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Gigabyte Aero 14K (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1050 Ti, QHD) Laptop Review

Compact portable gamer. Gigabyte's 14-inch device can display all current games smoothly onto its matte IPS display. It is equipped with an NVMe-SSD, 16 GB of RAM and Thunderbolt 3. Furthermore, the device can also boast great battery runtimes.

For the original German review, click here.

The Gigabyte Aero 14 is not new to us. A few months ago, we tested one of its available models that was equipped with a GeForce GTX 1060 graphics core. Today's test unit has a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. We will find out what implications this weaker GPU has on the general system performance in our review. Some of the Aero 14's competitors are the Razer Blade, the Schenker XMG P407 and the MSI GS43VR 7RE.

As the two Aero 14 models have the same build, we will not go into further detail about the case, connectivity, input devices, display and speakers. Please take a look at our review of the other Aero 14 model for further information on these areas.

Gigabyte Aero 14-K7 (Aero 14 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 4 x 2.8 - 3.8 GHz, Kaby Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1493 MHz, Memory: 3500 MHz, GDDR5, 128-Bit-Anbindung, ForceWare 387.92, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, 2x 8 GB of SO-DIMM DDR4-2400, Dual-Channel, two memory slots (both occupied), 32 GB max
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 2560 x 1440 pixel 210 PPI, LG Philips LP140QH1-SPF1 (LGD049A), IPS, QHD, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM175
Storage
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL, 256 GB 
, PCIe-SSD + second M.2-2280 drive bay (free)
Soundcard
Realtek ALC255 @ Intel Sunrise Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined audio, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC, Brightness Sensor, TPM 2.0
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 20 x 335 x 250 ( = 0.79 x 13.19 x 9.84 in)
Battery
94.24 Wh, 6200 mAh Lithium-Ion, 15.2 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 150-watt power supply, USB-to-Ethernet adaptor, Adobe Reader XI, CyberLink PowerDVD 12, MS Office (trial version), XSplit Broadcaster, XPlit Gamecaster, Smart Manager, Smart Update, Macro Hub, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.88 kg ( = 66.32 oz / 4.14 pounds), Power Supply: 470 g ( = 16.58 oz / 1.04 pounds)
Price
1700 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

349 mm / 13.7 inch 247 mm / 9.72 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.1 kg4.67 lbs345 mm / 13.6 inch 245.1 mm / 9.65 inch 22.1 mm / 0.87 inch 1.9 kg4.25 lbs345 mm / 13.6 inch 236 mm / 9.29 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.8 kg4.06 lbs335 mm / 13.2 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.9 kg4.14 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Changes

There have been some changes to the insides of the Aero 14 compared to the model that we have already tested. For example, our current test unit also offers a second M.2 drive bay, which also has a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface.

A second M.2-drive bay is available.
A second M.2-drive bay is available.

In addition, the notebook offers a Thunderbolt 3 port. The usual Thunderbolt-symbol is not marked next to the Type-C USB port - only the normal USB 3.1 Gen 2 symbol. Gigabyte seems to have left this unchanged from its sister model. A look at the device's BIOS menu confirms that it does support Thunderbolt 3.

The symbol indicates a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port.
The symbol indicates a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port.
But the BIOS confirms: It is a Thunderbolt 3 port.
But the BIOS confirms: It is a Thunderbolt 3 port.

Card Reader & Wi-Fi

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II))
77 MB/s
SCHENKER XMG P407
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76 MB/s -1%
Gigabyte Aero 14
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
73 MB/s -5%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
19.54 MB/s -75%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II))
88 MB/s
SCHENKER XMG P407
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s -1%
Gigabyte Aero 14
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s -1%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
19.83 MB/s -77%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
582 MBit/s +50%
Gigabyte Aero 14
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
503 MBit/s +29%
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
439 MBit/s +13%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
389 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Gigabyte Aero 14
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
684 MBit/s +1%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
680 MBit/s
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Killer Wireless-n/a/ac 1535 Wireless Network Adapter
556 MBit/s -18%
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
480 MBit/s -29%

Display

Subpixel
Subpixel

The Aero 14 is equipped with the same IPS QHD screen as its sister model. This is a display with stable viewing angles and good contrast. Brightness, however, could be better. The measured values differ slightly, but this is quite normal as two panels with the same build are never 100% the same.

