A common wish in the gaming laptop space is for the elusive “Gamers MacBook Pro”, which is basically a laptop with the build, productivity power of Apple’s MacBook Pro but that can also play any AAA game. A pursuit akin to the quest for the Holy Grail. The Razer Blade 15 has long been the closest contender to that title. But the landscape is shifting, and newcomers like the Gigabyte Aero 16 OLED are challenging the status quo.
The new Aero 16 OLED with its sleek metal chassis, an Intel Core i9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, and a stunning 16-inch OLED display, is poised to seize the title from Razer. I can hardly contain my enthusiasm for this laptop, and while it’s not perfect, the Aero 16 OLED checks all the right boxes for someone with my preferences.
And by “someone like me,” I mean individuals who relish 4K, ray-traced single-player games like Cyberpunk 2077 but also invest a substantial amount of their time in video editing and content creation tasks. With a price tag slightly above $4,300, the Aero 16 OLED lands at the same price as a MacBook Pro 16 with M2 Pro Chip. But the difference is, the Aero 16 can actually play games without any shenanigans.
The Epitome of Elegance
Straight out of the box, the Aero 16 OLED promises an exquisite experience. It’s a marvel, measuring a mere 1.8cm at its thickest point. Crafted through an intricate CNC milling process that demands 336 hours and 21 steps to shape a single laptop, this is more than just a device; it’s a work of art. The logo on the lid refracts light, casting a subtle, beautiful rainbow effect that adds to its allure.
The metal casing boasts a unique blend of platinum and aluminum hues, further protected by a nano film that makes it hydrophobic, oil-repellent, stain-resistant, and resistant to fingerprints. Say goodbye to those stubborn smudges. I won’t delve into the depths of industrial design jargon, but believe me when I say that this laptop exudes beauty, solidly built like a tank, yet as sleek as a Porsche.
This extensive engineering effort results in a laptop that feels lighter than expected, tipping the scales at 1.9kg and a mere 1.8cm at its thickest point towards the back. Remarkably, Gigabyte has managed to incorporate a comprehensive cooling system, ensuring that the Aero 16 OLED remains cool and relatively quiet even under demanding tasks. But we’ll delve into that aspect shortly.
Despite its slim and lightweight design, the Aero 16 OLED doesn’t skimp on connectivity. The laptop features a well-appointed array of ports on the sides and rear of the chassis. This includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, capable of charging via 83W chargers. You’ll also find a standard USB-C, a USB 3.2 Gen 1, a microSD card reader, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and HDMI 2.1 for pristine 4K at 120Hz on compatible displays.
An Aesthetic Keyboard and Display
Upon opening the lid, you’re greeted by a striking white keyboard with white LED backlighting, free from the garish RGB rainbow that many gaming laptops flaunt. It’s a clear statement; this is not a gaming laptop. The Aero 16 OLED intelligently adapts to ambient lighting conditions, ensuring the backlighting is always just right. With 1.7mm key travel and N-Key rollover, this keyboard provides a delightful typing experience suitable for gaming.
Below the keyboard, there’s a generously-sized touchpad etched with the AERO logotype, featuring a fingerprint-resistant coating. The touchpad is responsive and accurate, although it doesn’t quite match the excellence of the MacBook Pro’s touchpad. Flanking the keyboard deck, you’ll notice large speaker grills, part of the DTS:X surround sound speaker system that delivers rich, crisp audio. For serious audio experiences, though, you’ll still want to don a pair of headphones.
OLED Delight
Now, let’s turn our attention to the crown jewel of the Aero 16—its OLED display. This laptop boasts a magnificent 16-inch, 4K UHD+ 3840×2400 OLED 16:10 display. The slightly taller aspect ratio provides a tad more screen real estate, a boon for Windows users. Each laptop undergoes X-Rite 2.0 calibration at the factory, ensuring impeccable color accuracy. Gigabyte touts Delta E<1 and 100% DCI-P3 coverage, making it a dream for content creators, photo and video editors, and graphic designers.
Furthermore, as an OLED panel, it offers an infinite contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. Gigabyte elevates it further by adding VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification. With a brightness rating of 600 nits, this display truly shines in HDR content, offering vibrant visuals across movies, games, and graphic design. Compared to the Mini LED panel on the Acer Predator Triton 17 X, the OLED offers lower brightness but avoids issues like blooming and light bleed. In my book, the OLED display wins the day.
Yet, there’s a catch. This OLED panel features a modest 60Hz refresh rate, which gamers may find limiting. While the Aero 16 OLED isn’t primarily designed as a gaming laptop, it packs an RTX 4070 under the hood. Coupled with near-instantaneous response times, the display still offers a smooth and fluid experience.
