Gigabyte Aero 15 X Gaming Notebook With GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q Graphics
- Thread starter JimboJet
- Start date
I have taken the Pantone and spec stickers off, they came away no problems or residue.
Contrary to the reviews I've seen, I feel the fan noise is tolerable for a machine of this spec and far better than the 3 alienwares I've had previously. Granted, I've only played World of tanks so far so it hasn't pushed the thermal limits yet. In any case, I usually use headphones for gaming which have great sound quality from the 3.5mm jack (though im far from an audiophile)
Your findings on the smart update software are as mine. Has been buggy and a little cumbersome, but I suppose does the job even if it needs a couple of attempts at times. I'm not entirely sure the smart manager is that at all, there is little that can't be achieved through windows settings or keyboard hotkey's easily enough anyway, so I may well uninstall this.
There's a fair amount of irrelevant bloatware such as candy crush saga and a few other such items which despite uninstalling still reside in the start menu... wondering how/if it's possible to do a clean install from included media/ssd??
How much is a clean win 10 install usually? I had 40.5gb used of the 512gb toshiba m2 drive before I added any of my own software and this seems a little too much.
Just realised the right shift key backlight doesn't work at all, the Tab key is very feint but I haven't had any repeated key press issues as yet and am running the latest firmware.
Noise whilst gaming is a little more noticeable than my last post and the underside gets pretty warm. I've taken to propping up the rear a little with a length of dowel rod to allow a little more air to circulate as I've done with previous machines to help.
Noise whilst gaming is a little more noticeable than my last post and the underside gets pretty warm. I've taken to propping up the rear a little with a length of dowel rod to allow a little more air to circulate as I've done with previous machines to help.
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@Atom80 Just about to create USB backup to attempt a fresh windows 10 home install and Windows defender reports a trojan found and quarantined from Gigabyte Smart Update Software!!! Needless to say this is quite alarming. I've not yet done any significant browsing nor have I installed anything from a dubious source. In fact, discord, World of Tanks, Steam and Far Cry5 from within Steam are the only things aside from the supplied Gigabyte software.
Trojan:Win32/Fuery.D!cl
Alert level: Severe
Status: Quarantined
Date: 23/04/2018
Recommended action: Remove threat now.
Category: Trojan
Details: This program is dangerous and executes commands from an attack
Affected items:
file: C:\Program Files\Smart Update\temp\Smart_Update_v3.9.5.exe
Trojan:Win32/Fuery.D!cl
Alert level: Severe
Status: Quarantined
Date: 23/04/2018
Recommended action: Remove threat now.
Category: Trojan
Details: This program is dangerous and executes commands from an attack
Affected items:
file: C:\Program Files\Smart Update\temp\Smart_Update_v3.9.5.exe
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I have to echo Mark's comments. It really is a fantastic machine. Doing a clean install as we speak before I go any further with it. The ssd reports 479gb available in the main partition before windows installed, I can see myself having to invest in a 2nd m2 drive fairly quickly 
Hopefully I will be able to find all the relevant drivers without too much trouble!
Hopefully I will be able to find all the relevant drivers without too much trouble!Reinstall of win 10 completed, and i have to say it was probably a waste of time - The bloatware that I had problems with being on the machine from the factory before was part of windows 10, not Gigabyte's and I didn't see a custom option for the win 10 installer. The drivers are fully up to date now and the machine is working well so far. Driver downloads from Gigabytes support site are pain free and reasonably quick and easy to perform.
One issue I do have with the gigabyte software is that there is a popup window asking for permission for Gigabyte to collect configuration data from your machine with only a "yes I agree" checkbox or the close window X, meaning it pops up every time you boot unless you accept. I don't want to allow this, so give me the option to remove it, in its present state it's highly annoying. - I'm sorry but i've forgotten the name of this software "Gigabyte X style" maybe?