Due to our recently improved measuring equipment, we can now identify PWM flickering at a brightness level of 95% and below. The frequency of this flickering is so high at 130 000 Hz, that it should not cause headaches or eye problems even for sensitive users.

246
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
258
cd/m²
233
cd/m²
277
cd/m²
254
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
247
cd/m²
250
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP140QH1-SPF1 (LGD049A) tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 277 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 251.9 cd/m² Minimum: 9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 277 cd/m²
Contrast: 1026:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.26 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.32 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
91% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
91.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.37
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
Razer Blade (2017)
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
SCHENKER XMG P407
IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Gigabyte Aero 14
IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
Display
-3%
-7%
-0%
Display P3 Coverage
65.1
66.3
2%
64.5
-1%
64.4
-1%
sRGB Coverage
91.2
85.9
-6%
82.1
-10%
91.8
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.9
62.8
-5%
60
-9%
65.5
-1%
Response Times
5459%
5415%
-13%
-1%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40 ?(19.6, 20.4)
25.2 ?(18, 17.2)
37%
31.6 ?(15.6, 16)
21%
47 ?(14, 33)
-18%
41 ?(17, 24)
-3%
Response Time Black / White *
25.2 ?(13.2, 12)
24.8 ?(13.2, 11.6)
2%
19.2 ?(10, 9.2)
24%
27 ?(5, 22)
-7%
25 ?(4, 21)
1%
PWM Frequency
130 ?(95)
21370
16338%
21190 ?(99)
16200%
Screen
-1%
8%
0%
-3%
Brightness middle
277
272
-2%
306.6
11%
298
8%
290
5%
Brightness
252
277
10%
291
15%
282
12%
257
2%
Brightness Distribution
84
84
0%
86
2%
80
-5%
79
-6%
Black Level *
0.27
0.26
4%
0.28
-4%
0.27
-0%
0.3
-11%
Contrast
1026
1046
2%
1095
7%
1104
8%
967
-6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.26
4.59
-8%
3.9
8%
4.42
-4%
4.59
-8%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.37
8.49
-1%
9
-8%
8.57
-2%
8.68
-4%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.32
4.28
1%
2
54%
4.11
5%
4.32
-0%
Gamma
2.37 93%
2.23 99%
2.14 103%
2.5 88%
2.25 98%
CCT
7298 89%
6848 95%
6626 98%
6329 103%
7320 89%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59
55
-7%
56.1
-5%
54
-8%
59
0%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
91
83
-9%
86.1
-5%
82
-10%
92
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
2729% / 1259%
1807% / 1019%
-7% / -3%
-1% / -2%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

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 130 Hz ≤ 95 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 130 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 95 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 130 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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

CalMAN: gray scales (Native Color)
CalMAN: gray scales (Native Color)
CalMAN: color saturation (Native Color)
CalMAN: color saturation (Native Color)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (Native Color)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (Native Color)
Gigabyte Aero 14K vs. sRGB (91%)
Gigabyte Aero 14K vs. sRGB (91%)
CalMAN: gray scales (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: gray scales (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: color saturation (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: color saturation (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (X-Rite Pantone)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (X-Rite Pantone)
Gigabyte Aero 14K vs. AdobeRGB (59%)
Gigabyte Aero 14K vs. AdobeRGB (59%)

Display Response Times

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
25.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 13.2 ms rise
↘ 12 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 20.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 55 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Performance

Gigabyte's Aero 14-K7 is a compact mobile gaming notebook in a 14-inch case. It displays all current games smoothly and also does a good job in other areas of use. Our test unit is available for about $1550. Other configurations are available.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 
 

Testing Conditions

The pre-installed SmartManager tool offers the possibility to switch between various cooling fan profiles. We ran all the benchmarks with the Gaming profile activated. The cooling fans were only set to "normal" during the battery tests.

