Powerful platform and AI chat in settings: GIGABYTE AORUS Master 16 gaming laptop review

Gaming laptops, in addition to the primary goal of providing the best possible gaming experience, have long gone beyond simple performance. Now they must keep up with the trends of an interesting appearance, constantly improve the accompanying components, be convenient and… somehow incorporate artificial intelligence into the workflow. Of course, the top offers of manufacturers do this best. And there are many interesting moments and details worth paying attention to. In today's review, we will talk in more detail about the features and capabilities of one of the top new products from GIGABYTE — AORUS Master 16.

Specifications of AORUS Master 16

Package contents

In the case of the AORUS Master 16, the manufacturer provides a standard package for most laptops, so the device itself comes only with a power supply of the appropriate capacity. You can also find a branded set of stickers in the box.

Connoisseurs of stylistic matching of accessories will still be able to find mice, keyboards, headsets, gaming chairs, etc. in the manufacturer's store. Of course, existing or simply third-party gadgets will fit without any problems. And those potential owners who do not plan to use this model stationary will need a backpack for large laptops, and preferably with additional protection. Such a kit would definitely not hurt.

Design and usability

The new AORUS Master 16 has many similar elements from its predecessors. More precisely, we have seen such a chassis before and gamers familiar with the brand will definitely guess the novelty even without looking at the logo. And the chassis is still successful. The appearance of the new model accurately indicates its origin, has its own stylistic differences and generally corresponds to the gaming class. And gaming models still manage to stand out from the mass of ordinary laptops.

The color of the case was called Dark Tide — a certain variation of dark blue. It has a rather pleasant appearance against the background of a row of black cases. The coating of the top cover of the display unit will be interesting. The metal surface at an angle reflects volumetric waves and a slight "pearlescent" effect (reminiscent of some car painting options). An unusual accent that is nice to see under certain lighting conditions. Of course, this does not affect practical use, but it still adds originality.

Of course, the "mandatory" design attributes are also in place. The RGB backlight of the keyboard is supplemented by two light zones in front and behind, as well as a logo. All this is not so bright as to interfere with work or play. And in simpler than game mode, the system can automatically switch the backlight to a neutral white color. To this are added transparent WSAD+QER keys, stylized cooling slots, and logos not only on the case, but also with a projection on the back of the laptop. The user, of course, practically does not see this, but the moment is interesting and unusual.

A pleasant moment awaits those users who do not like flickering status indicators. Yes, they are here, and they are located in front. But in the settings there is an option to turn them off, after which they are practically invisible and will definitely not make themselves felt.

The bottom also features massive ventilation slots with the same styling as the top of the top case. There are also large feet here to lock it in place and create space for air to be captured. Two of them are arranged in a way that further separates the air outlet and inlet, which should also help with cooling efficiency.

However, this does not cancel the more inconvenient features of such models. The case, as in all such cases, is not the thinnest. With dimensions of 357×254×23-29.9 mm and a weight of about 2.5 kg, this is not the largest of gaming laptops, but not the smallest either. This is a standard "payment" for performance and other advantages that come with such a laptop. Again, it is unlikely that buyers of such models are not ready for such features, because the most productive laptops are almost not associated with ease of transportation.

If we recall the predecessor, the idea of connecting the design of a laptop with sports cars was continued here. Large-scale updates of cars occur every few years, but certain details are minimally updated more often. The same is true here. In terms of use, the novelty offers almost nothing new. Apart from the weight and dimensions, there are no significant shortcomings here. However, there are more interesting updates ahead, which will be literally more noticeable.

Display

The minimal change in dimensions and the number in the name will suggest that the AORUS Master 16 has a 16-inch display, respectively. The resolution and aspect ratio were not touched, leaving 2560×1600 pixels and 16:10. This standard has become well-established and is a good option for games and other tasks. There have been no noticeable changes to the bezels, but this is not the main thing for this model.

This time, the matrix has been significantly updated. IPS in the 16-inch option has been replaced with OLED. Actually, it's hard not to notice such a change. And this is especially noticeable, obviously, with dark scenes. And the image saturation has also significantly increased, along with full coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, not just sRGB. The manufacturer does not provide image settings, but in my subjective opinion, the vast majority of users do not need them in principle. The picture is very impressive and it is unlikely that anyone will be dissatisfied (unless there are some "personal scores" with OLED).

