58 -12% | 49.58 -25% | 40.73 -38% | 54.1 -18% |
| Write Seq | 1538 | 1994 30% | 1555 1% | 1838 20% | 1915 25% | 1524 -1% |
| Read Seq | 2269 | 2392 5% | 2590 14% | 2421 7% | 2051 -10% | 2325 2% |
| Write 4K Q32T1 | 456.7 | 394.9 -14% | 369.3 -19% | 326.9 -28% | 308.3 -32% | 259.2 -43% |
| Read 4K Q32T1 | 554 | 438.2 -21% | 441.7 -20% | 372.9 -33% | 417.4 -25% | 328.9 -41% |
| Write Seq Q32T1 | 1541 | 1987 29% | 1547 0% | 1894 23% | 1922 25% | 1566 2% |
| Read Seq Q32T1 | 2567 | 3457 35% | 2969 16% | 2828 10% | 3395 32% | 2767 8% |
Graphics Card
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q used in the Aero 15 OLED XA is a power saving variant of the GeForce RTX 2070 and is well-suited for usage in slim multimedia and gaming notebooks. However, due to the lower power consumption, the performance is also slightly lower than in the regular GeForce RTX 2070. In addition, there are TDP variants of the RTX 2070 Max-Q, with the Aero 15 using the slightly weaker version.
In our benchmark tests, the Gigabyte notebook achieves good values in the middle of the field of our comparison devices. The offered performance is slightly above the average of all the laptops with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q we tested. You can find out about the performance of other graphics cards on our GPU benchmark list.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 19110 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 29711 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 16110 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 6512 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q is able to display most of the current games smoothly and in 4K resolution. Our gaming tests turn out correspondingly well, with none of the games we chose creating any problems for the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA. The frame rates were at the same level as those of comparable devices.
You can find out which other games run smoothly on the GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q on our GPU games list.
| The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | |
| Average of class Gaming (8.61 - 216, n=224, last 2 years) | |
| Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW | |
| MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA | |
| Medion Erazer X15805 | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA | |
| Aorus 15 W9 | |
| BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) | |
| MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA | |
| Medion Erazer X15805 | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA | |
| Aorus 15 W9 | |
| Thief - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA | |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider - 3840x2160 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x | |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA | |
Our "The Witcher 3" test shows that the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA is able to maintain its performance also over a longer time period. We notice a slight drop in the frame rates only towards the end of our test, but it increases again after a while.
| low | med. | high | ultra | 4K | |
| BioShock Infinite (2013) | 152 | ||||
| Thief (2014) | 103 | ||||
| GTA V (2015) | 173 | 165 | 136 | 77 | 69 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 63.5 | ||||
| Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 43.4 | ||||
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) | 119.4 | 94.6 | 89.6 | 80.6 | 28.3 |
| Metro Exodus (2019) | 123 | 78 | 58 | 46 | 22 |
| The Division 2 (2019) | 150 | 105 | 86 | 63 | 23 |
| Anno 1800 (2019) | 36.4 | 21.6 | |||
| Control (2019) | 220 | 81 | 59.3 | 18.1 |
Emissions - Good cooling with loud fans
Noise Emissions
The fans of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA are always spinning, but you can hardly hear them during idle operation. A slight increase in the system load causes the noise to increase to a noticeable level, with it still remaining easily tolerable even in quieter environments. Under load, on the other hand, the noise level becomes very loud, so we recommend headphones during gaming, for example.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 34 / 35 / 45 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 43 / 54 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 30 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
Our measurements attest the Aero 15 OLED XA with surface temperatures up to 33 °C (91 °F) during idle operation and a maximum of 59 °C (138 °F) under load. The warmest area is concentrated in the center back on the bottom, where the large fan vents can also be found. Due to the high temperatures under load, operating the device on your lap is hardly possible anymore.
During our gaming stress test, the core temperatures of the CPU rise up to 92 °C (198 °F). However, during this time the clock rates never drop below a value of 3.5 GHz, which speaks for the good performance of the cooling system. Our pure stress test scenario with FurMark and Prime95 puts a significantly higher load on the system, which also means that the clock speed falls below the base clock speed rate of 2.6 GHz for a short time. On average, the cooling system is able to constantly maintain a clock speed of about 3 GHz, and this does not change until the end of the hour-long test. Thus, users only need to expect limitations for short periods of time in the Aero 15 OLED XA due to the temperatures being too high.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49 °C / 120 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 59 °C / 138 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.6 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 42.1 °C / 108 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 41 °C / 105.8 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-12.1 °C / -21.8 F).
