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Today we see the launch of the Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 that packs the brand new Intel Core i7-8750HQ. This is a mobile version of Intel’s 8th Gen Coffee Lake CPU with six cores that takes over at the high end of Intel’s range from the quad core models that have been in vogue since 2009.
Gigabyte tells us the Aero 15 is the first laptop with a really thin bezel to sport a 144Hz display panel, however we know for a fact the new MSI GS65 has a very similar specification. Although Mobile 8th Gen CPUs are brand new we already have the clear impression that ultra-thin laptops with a large screen are going to be smack bang in the mainstream during 2018.
Features
8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H 6-core processor
Up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 with GDDR5 8GB VRAM
Thin Bezel Design: Full HD 144Hz/UHD Adobe RGB 100% Display
X-Rite Pantone Certified Display
All day battery: 94.24Whr
Gigabyte Fusion per-Key RGB backlit Keyboard
Thunderbolt 3 ready for high speed data transmission
Support HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 for 4K@60Hz output
Dual M.2 SSD/ RAM Slots
Specification
CPU Intel 8th Gen. Core i7-8750HQ, 6 cores with HT, 2.2GHz base clock, All Core Boost 3.4GHz, Max Boost 4.0GHz, 45W TDP
Screen 15.6-inch, 1,920×1,080 resolution, 144Hz refresh IPS
Graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q
Memory 16GB G.Skill RipJaws DDR4-2666MHz
SSD 512GB Toshiba THNSN5512 M.2 NVMe
Storage 2x PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 slots
Audio 2x 2W speakers
Ethernet Realtek Gigabit
Wi-Fi Intel AC 8265 Wireless
I/O ports
1x USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-A
2x USB 3.1 Gen1Type-A
1x Thunderbolt 3 Type-C
1x HDMI 2.0
1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
Headphone jack
SD card reader
Battery 94.24Wh 6200mAh, 215W adapter
Dimensions 356mm x 250mm x 18mm
Weight 2.09kg plus 720g for power supply and mains cable
The specification of the Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 is impressive as it takes that combination of 6-core CPU and GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics and adds a satisfying list of ports and connectors, along with 16GB of G.Skill DDR4 and a 512GB SSD. Topping off the list of features, we have an aluminium chassis with an overall thickness of 18mm and a weight that is slightly over 2kg.
While the performance of the new Core i7-8750H is clearly a matter of keen interest, we were completely confident it would eclipse previous quad core laptops with Mobile 7th Gen Kaby Lake, in just the same way that desktop Coffee Lake comfortably beats its predecessor.
The key numbers for the new Core i7-8750H are a base speed of 2.2GHz, all core Turbo speed of 3.4GHz and a claimed Maximum Turbo speed of 4.2GHz on a single core, although we only saw a speed of 4.1GHz in our tests. Maximum Turbo speeds are limited by thermal packages and power, and beyond that they are ‘maximum’ rather than ‘guaranteed.’ The GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics have been demonstrated to work effectively at a screen resolution of 1,920×1,080 so our mood at the start of this review was upbeat and optimistic.
A couple of points immediately came to our attention. The first being the keyboard layout which is mildly annoying with the DEL key inboard of the NUM pad instead of being positioned at the top right.
The second is the set of Gigabyte utilities that controls the lighting in the keyboard, allows you to set fan profiles and also reports on the temperatures and clock speeds inside your new laptop. The software is useful and does a decent job however it feels unnecessary. Can anyone honestly claim they are able to use a laptop with the keyboard lighting set to Rainbow Marquee? By the same token do we really need the ability to set a custom fan curve when it surely makes better sense to leave the job to a highly trained team of development engineers at the factory?
Testing
We tested the Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 using 3D Mark, Cinebench R15, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, Ashes of the Singularity Classic, Middle-earth:Shadow of War, Far Cry 5 and Rise of the Tomb Raider to give both the CPU and GPU a through workout.