SmartManager
SmartManager

Processor

Like the Aero 14 model that we have already tested, the current device is equipped with a Core i7-7700HQ (Kaby Lake) quad-core processor. This model offers a good compromise between processing power and power consumption, which makes it quite suitable for (mobile) gaming notebooks. The CPU works at a base clock rate of 2.8 GHz. This can be increased to 3.4 GHz (four cores), 3.6 GHz (two cores) and 3.8 GHz (one core). The clock rates are 200 to 300 MHz higher than the direct Skylake predecessor Core i7-6700HQ's. The turbo is only used to its full potential on power supply. On battery, the CPU ran our tests between 2.9 and 3.3 GHz (Multithread) and 3.1 to 3.5 GHz (Single thread).

Single-core rendering (on power supply)
Single-core rendering (on power supply)
Multi-core rendering (on power supply)
Multi-core rendering (on power supply)
GPU load
GPU load

We test whether the turbo can run continuously by running the Multithread Cinebench R15 test in a loop for 30 minutes. The results of the Aero 14 were very consistent and there was no drop in performance.

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Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

The results of the CPU tests we did are similar to those of comparable notebooks.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
6820
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
22302
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
5975
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
63.3 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
8.19 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.71 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
97.5 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
744 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
162 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
162 Points
Gigabyte Aero 14
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
159 Points -2%
Razer Blade (2017)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
154 Points -5%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
154 Points -5%
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
149 Points -8%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
744 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
738 Points -1%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
732 Points -2%
Gigabyte Aero 14
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
730 Points -2%
Razer Blade (2017)
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
729 Points -2%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.19 Points
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.15 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
8.08 Points -1%
CPU Single 64Bit
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.78 Points +4%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.71 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.66 Points -3%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22302 Points
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22271 Points 0%
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
22216 Points 0%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5975 Points
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5899 Points -1%
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5742 Points -4%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
14108 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
13693 Points -3%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
3843 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
3558 Points -7%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
14289 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
14026 Points -2%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4713 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4321 Points -8%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
15081 Points
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4798 Points
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
264.5 Points
SCHENKER XMG P407
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
247.2 Points -7%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
239.6 Points -9%

System Performance

A powerful processor and an NVMe SSD as fast as an arrow ensure a fast-running system. We did not encounter any problems. The great results in the various PCMark benchmarks prove that our test unit offers more than enough processing power for gaming, as well as video and image processing. It is not possible to improve the general performance as Gigabyte has already pushed its components to their limits.

PCMark 10
PCMark 10
PCMark 7 Score
6103 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3962 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5282 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4822 points
PCMark 10 Score
4339 points
Help
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
SCHENKER XMG P407
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
4069 Points +3%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
3962 Points
Razer Blade (2017)
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
3958 Points 0%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS128G39MNC-3510A
3918 Points -1%
Gigabyte Aero 14
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, LiteOn CX2-8B256
3717 Points -6%
Work Score Accelerated v2
SCHENKER XMG P407
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
5234 Points +9%
Razer Blade (2017)
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
5008 Points +4%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
4822 Points
Gigabyte Aero 14
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, LiteOn CX2-8B256
4702 Points -2%
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS128G39MNC-3510A
4672 Points -3%

Storage Devices

Gigabyte has equipped the Aero 14 with an NVMe SSD from Samsung. These SSDs are connected via PCI Express 3.0 x4 interfaces, which offer significantly higher transfer rates than a SATA III interface. This particular SSD has great transfer rates and installing the Samsung NVMe driver did not further improve those rates. 

The SSD offers a total capacity of 256 GB. 180 GB is left available when the device arrives at your door. Should this space not be enough, you can install a second M.2 2280 SSD in the empty drive bay.

Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
Sequential Read: 1971 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1541 MB/s
512K Read: 432.6 MB/s
512K Write: 1283 MB/s
4K Read: 55.4 MB/s
4K Write: 141.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 603 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 513 MB/s
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL
Razer Blade (2017)
Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV256
SCHENKER XMG P407
Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e
Gigabyte Aero 14
LiteOn CX2-8B256
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-29%
-3%
-2%
Read Seq
1971
1122
-43%
1345
-32%
1584
-20%
Write Seq
1541
311
-80%
1502
-3%
795
-48%
Read 512
432.6
682
58%
320.3
-26%
985
128%
Write 512
1283
310
-76%
1276
-1%
814
-37%
Read 4k
55.4
34.8
-37%
58.9
6%
44.93
-19%
Write 4k
141.7
134.3
-5%
171
21%
131.2
-7%
Read 4k QD32
603
565
-6%
625
4%
602
0%
Write 4k QD32
513
308
-40%
539
5%
441
-14%

Graphics

The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card from Nvidia belongs to the better units of the GPU mid-range. It is based on Pascal architecture, supports DirectX 12 and reaches speeds of up to 1772 MHz. However, the device cannot keep up this speed for very long. We measured an actual working speed of averagely 1710 MHz. The GPU has 4096 MB of GDDR5 graphics memory available.

The results of the 3DMark benchmark are what you would expect from this GPU, although there are some fluctuations. For example, the Aero 14 reached between 9200 and 9600 points in the 3DMark 2011 benchmark. The Schenker XMG P407 is equipped with the same GPU and reaches better results as its GTX 1050 Ti has both higher maximum speeds and a higher average speed than it does in the Aero.

The Aero 14 is supplied with the graphics switching function (Optimus) turned on. In everyday use and on battery, Intel's integrated HD Graphics 630 is in use, while Optimus switches to Nvidia's GPU for more demanding applications such as computer games.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
27789 points
3DMark 11 Performance
9524 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
116034 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
22642 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
6667 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
3516 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
2484 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
15074 Points +55%
Gigabyte Aero 14
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
14731 Points +52%
Razer Blade (2017)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
13870 Points +43%
SCHENKER XMG P407
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
10402 Points +7%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
9716 Points
3DMark - 1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11979 Points +57%
Gigabyte Aero 14
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
11625 Points +53%
Razer Blade (2017)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
10853 Points +43%
SCHENKER XMG P407
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
8376 Points +10%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
7608 Points

Gaming Performance

The Aero 14 can display all current games smoothly. Usually, it can manage a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and middle to high, sometimes maximum quality settings. You will need to reduce resolution and/or quality settings for very demanding games. This, for example, is the case with the game "Mafia 3". Using the full available screen resolution usually requires lowering the quality settings. The device's GPU is not made for resolutions above Full HD.

In order to find out whether the frame rates remain constant over a prolonged period of time, we run the game "The Witcher 3" in Full HD resolution and maximum quality settings for about 60 minutes. We do not move the character in the game during this entire test. We did not register a drop in frame rates. 

0123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627Tooltip
The Witcher 3 ultra
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
105.6 fps +42%
SCHENKER XMG P407
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
76.4 fps +3%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
74.4 fps
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-51-788E
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
74.1 fps 0%
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
79 fps +73%
Razer Blade (2017)
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
68 fps +49%
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-51-788E
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
47.4 fps +4%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
45.7 fps
Prey - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2TX SM AF:16x
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
106.7 fps +58%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
67.7 fps
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-51-788E
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
66.8 fps -1%
F1 2017 - 1920x1080 Ultra High Preset AA:T AF:16x
Acer Nitro 5 AN515-51-788E
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
44 fps 0%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
44 fps
low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 439.9 304.3 202.2 90.7
BioShock Infinite (2013) 267.7 207.7 188.5 74.4
The Witcher 3 (2015) 141 82.8 45.7 26.1
Prey (2017) 142.4 101.9 80.7 67.7
F1 2017 (2017) 184 90 70 44
FIFA 18 (2017) 293 232.4 188.6 156.8

Emissions

System Noise

The fans run at low speed while idling and do not make a lot of noise. The fan did not turn up at all while idling during our test, only while turning the notebook on and off. The Aero 14 can also work silently. For this to happen, you have to set the fan profile to "Quiet" in the Gigabyte SmartManager. The fans do speed up noticeably under load. We measured a noise level of 53 dB(A) during the stress test. The device was not quite as loud during gaming: we measured values between 37 and 49 dB(A) (average: 46 dB(A)). 