At the same time, the screen has increased the refresh rate to 240 Hz. And although it is difficult to say that 165 was not enough, in some cases it will still be a good upgrade. Moreover, the new hardware configuration will allow, for example, to get more than 165 FPS in CS 2, and in competitive shooters this is still an important criterion.

However, the new matrix has added minimal inconveniences, because its coating is glossy. Thus, under some lighting conditions and at certain angles, you can get noticeable glare. With a maximum brightness of 500 cd/m², some of them can still be "overcome". However, not always completely, and, of course, not in completely dark areas of the image. Working indoors, I would not say that this was a problem for me. But each user has their own use case, so this point is worth considering.

Ports

The use of a minimally updated chassis has not changed the layout of the ports. So, on the left there is a power connector, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, USB-A 3.2 Gen2, and the updated Thunderbolt 5 (DP 2.1, PD 3.0). On the other side there is another USB-A 3.2 Gen2, Thunderbolt 4 (DP 1.4, PD 3.0), a microSD reader, and a combined 3.5 mm Jack.

In my case, I would like to have another USB-A, but in general it is not a critical point. Also, devices connected to the right can minimally interfere with the mouse. But, again, it is just a matter of habit. And all the ports with inconvenient wires are still on the left.

Security

To support Windows Hello, the webcam has been supplemented, as last time, with an IR sensor. A fingerprint scanner was not added to this model. But in current conditions, it would not be superfluous. And although there are generally no problems with face scanning, in certain circumstances there were nuances.

The thing is that with the updated Windows requirements, this unlocking method stops working in low-light conditions. That is, for example, if only a couple of table lamps are lit in the room in the evening, this may not be enough for the system. In the summer, of course, this is not felt as a problem. However, in the winter, fans of dimmed light will most likely have to enter passwords more often (unless the next Windows update returns everything to its place).

Additionally, the camera will help with a couple of privacy features. The corresponding settings — AI Privacy — can reduce the brightness of the display or lock the system if the user moves away from the laptop. The same can happen if someone nearby looks at the screen, or you can receive a notification about this. Not very standard features, as for gaming models, but they may be useful to someone. But it is worth considering that in this case the camera will be constantly working.

Keyboard and trackpad

The keyboard has also undergone very minimal updates. Now it has a separate key for calling the proprietary utility (it was also updated, but more on that later), which took the place of PrtSc. But among other things, there are no changes. There are still visually highlighted gaming keys, three backlight zones, not very loud mechanisms with a stroke of 1.7 mm, etc. For fans of keyboards without a NUM-block, this should be a good fit.

A couple of points that still require minimal adaptation are (traditionally for similar models, not only AORUS) the navigation keys, which are tightly "mounted" next to the others, as well as the block with Home, PgUp, PgDn and End. It's good that the latter are still there, but they remain on the edge and until your hands remember their placement, you may make mistakes (for example, you can hit Home instead of Backspace, which are on the same level). After a quick adaptation, it was pleasant to work with text, and even more so with games.

The placement and size of the trackpad have remained unchanged, as expected. It is still located in the center of the top case and occupies an area of approximately 135×90 mm. If it bothers someone, there is a hotkey to turn it off during games. However, I did not need it. I did not need a mouse much during normal work. The sensor did not have any problems with positioning or recognizing standard Windows gestures.

So in general, even with their own specific features (which mainly concerns the keyboard), the AORUS Master 16 manipulators will not let you down. If the owner is not an ardent fan of exclusively mechanical keyboards, then working directly from the laptop will still be convenient.

Camera and sound

The AORUS Master 16 also has a standard 2-megapixel webcam, which is enough for Full HD video transmission. As in most cases, this is a pretty good option for online meetings, although it also seemed that the angle of view here was a little wider than usual.

The built-in microphones also work according to the general scenario. They are just as sensitive to the smallest sounds, but the manufacturer adds noise cancellation, which uses artificial intelligence to get rid of all unnecessary sounds except for the voice. Not a new "trick" today, but it works great and will allow you to do without a headset or external microphone in certain cases (although for games it will be a much better option).