As a side effect of the intake fan positioning and keyboard design, under load I've noticed you actually get cool airflow through the keys to your fingers, its a nice touch and really allows the the keyboard to stay at very modest (relatively cool) temperature. In fact your wrists get a little warmer than this as the metal chassis design conducts the heat to this area too.
Presently, the power cord enters at the right hand side of the machine into the mouse area (right handed users!) . It's a minor point but still significant, for future designs it would be way better to have the power cord with a 90 degree bend type plug to direct the cord away to the rear (which is where everyone will send it anyway!) from the side and would also reduce stress on the PCB power connector which is a frequent source of failure with notebooks.
Further info: just did a quick benchmark in FarCry 5 with all graphics settings ultra/maximum and resolution multiplier at 1.2 for added quality and I got 54 min/62 average/73 Max fps, V-sync off. (1920x1080)
One issue I do have with the gigabyte software is that there is a popup window asking for permission for Gigabyte to collect configuration data from your machine with only a "yes I agree" checkbox or the close window X, meaning it pops up every time you boot unless you accept. I don't want to allow this, so give me the option to remove it, in its present state it's highly annoying. - I'm sorry but i've forgotten the name of this software "Gigabyte X style" maybe?
As a side effect of the intake fan positioning and keyboard design, under load I've noticed you actually get cool airflow through the keys to your fingers, its a nice touch and really allows the the keyboard to stay at very modest (relatively cool) temperature. In fact your wrists get a little warmer than this as the metal chassis design conducts the heat to this area too.
Presently, the power cord enters at the right hand side of the machine into the mouse area (right handed users!) . It's a minor point but still significant, for future designs it would be way better to have the power cord with a 90 degree bend type plug to direct the cord away to the rear (which is where everyone will send it anyway!) from the side and would also reduce stress on the PCB power connector which is a frequent source of failure with notebooks.
Further info: just did a quick benchmark in FarCry 5 with all graphics settings ultra/maximum and resolution multiplier at 1.2 for added quality and I got 54 min/62 average/73 Max fps, V-sync off. (1920x1080)
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I'll chip in here as a positive. Granted i've not used the laptop a great deal since I've got it but it really is a fine machine.
I had no issues whatsoever with the keyboard either before or after the firmware/software update.
It is a little loud when pushed but no more so than any of my previous 3 alienware machines that are twice the weight and thickness and half (or less) the performance of the Aero 15x v8.
My ambient room temps are high as I live in the UAE and are around 23/24C yet I've had zero instances of overheating and if throttling has happened, I haven't noticed it. I've been using it for Fusion360 rendering and games. I do tend to prop up the rear of my laptops where I can though to help airflow, and I recommend ppl do this with all performance notebooks.
I've yet to get a single BSOD.
The keyboard took a short time to adjust to but is great to type on.
I do have some backlight bleed, but for my usage it's not an issue and again no worse than any previous laptop I've owned. I would say you only notice it if you specifically look for it with a black screen. The colours are great and its a bright display if needed.
This is without doubt the best machine I have owned and I hope it keeps me going for a few years to come. I have only two niggles; I'd prefer the power cord to have a right angled connector so it applies less stress on the power port, and I'd prefer to have the lid Gigabyte logo more discreet and have the ability to turn off/dim the logo light.
As these are my only two complaints, I think its fair to say the Aero 15x v8 is a very accomplished machine and Gigabyte have a winner!
I had no issues whatsoever with the keyboard either before or after the firmware/software update.
It is a little loud when pushed but no more so than any of my previous 3 alienware machines that are twice the weight and thickness and half (or less) the performance of the Aero 15x v8.
My ambient room temps are high as I live in the UAE and are around 23/24C yet I've had zero instances of overheating and if throttling has happened, I haven't noticed it. I've been using it for Fusion360 rendering and games. I do tend to prop up the rear of my laptops where I can though to help airflow, and I recommend ppl do this with all performance notebooks.
I've yet to get a single BSOD.
