Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 Review – Best Content Creation Laptop

The all-new Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 comes with the latest Gen Intel 12th Gen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU geared towards Content Creation!

A few days back at CES 2022Gigabyte launched a series of new laptops. since Hybrid laptops are open of the core themes of the event this year so we have seen a lot of thin and lightweight laptops in 2022 that feature top-of-the-line hardware with exceptional build quality and the latest technologies built-in.

The laptops range from Content Creation models to Gaming Models from brands like  AcerHPLenovoASUSRazerDell, and MSI

Gigabyte refreshed their Aero lineup of Content Creation laptops and released the Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 Laptop. Although other different models come under their Aero lineup of laptops, the Aero 16 YE5 proved to be their flagship model in the 16-inch range. Gigabyte balanced it well with their Intel Core i7 12th Gen Alder Lake Processor and an RTX 3080Ti Graphics Card.

The 4K AMOLED Panel variant that we have today produces vibrant colors. There is also a Mini LED Version of the Gigabyte Aero 16 laptop that you can check out. The hybrid looks of the laptop make it easier for portability as well.

Now further any delay let’s check out the all-new Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 Laptop.

gigabyte aero 16 laptop
Gigabyte Aero 16 Laptop

Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 – Specs

Here are the detailed specifications of the Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5

CPUCore-i9 12900HK
GPUNvidia RTX 3080Ti
Display16 inch, 4k Samsung AMOLED, UHD+ quality
Memory32GB DDR5, 4800MHz
Storage1x 1TB SSD1x 2TB SSD
Ports1x Thunderbolt 4 display port
1x Thunderbolt 4 display port and 100W PD charging
1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C
1x 3.5mm audio jack
ConnectivityIntel Killer WiFi 6E 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.2
Webcam1x 1080p
Dimension14.02W X 9.78D X 0.88H inches
Weight5.07 pounds

Aero 16 YE5 – Pricing and Availability

The all-new Aero 16 2022 Creators Laptop is priced at $4399 with the UHD+ AMOLED Display. The laptop will be very soon available with all the major online and offline retailers. You can also configure the build of the laptop on Gigabyte’s website.

Gigabyte Aero 16 – Design and Build Quality

Gigabyte Aero 16 - Design and Build Quality
Gigabyte Aero 16 – Design and Build Quality

Gigabyte has manufactured this Aero laptop keeping in mind the portability. So the brand went with a silver metal chassis. Being a Creator laptop, Gigabyte didn’t incorporate any no bold gaming designs on this laptop as it is going to be used both in content creation and business scenarios as well. The design is so simple and elegant. The design is constructed with metal and it weighs around 5.07lbs with the battery itself.

The Gigabyte Aero Laptop measures around 14.02×9.78×0.88 inches and it is a perfectly portable size that can fit into your laptop backpacks. The metal construction feels really solid and it can be easily carried around without a hitch.

The laptop has a sturdy base and for that reason, the Gigabyte Aero 16 laptop can be opened with one hand as well. The Aero 16-inch laptop has an industrial design to it and its getaway design is for all the users who are tired of looking at black gaming laptops.

The top of the lid is a plain silver-colored surface with the Aero branding done at the middle of the laptop’s lid.

Aero 16 4K Panel – Display

Gigabyte aero 16 ye5 display
Aero 16 4K Panel – Display

The Gigabyte Aero 16 features a 16-inch AMOLED Panel with an aspect ratio of 16:10. It also features a 4K UHD+ Display. Having a 16-inch display mainly for content creation purposes is great as it gives more space whenever you are editing videos or photos on your laptop.

The Aero laptop also features a 100% sRGB Display and the display is very bright and vivid ad the colors are saturated. The display looks great even at 2K or even at HD Resolution. Our test model didn’t have any dead pixels and we are absolutely in love with this laptop.

The bezels around the display are extremely thin and the refresh rate of this laptop is 60hz. It uses a Samsung SDC416B AMOLED Panel with a glossy finish. We prefer antiglare displays rather than glossy ones because the antiglare coating helps when you are working under direct sunlight. There is also a Mini-LED version of the Aero 16 available.

Aero 16 YE5 – Keyboard and Touchpad

Aero 16 YE5 - Keyboard and Touchpad
Aero 16 YE5 – Keyboard and Touchpad

Keyboard

Gigabyte provides a tenkeyless keyboard with the laptop. We didn’t like the keyboard as such because of its low-key travel. Typing on this keyboard is okayish but you are more prone to make mistakes because of the shallow key structures. The keys are a little bit on the smaller side and it comes with white backlighting.

Touchpad

The touchpad on the Aero 16 YE5 also looks small given how much space is already available on the deck of the laptop. The touchpad features left and right mouse buttons underneath the pad. The single panel touchpad is prone to make more mistakes when pressed incorrectly.

But that’s not an issue because it will only take a few hours of usage to get used to it. The trackpad responds well to all the gestures like pinch to zoom and drag and other windows features.