Located discreetly above the display is a 1080p webcam that supports Windows Hello, providing a convenient means of signing into your laptop. However, it’s not the fastest or most accurate recognition system. In my experience, I often waited for the laptop to identify me, sometimes opting for my 4-digit PIN instead. I would have preferred a fingerprint scanner, like the one found on the Predator Triton 17 X, for its accuracy and speed.
It’s worth noting the Aero 16 OLED includes a 1080p webcam, a step up from the 720p cameras still found in many laptops. However, the two-way AI noise-reducing microphones accompanying it, while a nice addition, may not live up to their marketing promises in practice.
Performance Beyond Compare
A quick look at the spec sheet, and there’s no room for doubt— the Aero 16 OLED is a powerhouse. It’s equipped with an i9-13900H processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a blazing-fast 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD with an additional slot for expansion, and of course, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 boasting a max TGP of 115W. My performance benchmarks speak volumes, but rest assured, this laptop handles anything you throw at it with ease.
In the realm of gaming, the RTX 4070 demonstrates NVIDIA’s mastery of silicon sorcery, offering performance that stands above the competition. Even at the native 3840 x 2400 resolution (with DLSS 3.5 engaged), the Aero 16 maintains frame rates exceeding 60 fps, which is more than ample for most gamers. Games without DLSS 3.5 may see frame rates dip, hovering around 30-45 fps on average. As seen in the charts, 1440p would be the sweet spot, delivering exceptional frame rates well beyond 60fps while still showcasing the brilliance of the OLED panel.
It’s important to note that the Aero 16 uses NVIDIA Studio drivers, optimized for creative workflows in software like the Adobe Creative Suite, rather than primarily for gaming. However, in practice, the difference in performance isn’t substantial when compared to Game Ready Drivers, hovering at around 5-10%. You have the freedom to switch drivers whenever you wish.
A distinctive feature of the Aero’s performance is the inclusion of Microsoft Azure AI technology. This feature intelligently detects the application you’re using and automatically applies the appropriate CPU, GPU, and fan settings. It might sound like a gimmick, but in my testing, performance can vary considerably without it, up to 20%. The laptop arrives with five AI modes by default—Creator, Meeting, Battery, Gaming, and Auto—adjusting based on the running application. As you use the laptop, the AI learns and improves over time, adapting to your usage patterns.
The Aero 16 OLED maintains temperatures effectively for its slim profile, thanks to advancements in laptop cooling. The gaming temperatures have drastically improved, with most laptops not exceeding 75°C. However, the metal underside can become warm during prolonged gaming sessions. Nonetheless, the fan noise remains acceptable, not causing headaches or necessitating noise-canceling headphones.
A Day’s Worth of Battery Life
All these AI enhancements, along with the MUX switch that allows disengaging the RTX 4070 to save power, contribute to impressive battery life. Gigabyte claims 7.5 hours of video playback, although that’s not the primary use case for a laptop of this caliber. In my battery tests, I achieved a commendable 6 hours and 14 minutes of mixed office-type work. Given time, I suspect the AI’s adaptive learning could push that number over 7 hours.
Now to be fair, that’s just about half the battery life of the MacBook Pro 16 which can hit anywhere between 15-22 hours on a single charge. That alone makes the Macbook more appealing to creators than the Aero 16 OLED. It’s really hard to beat Apples silicon efficiency.
However, the Aero 16 OLED supports a wide range of USB-C chargers, provided they deliver over 86W. During a brief holiday, I attempted to charge the laptop using my Belkin Boost 65W charger, but it wasn’t sufficient. When gaming, however, you’ll need to rely on the larger AC/DC charging brick that comes with the laptop. The included charger can rapidly juice the Aero from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes.
Final Verdict
The new Gigabyte Aero 16 OLED is a laptop that doesn’t pull any punches. While it’s primarily designed for content creators and professionals, gamers won’t feel left out either. Its impressive hardware strikes a harmonious balance between video editing and gaming, all within an eye-catching, unique design that outshines many of its competitors, including the Razer Blade 16 and MacBook Pro 16.
The power this laptop delivers through its HDR600 OLED display is truly exceptional. When you compare it to other gaming laptops, most will appear dull and washed out in comparison. Admittedly, $4,000 is a substantial investment for a laptop, but given the exceptional manufacturing processes, OLED display and high end components, its hard to argue.
In short, the Aero 16 OLED is the MacBook Pro for gamers — I love it and I think you will too.
Gigabyte Australia kindly loaned the Aero 16 OLED to PowerUp! for the purpose of this review