The cooling fans of the sister model that we have already tested produced an annoying whistling sound in the middle to high RPM range. This is not the case with our current test unit. However, you can hear an occasional coil whine from the insides of our device. But this can only be heard when the fans are standing still.

noise level idle
noise level idle
noise level load
noise level load
noise level speaker
noise level speaker

Noise Level

Idle
32 / 33 / 38 dB(A)
Load
46 / 53 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 14-K7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
Razer Blade (2017)
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG P407
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
Gigabyte Aero 14
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
Noise
6%
-5%
5%
4%
off / environment *
30
28
7%
29
3%
31
-3%
Idle Minimum *
32
30
6%
33
-3%
31
3%
31
3%
Idle Average *
33
30
9%
34.5
-5%
32
3%
32
3%
Idle Maximum *
38
30
21%
35
8%
36
5%
33
13%
Load Average *
46
51
-11%
54.2
-18%
43
7%
42
9%
Witcher 3 ultra *
46
56.7
-23%
45
2%
Load Maximum *
53
51
4%
54.2
-2%
48
9%
53
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The Aero 14 completed our stress test (Prime 95 and FurMark running for at least one hour) differently depending on whether it was connected to power or running on battery. On power supply, the processor ran at 3 GHz and the graphics core had a speed of 1350 MHz. On battery, the CPU worked at just 800 MHz, while the GPU clock rate oscillated between 600 and 1600 MHz.

It is not surprising that the notebook heats up a lot under full load. After all, the high-performance hardware is squeezed into a compact case. We measured temperatures over 50 °C (~122 °F) in several areas during our stress test. The heat production was a little lower during our “Witcher 3” test (the game ran for one hour in Full HD resolution and maximum quality settings). 

stress test
stress test
full load top (Optris PI 640)
full load top (Optris PI 640)
full load bottom (Optris PI 640)
full load bottom (Optris PI 640)
Max. Load
 51 °C
124 F
43 °C
109 F
50 °C
122 F
 
 41 °C
106 F
43 °C
109 F
40 °C
104 F
 
 33 °C
91 F
35 °C
95 F
35 °C
95 F
 
Maximum: 51 °C = 124 F
Average: 41.2 °C = 106 F
52 °C
126 F
58 °C
136 F
50 °C
122 F
48 °C
118 F
51 °C
124 F
43 °C
109 F
38 °C
100 F
40 °C
104 F
37 °C
99 F
Maximum: 58 °C = 136 F
Average: 46.3 °C = 115 F
Power Supply (max.)  45 °C = 113 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.2 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 51 °C / 124 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 58 °C / 136 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35 °C / 95 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-6.2 °C / -11.2 F).
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG P407
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
Gigabyte Aero 14
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
Heat
-15%
3%
-2%
Maximum Upper Side *
51
47.8
6%
49
4%
58.3
-14%
Maximum Bottom *
58
63.2
-9%
50.8
12%
59.8
-3%
Idle Upper Side *
24
29.8
-24%
26.3
-10%
23.3
3%
Idle Bottom *
25
33.2
-33%
24.1
4%
23.8
5%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.437.82534.932.73130.529.64035.733.65027.327.66327.429.98025.832.110026.941.612524.141.816021.850.920021.360.525021.164.931519.666.640018.865.450018.263.263017.568.480017.373.7100017.167.4125017.263.6160017.772200017.769.2250017.864.8315018.366400018.562.4500018.76163001962.2800019.361.41000019.861.51250020.261.81600020.753.5SPL30.579.3N1.446.5median 18.8median 63.2Delta1.3437.937.835.436.335.836.233.736.732.834.733.13533.432.132.333.431.535.930.34030.342.328.946.927.548.127.150.92760.427.163.22762.326.16325.564.42668.224.968.725.270.624.667.424.770.624.464.524.37224.570.424.265.524.161.526.344.337.6803.145.4median 26.1median 631.510.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseGigabyte Aero 14-K7MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 10.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.7% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 24% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 73% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 13% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (27.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 92% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 81% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes can be turned on/off!)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The power consumption goes up to 19 watts while idling. Here, the Aero 14 consumes a little more power than some of its competitors, which is due to the QHD display. During our stress test, the value rose to 149 watts and almost reached the power supply's limit (150 watts). Power consumption is lower while gaming and our notebook consumed about 95 watts during our “Witcher 3” test.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.4 / 0.8 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 9 / 14 / 19 Watt
Load midlight 84 / 149 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 14-K7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
Razer Blade (2017)
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
SCHENKER XMG P407
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
Gigabyte Aero 14
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
Power Consumption
13%
4%
-5%
1%
Idle Minimum *
9
7.5
17%
9.1
-1%
10
-11%
8
11%
Idle Average *
14
12.1
14%
11.9
15%
15
-7%
13
7%
Idle Maximum *
19
14.3
25%
12.2
36%
24
-26%
20
-5%
Load Average *
84
73.5
12%
77
8%
82
2%
78
7%
Witcher 3 ultra *
95
108
-14%
126.4
-33%
110
-16%
Load Maximum *
149
110.2
26%
153
-3%
124
17%
146
2%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