Gigabyte Aero 2022 – Ports and Connectivity

Ports

For the ports, on the right side of the laptop, you will get two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type C Ports. The left side of the laptop consists of a Headphone/Microphone jack and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB Type C Ports

Gigabyte Aero 2022 - Ports and Connectivity
Gigabyte Aero 2022 – Right
Gigabyte Aero 2022 - Left
Gigabyte Aero 2022 – Left

Now here is an exclusive thing. Gigabyte is offering you a small Aero hub accessory. This unit has one Thunderbolt 4 port Type-C, one USB 3.1 Type-A port, one miniDP port with 4k 120Hz support, and an HDMI port for 4k 60Hz support. This Gigabyte Aero Hub Accessory needs an empty type C USB Port to connect.

Aero hub accessory
Aero hub accessory

Connectivity

For the wireless side of things, the Aero 2022 Laptop features Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6E for stable internet connectivity and Bluetooth 5.2 for seamless audio playback and file transfers.

Gigabyte 16 inch Gaming Laptop – Audio, Battery, and Webcam

Audio

The audio of this laptop is taken care of by two 2 Watt speakers which are decent for both Gaming and listening to music. Although it is always recommended to use headphones or Bluetooth speakers. The speakers are of decent quality with a bit on the treble side but even at high volumes the speakers dont crack at all.

Battery

Gigabyte has manufactured this Areo 16 unit with a 99W battery. The brand claims that the battery has a 7hr standby time. The battery does not get overheated with excessive usage and performs very well. We did a PCMark 10 Battery test and the laptop was fully discharged at around 3 hours which is typically lesser than the MSI’s GE66 Gaming Laptop.

Webcam

The 1080p webcam on the Gigabyte Aero laptop is perfect for video calling and conference meetings. This is an IR Webcam and we can use the Windows Face Unlock features with this laptop.

Gigabyte Aero 16 – Thermal Performance

Gigabyte Aero 16 - Thermal Performance
Gigabyte Aero 16 – Thermal Performance

The all-new Aero 16 Gaming Laptop features a dual fan setup with a proper array of heat pipes. On our testing, we have found that the top of the laptop and the power buttons areas get a little bit warm to our liking.

Although it is important to mention that the GPU never crossed 82 degrees which is very much safe for an RTX Laptop Graphics card. The WASD keys area and the palm rest area also get slightly warm after an extended period of use but it is not uncomfortable.

Aero YE5 Gaming Laptop – Performance and Benchmark

The Gigabyte Aorus 17 XE4 laptop features an Intel Core i9-12900H Processor which is a 14 core processor with 6 performance cores and 8 efficient cores. The processor also has 20 cores which means it can handle both Gaming and Content Creation tasks.

Coming to the Graphics card, this laptop features the RTX 3080Ti Graphics Card with all the latest technologies pre-installed on the GPU. The laptop also features a 2TB NVMe SSD along with 32GB DDR5 4800Hz Memory.

Gigabyte Aero YE5 CPU Performance

3DMark Time Spy9369 points
3Dmark Fire Strike19089 points
3DMark Night Raid30650 points
PCMark 107588 points
CineBench R23 Single Core1940 points
CineBench R23 Multi Core18200 points
GeekBench 5, 64bit Single-Core1760 points
GeekBench 5, 64bit Multi-Core1260 points
iGPU – FP32 Performance Single GFLOPS2227 points
Blender 3.1262 points

Gigabyte Aero YE5 GPU Performance, All games were tested at 4k Ultra settings.

Doom Eternal 4k234fps
Borderlands 3 4k85fps
Control 4k with RTX ON62fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4k111fps
Red Dead Redemption 2 4k93fps
Hitman 3 Dubai 4k152fps
Cyberpunk 2077 4k55fps
CS: GO 4k150fps

Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 – FAQ

What are the free softwares that comes with Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5?

The Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 comes with a pre-install copy of Windows 11 Pro. Along with this, it comes with a Control Center app where you will be able to check the system stats, change the keyboard lighting (if RGB), and the Azure AI features which enhance the performances of both your Games and Content Creation Workloads. Also, it comes with a free copy of the Microsoft Office 360 package.

How much Warranty does the Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 have?

The Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 gives you a two-year limited warranty.

Can I upgrade my Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 laptop?

Yes, you can upgrade both the RAM and the SSD of this Gaming laptop. It supports up to 64GB of RAM with a maximum speed of 4800MHz frequency. For the storage, you will have one extra m.2 Slot available to upgrade your storage capacity. You can also upgrade your storage by using an external SSD.

Also, don’t forget to purchase the necessary Gaming accessories!

Gigabyte Aero 16 YE5 – Verdict

Pros

  • Vibrant 4K Display
  • Color Calibrated Display with a 16:10 Aspect Ratio
  • Great Thermal performance
  • Good Typing Experience with very smooth tracking on the trackpad
  • Microsoft Azure AI software to manage and control the entire system
  • Sharp Edge Design
  • Great 1080p webcam with IR

Cons

  • Battery life is less when compared to other similar laptops
  • CPU Benchmarks are significantly less when compared to other similar laptops
  • Less Key Travel
  • Battery drain is really quick when turned on full brightness mode.
  • Little Steep Pricing

That’s all folks!


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