The keyboard took a short time to adjust to but is great to type on.
I do have some backlight bleed, but for my usage it's not an issue and again no worse than any previous laptop I've owned. I would say you only notice it if you specifically look for it with a black screen. The colours are great and its a bright display if needed.
This is without doubt the best machine I have owned and I hope it keeps me going for a few years to come. I have only two niggles; I'd prefer the power cord to have a right angled connector so it applies less stress on the power port, and I'd prefer to have the lid Gigabyte logo more discreet and have the ability to turn off/dim the logo light.
As these are my only two complaints, I think its fair to say the Aero 15x v8 is a very accomplished machine and Gigabyte have a winner!
If it helps in anyway, I did a fresh install of Windows 10 and I've yet to have a Blue screen.
@Atom80 It would appear the supplied charger pulls too many amps or watts (whatever, i'm no electrician) to use on the power outlets found on Commercial planes (talking Boeing 777 and Airbus 380). Is there something I'm missing or is there any charger available that will work onboard? As it happens, on the recent flight I had, the battery held out for 5hrs 45mins with fusion360 which was just about enough but I was surprised that I couldn't charge even with the machine off (no load).
Just done a little more digging on this and it would appear that the aircraft power outlets trip if there's a load greater than 75 watts (although plenty of people suggesting a 90W PSU works fine) So, can you find out if the power port on the aero 15x v8 is a "smart" port or will any aftermarket 90w laptop psu work provided it has the correct plug/polarity?
@Atom80 It would appear the supplied charger pulls too many amps or watts (whatever, i'm no electrician) to use on the power outlets found on Commercial planes (talking Boeing 777 and Airbus 380). Is there something I'm missing or is there any charger available that will work onboard? As it happens, on the recent flight I had, the battery held out for 5hrs 45mins with fusion360 which was just about enough but I was surprised that I couldn't charge even with the machine off (no load).
Just done a little more digging on this and it would appear that the aircraft power outlets trip if there's a load greater than 75 watts (although plenty of people suggesting a 90W PSU works fine) So, can you find out if the power port on the aero 15x v8 is a "smart" port or will any aftermarket 90w laptop psu work provided it has the correct plug/polarity?
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@Atom80 Whilst you're their can you ask them if the psu plug is generic or has it got some fancy design which means we cant use aftermarket PSUs? I'd like to be able to charge the laptop whilst travelling by air (see my previous post, but i'm talking commercial airliners with 75 - 90Watt supply limits on their on board power outlets) The one supplied with the laptop is too thirsty at 230w to work whilst onboard.
Sure it won't be enough to power the machine in demanding usage permanently but it should charge whilst off/idle or at least maintain or extend whatever battery is remaining at the time of boarding.
Sure it won't be enough to power the machine in demanding usage permanently but it should charge whilst off/idle or at least maintain or extend whatever battery is remaining at the time of boarding.
@Atom80
Thanks for asking, i guess you mean "shouldn't cause damage" not "should cause damage! Re the system flicking in and out of battery/ac, is that not the same in effect as just unplugging laptop to relocate and then reconnecting to the mains supply as you do in normal usage anyway? (albeit potentially a little more frequently!)
Also whats the system power draw when operating with integrated graphics instead of the 1070q? I can't imagine it will be any more than 90w for most desktop applications, the chip is 45w max then its only the motherboard, memory, m.2 ssd, usb mouse device and display on top of that. Any idea from your technical side on how much power the display panel uses/needs in typical desktop apps and movie playback?
Just been on a another flight and again, the supplied psu wont even charge the laptop when it's off, which is disappointing. I have read elsewhere that plugging and unplugging the psu from the onboard power outlet multiple times can be enough to negate the initial power spike to the psu as it charges the capacitors within, but sadly this wasn't enough to spark the Power adapter into life. Again, to people reading this, none of this is a big issue really as if the machine is charged before a flight and you have the minimum power usage profile selected with forced integrated graphics, the battery lasts 7+hrs easily (I even saw 11hrs something at one point when I mouseovered the battery life icon! though I doubt I would have actually achieved that had the flight been that long). I fly/travel a lot and have yet to have the aero15xv8 shutdown due to running out of battery and that speaks volumes!