There are now four speakers. They are neither a strong nor a weak point of the model. The volume and quality will be quite enough for podcasts, online communication, TV series, etc. However, for listening to music, there is still a little lack of bass and "volume". However, considering that a gamer's workplace most likely has external speakers and a suitable gaming headset, this will not create any inconvenience.

And it's actually hard to say that there are many competitors in this category that have significantly better sound. Unfortunately, despite the rather large top cases that could accommodate better speakers, weak bass remains a common shortcoming for the vast majority of laptops, even gaming-class ones.

Productivity and software

This year, the AORUS Master 16 model has not only an updated name and image upgrades, but also new chips. All configurations are equipped with a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor (8 powerful cores up to 5.4 GHz, 16 energy-saving cores up to 4.6 GHz, 24 threads, 36 MB cache) with a built-in NPU Intel AI Boost (13 TOPS), and there is also the possibility of upgrading the permanent and RAM memory, which may be relevant for owners of the initial configurations.

The options are further divided by the graphics accelerator, where options are provided among the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070Ti, 5080 and 5090. The test model is the “golden mean” with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (16 GB GDDR7, up to 1,902 MHz, 1,334 TOPS, up to 175 W), 32 GB DDR5-5600 and a terabyte drive. The latter may not be enough for avid gamers, but the second slot will come in handy in this case.

Regardless of other options, all models support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and the ability to connect via Gigabit Ethernet. So there will be no problems with connectivity and wireless accessories.

For such a configuration, the benchmark results may be slightly behind similar competitors' options, but the performance is still very good. It is unlikely that the owner will feel any lack of performance in the near future, not only in games, but also in creative tasks. Banal workflows or studies are certainly within the power of such a laptop.

Gaming benchmarks turned out to be much more interesting, where there are no significant lags even with the highest graphics settings and native display resolution. By slightly lowering the quality, you can even get an FPS indicator close to the matrix refresh rate in, for example, CS 2. Therefore, gamers and buyers with "heavy" tasks should be satisfied with the performance. Of course, if there are no specific requirements for the amount of RAM or video memory.

Meanwhile, the cooling system has shown itself well. Windforce Infinity EX provides two fans, its own air distribution system, an evaporation chamber, etc. In addition, cold air is additionally directed under the keyboard so as not to heat the main working areas (such as the WSAD zone). Long gaming sessions are quite capable of cooling. Stability tests also did without overheating and throttling, which gives AORUS Master 16 confidence. Although, of course, at high or maximum speeds, the coolers are noisy.

If, on the contrary, you switch everything to the maximum energy saving mode, then the "remnants" of performance will easily be enough for simple work or watching movies. Traditionally for such systems, the transition between such work scenarios is practically "seamless", that is, the user should not experience any slowdowns regardless of the connected power supply or changing the performance modes and operation of discrete graphics. However, of course, for demanding tasks and games you will still have to find an outlet.

And, actually, about the AI, which was mentioned in the title. The new GiMATE application has replaced the GIGABYTE CONTROL CENTER. In addition to changing the same performance modes and system settings, it has an interesting feature: a built-in chatbot, which should help, for example, choose the right mode for the current work. You can tell it that you are planning an online meeting, and it will set the Online Meeting Mode. Then say that you are planning to play, and Game Mode will be activated accordingly. I wouldn't say that it is necessary for such routine things. Still, an unexpected option for using AI, but quite interesting.

For those users who remember that at one time, Stable Diffusion was built into GIGABYTE CONTROL CENTER, among other things, there will now be a separate application GiMATE Creator. You can also install its various versions there, or, for example, Flux. But fans of generative AI are not prevented from using other options.

Battery life

AORUS Master 16, continuing the tradition of its predecessors, also has a 99 Wh battery. In synthetic tests, this was enough for 8 hours and 26 minutes for office testing, and more than an hour and a half for gaming. However, in real use, everything will depend on the current work, the set brightness level, etc. So, for example, a standard two-hour movie can cost almost a third of the charge. But yes, for a gaming laptop this is a good indicator.

I'm also almost certain that such a laptop won't be far from a power supply. The branded version is not the largest, as for a gaming model, and has a power of 330 W. In the first half hour of charging an "empty" battery, it will be possible to restore 50% of the charge, and in total it took a little less than an hour and a half to "full tank". Of course, you can optionally charge the laptop via USB-C.

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