Quality and Design
The AERO X16 takes the same winning design philosophy we praised in the A16 and builds upon it with subtle refinements. It’s sleek, minimal, and professional at its core, but still offers that touch of gamer-friendly flair without being over the top. The chassis feels premium and durable, with clean lines and a solid build that reassures you it’s made for years of heavy use. Much like the A16, it balances simplicity with striking design elements, making it equally suited for a creative workspace or a high-end gaming setup.
Where the design takes a step back, however, is in the display panel of the model we tested. While perfectly serviceable, the blacks simply weren’t as deep as we’ve come to expect in 2025, especially with OLED panels spoiling us on so many other devices. Instead of rich contrast, darker scenes in games and movies leaned toward gray, which detracted from the overall viewing experience. It doesn’t ruin the laptop by any means, but in an era where OLED is becoming more common, the difference is noticeable.
Performance, Feedback, and Verdict
Performance is where the AERO X16 flexes its true muscles. Outfitted with an RTX 5070, this laptop absolutely breezed through everything we threw at it. From the latest AAA titles with maxed-out settings to demanding creative and AI workloads, it never broke a sweat. Frame rates stayed consistently high, and thermal management kept things impressively stable. If the A16 was already an impressive all-rounder, the X16 takes things up a notch for those who demand raw graphical horsepower.
Even the latest, most demanding CPU/GPU titles like Path of Exile 2 ran like a champ on the RTX 5070 enabled X16 we tested.
Aside from the weaker screen blacks, the AERO X16 is an easy recommendation for power users. Gigabyte continues to shine with fair pricing, high-quality design, and a merciful lack of bloatware — a rarity in the laptop market. For gamers, designers, or professionals who need more GPU muscle than the A16 can provide, the X16 is a straightforward, high-performance option that delivers. It cements Gigabyte’s position at the top of our list for anyone seeking serious performance in a sleek and reliable package.