I love the fact that Gigabyte chose to go with optimus graphics switching for extended battery life over a g-sync panel, thank you!! I have a g-sync 27" display at home when I have a mains supply so not having g-sync on a laptop makes perfect sense and I really struggle with why its taken so long for performance laptop manufacturers to see the light in this regard!!
Welcome Baloney. It was already good having Atom80 on hand to provide information and support and that would appear to be a lot more than other manufacturers can claim. Now that we have a second representative from Gigabyte's team that can only help to further increase the support on offer.
Thank you Gigabyte, I firmly believe you are on the right track both with your latest products and your attitude to your customers. What makes this so special is that so few manufacturers take the same approach so Gigabyte will gain more loyalty and a greater market share which is good for all of us!
<edit> still have no issues with my aero 15x 8750h, very content with it.
Thank you Gigabyte, I firmly believe you are on the right track both with your latest products and your attitude to your customers. What makes this so special is that so few manufacturers take the same approach so Gigabyte will gain more loyalty and a greater market share which is good for all of us!
<edit> still have no issues with my aero 15x 8750h, very content with it.
I fully agree with the comments above about the logo and the inability to dim it or have the backlight switched off entirely. I will however say that this is the first and only performance/gaming laptop I have seen that doesn't have the typical styling features seen on other gaming laptops and is a massive leap in the right direction. I've been following the Aorus/Gigabyte range since their first offerings and the Aero 15x (and lesser specced Aero 15) are truly the first acceptably "mature" styled machines made available. They are close to perfect, but aren't there yet even with the Aero15x v8. I've been quite vocal about the styling on the Aorus line, particularly the garish Aorus trackpad logo which as a design decision just baffles me entirely.
I think the gaming laptop manufacturers need to understand their target consumers more than they have done until now. Thankfully, Gigabyte appear to be getting there. The 30-45 yr old age group are people typically the higher earners, brought up with atari 2600 games consoles, spectrums, commodore 64s, Super Nintendos etc, (ie the pioneers of computer gaming as we know it today). They've been weaned on games and many have not shifted the habit and see gaming as a good way to relax away from the pressures of the office environment (or the wife etc!). At the same time they have seen design style icons such as Apples various under performing notebooks and no doubt have a requirement to use their personal devices in their office environments. Employers in a lot of cases have managed to shift themselves away from the financial burden of providing staff with company sourced machines, passing on the task (and financial pain) to their staff. This group to me is the intended target audience for these high end devices, most of which still need to keep an eye on budgets so will be very picky about where their money goes.
The gaming styled devices are fine for lesser specced machines around the $700-$1200 mark and I'm sure there is demand for these devices but above that, I firmly believe discretion is king and manufacturers offering "sleeper" laptops will do well. I suspect Gigabyte is already seeing that with sales figures for their Aero 15x.
Case in point, I would have bought the previous Aorus machines had it not had the trackpad logo and I was very close to going for the MS surface book 2 i7 1060 machine over the Aorus/Gigabyte offerings even knowing it had a much reduced spec simply for it's sleek professional looking design. That was of course until we discovered that the machine was flawed with an under performing power supply and less than expected performance due to heavy throttling. It would appear from the comments in these forums that I am not alone in my views.
