Gigabyte’s Aero X16 is a rare 32GB gaming laptop under $1,400

Gigabyte’s Aero X16 gaming laptop is down to $1,389.99 from $1,999.99, a $610 cut from its MSRP. We’ve most often seen this laptop for about $1,800, so the price cut isn’t as spectacular as it seems at first glance, but that’s still a significant drop.

Just look at the hardware you’re getting: an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 processor, RTX 5070 laptop graphics, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. While the AI 7 350 is more of an efficiency processor for thin-and-light laptops, the 32GB of RAM provides a lot of headroom for the price (especially right now with the memory shortage). That RAM is replaceable, by the way, and so is the 1TB SSD. Good to know if you plan to use this laptop for years and run it into the ground.

The 16-inch display at 2560×1600 looks great but isn’t the sharpest with about 189 PPI. The IPS display is more color-accurate with wider viewing angles than cheaper TN panels, but not as vibrant or deeply black as more expensive OLED screens. For gaming on that RTX 5070 GPU, it hits a sweet spot for enthusiast gamers who don’t have limitless pockets—lush, gorgeous, responsive, reasonably priced. It’s also surprisingly portable, weighing just 4.19 pounds for a 16-incher.

What’s the worst thing about it worth knowing? The battery life. Despite the efficient mobile CPU, the Aero X16 is power-hungry. While Gigabyte claims up to 12 hours on a single charge, real-world users claim up to 9 hours when working and watching video and only 2 hours while gaming. If you’re going to game, you’ll need to be tethered to power.

Battery aside, everything about the Aero X16 punches above its weight now that it’s available for just $1,389.99. If it isn’t the right machine for you, check out PCWorld’s picks for the best gaming laptops and best budget gaming laptops under $1,000.

Author: Gabriela Vatu, Deals Editor, PCWorld