GigaByte Aorus 15-X9 (15.6-Inch, 2017)

Slim and light ; GeForce 1070 graphics ; Silent and effective fans ; No garish design features

Ropey touchpad ; Awkward webcam ; Occasional stammer

If you’re a gamer who places portability over the very best possible performance, the Aero 15 is well worth pondering over.

big, fast screen ; 5mm thin bezels ; full-sized keyboard ; 14-inch form factor

Webcam below screen ; Keyboard can feel cramped

Gigabyte’s new Aero 15 adds a hecta-core cpu, a 144Hz FHD screen and a faster SD card reader to its winning formula. As a professional ultraportable that games, the Aero 15 is hard to beat.

Dual graphics cards deliver impressive gaming performance, even at 4K. Sturdy build. Per-key backlit keyboard.

Standard SLI complications apply. Unsatisfactory mechanical keyboard. Dismal battery life.

Bottom Line: It may have some design shortcomings, and the Aorus X9 certainly isn't cheap, but the power of two graphics cards in a fairly slim gaming laptop is an appealing prospect.

Ultra-thin design ; Sharp looks ; Tactile keys

A little too similar to the Aorus X7 ; Unknown price and specs

The Aorus X9 could be the most powerful gaming laptop we've yet seen, with SLI graphics superior to dual Nvidia GTX 1080s, but we’ll have to wait until June to see if it can make good on its promise.

Incredible productivity performance; Customizable RGB lighting; Mechanical keyboard; Strong gaming performance ; Runs very hot; Display is dim ; The Aorus X9 fires on all performance cylinders and has a solid keyboard, but very hot temperatures and a...

Runs very hot; Display is dim ; The Aorus X9 fires on all performance cylinders and has a solid keyboard, but very hot temperatures and a disappointing display hold it back.

The Aorus X9 fires on all performance cylinders and has a solid keyboard, but very hot temperatures and a disappointing display hold it back.

up to 3x storage devices and 4x RAM ; mechanical keyboard with RGB-backlighting ; high-quality and rather slim case ; practical tools (incl. fan control) ; optional CPU & GPU overclocking ; excellent performance ; X-Rite Pantone certified ; Thunderbolt...

typical SLI weaknesses (micro-stutters, dependence on drivers) ; mediocre QHD panel (viewing angles, black value, contrast) ; surfaces and mainboard get dirty quickly ; bottom of base unit heats up ; problems with system noise ; low battery runtime ;...

Although the X9 is equipped with two graphics units, Gigabyte has presented a very slim and, considering its performance, rather light-weight gaming notebook that can impress with its high-quality metal case, playful design (whether you like it or not)...

Plays games ; Looks good ; Long battery for work

Keyboard is wonky

Gigabyte has generally succeeded in making a gaming laptop that can be used day-to-day by executives. But the well-off centre keyboard makes it uncomfortable to type on for long periods.

compact power adapter with USB port ; viewing-angle-independent IPS panel ; narrow display frame ; works silently in quiet mode ; screen pre-calibrated ; slim aluminum case ; graphic switching ; very good performance ; long battery life ; RGB lighting...

response time of the display could be better ; touchpad does not always response to right clicks ; quite high price for a GTX 1060 device ; slightly weak sound

Whether you consider the Aero 15 primarily as an all-rounder or a gaming platform, Gigabyte has taken an important step forward in its notebook development. The extremely slim 15-inch laptop (19 mm/~0.75 in) might reach a top place in our Multimedia...

Excellent mechanical keyboard;Superb gaming performance;Reasonably thin for its specifications;Portable for a DTR machine

Large and heavy compared to more compact options;Expensive;Fans can get really loud;Unimpressive speakers