I think the gaming laptop manufacturers need to understand their target consumers more than they have done until now. Thankfully, Gigabyte appear to be getting there. The 30-45 yr old age group are people typically the higher earners, brought up with atari 2600 games consoles, spectrums, commodore 64s, Super Nintendos etc, (ie the pioneers of computer gaming as we know it today). They've been weaned on games and many have not shifted the habit and see gaming as a good way to relax away from the pressures of the office environment (or the wife etc!). At the same time they have seen design style icons such as Apples various under performing notebooks and no doubt have a requirement to use their personal devices in their office environments. Employers in a lot of cases have managed to shift themselves away from the financial burden of providing staff with company sourced machines, passing on the task (and financial pain) to their staff. This group to me is the intended target audience for these high end devices, most of which still need to keep an eye on budgets so will be very picky about where their money goes.
The gaming styled devices are fine for lesser specced machines around the $700-$1200 mark and I'm sure there is demand for these devices but above that, I firmly believe discretion is king and manufacturers offering "sleeper" laptops will do well. I suspect Gigabyte is already seeing that with sales figures for their Aero 15x.
Case in point, I would have bought the previous Aorus machines had it not had the trackpad logo and I was very close to going for the MS surface book 2 i7 1060 machine over the Aorus/Gigabyte offerings even knowing it had a much reduced spec simply for it's sleek professional looking design. That was of course until we discovered that the machine was flawed with an under performing power supply and less than expected performance due to heavy throttling. It would appear from the comments in these forums that I am not alone in my views.
Yes and yes. Its an excellent laptop and I stand by what I said about Gigabyte having a winner with their Aero 15x v8. Its just simply very very good. A little loud with fans on 100% but the fans don't run at 100% in World of Tanks or while rendering in fusion360 and I usually use a headset anyway for music and sound so it not something i notice.
Battery life is superb and my only complaints are re the gigabyte logo not being switchable or dimmable/more discrete and the power jack not being a 90 degree connector (it pokes out into your mouse space if right handed) but if i'm going to be completely honest it doesn't affect me at all in real usage as ergonomically my mouse hand is usually spaced further out to the right than this if I have sufficient desk space, its only an issue on flights where I have limited table space. A power jack placed to the rear or as i said with a 90 degree connector would alleviate the issue completely. I haven't had an issue with this next point yet either but I would like to see the laptop with one more USB port (it has 3, typically taken up by wireless mouse, wireless headset and a charger lead in my normal usage which doesn't allow for say a printer or other peripheral, that said I can always swap out one device for another. I should mention that the power adapter comes with an additional usb port for charging devices and I do use it more than I thought I would and is a welcome addition)
These are all minor points in the greater scheme of things. I'm happier with this laptop than any other I've possessed. (I've had 7 or 8 in total over the last 25 years) Performance wise, its the first laptop I've owned that doesn't compromise on graphics settings/fps, SSD/HDD speed, doesn't throttle, and i've yet to have it shut down due to insufficient battery (between making it to a power outlet) It's lightweight, slim and totally portable without any performance compromise.
Battery life is superb and my only complaints are re the gigabyte logo not being switchable or dimmable/more discrete and the power jack not being a 90 degree connector (it pokes out into your mouse space if right handed) but if i'm going to be completely honest it doesn't affect me at all in real usage as ergonomically my mouse hand is usually spaced further out to the right than this if I have sufficient desk space, its only an issue on flights where I have limited table space. A power jack placed to the rear or as i said with a 90 degree connector would alleviate the issue completely. I haven't had an issue with this next point yet either but I would like to see the laptop with one more USB port (it has 3, typically taken up by wireless mouse, wireless headset and a charger lead in my normal usage which doesn't allow for say a printer or other peripheral, that said I can always swap out one device for another. I should mention that the power adapter comes with an additional usb port for charging devices and I do use it more than I thought I would and is a welcome addition)
These are all minor points in the greater scheme of things. I'm happier with this laptop than any other I've possessed. (I've had 7 or 8 in total over the last 25 years) Performance wise, its the first laptop I've owned that doesn't compromise on graphics settings/fps, SSD/HDD speed, doesn't throttle, and i've yet to have it shut down due to insufficient battery (between making it to a power outlet) It's lightweight, slim and totally portable without any performance compromise.
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