Our practical Wi-Fi test lasted 8:56 hours with the Aero 14. For this, we simulate the load of accessing websites with the help of a script. We set the power profile to "balanced" and turn off power-saving functions. Display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². During our video test, our Gigabyte device ran for 7:50h on battery. Here, we run the short film "Big Buck Bunny" (H.264-coded, 1920x1080p) in a loop. The communication modules and power-saving functions are turned off and brightness set to 150 cd/m².

The device's BIOS offers the option of turning off the dedicated graphics unit. But this function did not improve the battery runtime in our Wi-Fi test.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
15h 55min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 40)
8h 56min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 50min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 26min
Gigabyte Aero 14-K7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, 94.24 Wh
Razer Blade (2017)
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 70 Wh
MSI GS43VR 7RE-069US
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 61 Wh
SCHENKER XMG P407
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, 45 Wh
Gigabyte Aero 14
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 94 Wh
Battery Runtime
2%
-53%
-50%
-6%
Reader / Idle
955
537
-44%
443
-54%
909
-5%
H.264
470
213
-55%
WiFi v1.3
536
545
2%
173
-68%
241
-55%
524
-2%
Load
146
79
-46%
92
-37%
129
-12%

Verdict

Pros

+ light and compact,
+ solid, well-made metal case
+ adjustable macro keys
+ NVMe SSD
+ free M.2 drive bay
+ very good battery runtimes
+ Thunderbolt 3

Cons

- dark display
The Gigabyte Aero 14K, provided by Gigabyte Germany.
The Gigabyte Aero 14K, provided by Gigabyte Germany.

Gigabyte's compact gamer can display all current computer games on its matte QHD screen, but buyers will have to forego the highest quality settings. The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics core offers too little performance for this.

Gigabyte's 14-inch device combines high processing power with long battery runtimes.

The Aero also did a good job as an office device: The device has a very good keyboard and runs quietly to silently. And it also offers mobile use: Thanks to the well-dimensioned battery, the device has great battery runtimes, which puts some office notebooks to shame.

The fast NVMe SSD ensures a fast-running system. It would be possible to exchange the SSD, and this one does not offer a lot of space for a gamer with its capacity of 256 GB. There is also the possibility of installing a second M.2 SSD. The matte QHD screen is satisfying with stable viewing angles and a good contrast. Unfortunately, display brightness is rather low for a notebook of this price range.

Gigabyte Aero 14-K7 - 10/12/2017 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
86 / 98 → 87%
Keyboard
81%
Pointing Device
83%
Connectivity
65 / 81 → 80%
Weight
64 / 20-67 → 94%
Battery
90%
Display
88%
Games Performance
91 / 85 → 100%
Application Performance
94 / 92 → 100%
Temperature
81%
Noise
66 / 95 → 70%
Audio
70%
Camera
63 / 85 → 74%
Average
79%
86%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Gigabyte Aero 14K (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1050 Ti, QHD) Laptop Review
Sascha Mölck, 2017-10-17 (Update: 2020-05-19)