Speakers
The speakers of the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA are able to produce a relatively high volume and a fairly wide sound spectrum, with the mids being slightly over-represented and deep bass tones dropping slightly. While this makes the speakers well suited for the occasional reproduction of media content, for longer enjoyments we recommend external speakers or - not the least due to the loud fan noise - headphones. Those can be connected to the Gigabyte notebook via a combined 3.5-mm audio port, which accepts the corresponding plugs tightly and does not impact the sound quality negatively.
Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 59% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 38% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 54% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
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, 7% 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%
Power Management - A gaming notebook with a good battery life
Power Consumption
Our measurements attest the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA with a minimum power consumption of 23 watts during idle operation and up to 197 watts under load. The average power consumption places it in the middle of the field of comparison devices. The value we measured for maximum power consumption is the second lowest in our test field.
The included power supply offers a nominal output of 230 watts and is thus sufficiently sized to provide the Aero 15 reliably with the power it needs.
| Off / Standby | 0.5 / 0.8 Watt |
| Idle | 23 / 25 / 33 Watt |
| Load |
96 / 197 Watt |
   
| |
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q | Medion Erazer X15805 i9-8950HK, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q | Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q | Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile | MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q | Aorus 15 W9 i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile | Average of class Gaming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 14% | 4% | -10% | 9% | 16% | 8% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 23 | 15.1 34% | 21 9% | 24 -4% | 18.3 20% | 18 22% | 13.7 ? 40% |
| Idle Average * | 25 | 19.2 23% | 23 8% | 27 -8% | 22 12% | 20 20% | 19.1 ? 24% |
| Idle Maximum * | 33 | 22.9 31% | 32 3% | 33 -0% | 28.8 13% | 28 15% | 26.8 ? 19% |
| Load Average * | 96 | 107 -11% | 97 -1% | 129 -34% | 93 3% | 87 9% | 110.9 ? -16% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 168 | 148 12% | 176 -5% | 142.6 15% | 135 20% | ||
| Load Maximum * | 197 | 213 -8% | 213 -8% | 216 -10% | 215.9 -10% | 175 11% | 250 ? -27% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
In our realistic WLAN test, the Aero 15 OLED XA achieves a runtime of 5 hours and 42 minutes. This value again places the Gigabyte notebook in the middle of the field of our comparison devices. With a similar-capacity battery and similar hardware equipment, the Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic XA lasts about one-and-a-half hours longer, but it does not have to run a 4K display.
| Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 94.24 Wh | Medion Erazer X15805 i9-8950HK, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 46.74 Wh | Gigabyte Aero 15 Classic-XA i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 94.24 Wh | Asus Zephyrus S GX502GW i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Mobile, 76 Wh | MSI GS65 Stealth 9SG i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q, 82 Wh | Aorus 15 W9 i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 62 Wh | Average of class Gaming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -46% | 12% | -45% | 6% | -58% | -14% | |
| Reader / Idle | 591 | 545 -8% | 353 -40% | 176 -70% | 544 ? -8% | ||
| WiFi v1.3 | 342 | 185 -46% | 421 23% | 220 -36% | 362 6% | 141 -59% | 368 ? 8% |
| Load | 149 | 181 21% | 62 -58% | 81 -46% | 84.2 ? -43% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Gigabyte improves the Aero 15 discreetly, but it also inherits some old weaknesses
In our test, the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA shows itself with a solid performance in the middle of the field of comparable devices. Even though the system performance in the synthetic benchmarks remains slightly behind that of the competitors, the processor, graphics, and storage performances offer no reason for complaints. In addition, there is good connection equipment and a futureproof WLAN adapter with WiFi 6 or the 802.11 ax standard. The reworked design is oriented on the strengths of the predecessor models, but still remains just as susceptible to dirt and fingerprints.
Gigabyte has improved the Aero 15 discreetly and continues to deliver a recommendation-worthy notebook with a slim design and good performance.
The highlight is of course the 4K OLED panel. The advantages in the contrast and black value cannot be denied. But here the weaknesses also show themselves, such as PWM that is particularly difficult for users with sensitive eyes. In addition, due to the reflective display surface, using the device outdoors becomes difficult. Finally, we should mention the good cooling system and the also good battery life, making the Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA worth a look for anyone looking for a slim and powerful notebook.
Gigabyte Aero 15 OLED XA
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08/31/2022 v7
Mike Wobker
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