CPU and Gaming Performance
The combination of Core i7-8750H and GTX 1070 Max-Q delivers impressive Full HD performance with typical frame rates around 70fps. There is no doubt in our mind the Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 is a serious gaming laptop, and added to that the Cinebench R15 score tells us that it can also be used for work such as video editing.
Temperatures
For stress testing we use AIDA64 to push the CPU and GPU to the limits. This is an artificial test as it loads the silicon to 100 percent however it is useful as it presents the worst case scenario for the laptop.
Cooling Performance.
Gigabyte has placed the exhaust vents on the bottom of the chassis, presumably to improve air flow through the cooling system. The consequence is that the hot exhaust air bounces off the surface on which the laptop is resting, which adds to noise levels and also means your legs are likely to get hot if you use the laptop as, you know, a laptop.
Cooling performance is marginal under extreme load when you use the laptop in a room around 20 degrees C as the CPU will throttle slightly. If you use the laptop in a cooler room or under regular loads you will avoid throttling problems. This is not a cause for concern as pretty much every laptop pushes the cooling package of the CPU and GPU close to the 90 degree limit.
Acoustics performance.
The two fans in the cooling system have 15 distinct speed levels and you can clearly hear them stepping up and down in speed. Once the laptop is running we didn’t hear the fans running below level four or five, and as the loads and heat inside the laptop rose, so too did the fans. It takes a stress test to push the fans all the way to level 15 but under regular gaming loads the fans are distinctly audible and annoying.
When you run a stress test the fans are just plain too loud. No doubt Gigabyte felt it necessary to run the fans hard to keep the CPU and GPU under control however we feel it would have benefited the Aero 15X if they had worked harder on the cooling system.
Battery life
Battery life is extraordinary, even though it is rated the same as the unit inside the Aero 15 v7 at 94.24Wh and 6200mAh. With the Aero 15 v7 we saw a battery test figure of three hours 36 minutes which equates to over seven hours in the real world.
By contrast the Aero 15X v8 lasted for four hours 44 minutes in the battery test which is about nine and a half hours of real world work. That is truly impressive.
We have been waiting a long time for Intel to release a Mobile CPU with more than four cores and the Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 shows off the new Core i7-8750HQ to very good effect. The combination of 8th Gen CPU and GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics is excellent and we also like the 15.6-inch IPS screen very much. The fact the screen has a refresh rate of 144Hz isn’t especially relevant as it will likely be pumping out the gaming frames at 70fps or thereabouts, but nonetheless we’ll take the extra Hz, thanks very much.
The combination of G.Skill DDR4 and Toshiba SSD are also welcome, and the same is true of the various ports and connectors..
We have our concerns about the cooling system which expels hot air directly downwards from the two heatsink/fan units. Over the years we have pointed out that Aorus has a habit of cramming high end hardware into a very slender chassis and this feels like a very similar approach. Yes, the chassis is slender but we feel it either requires a more sophisticated cooler or more room to work inside the chassis. If we have the choice between a quiet laptop and a slender laptop we’ll take the quiet option every day of the week.
It is a similar story with the keyboard which works well enough, although the layout of the keys is frustrating. Perhaps the better move would be to ditch the NUM pad. While we’re at it the RGB lighting isn’t strictly necessary either.
Overall we like the Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 however it is fairly expensive. When you are paying north of £2000 you want something close to perfection, rather than a laptop that is almost good enough.
Buy from Overclockers UK from their Coffee Lake page on OCUK HERE
Pros:
- Amazing battery life.
- Excellent CPU performance.
- Really good gaming at high image quality.
- Very large screen with a tiny bezel.
- A sleek aluminium chassis that exudes quality.
Cons:
- The cooling system is noisy under load.
- Keyboard has an annoying layout.
- Cooling system exhausts downwards.
- Price is rather high.
KitGuru says: Gigabyte Aero 15X v8 delivers six CPU cores and heaps of gaming performance at a fairly stiff price.
