GIGABYTE G5: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW
Gigabyte has a proven track record of producing high-quality gaming laptops with respectable performance for the asking price. The Gigabyte Aorus 17 earned a solid four stars and is an example of a robust and simplistically constructed product that typically receives high grades despite being a bit loud or a bit hefty. Even their non-gaming laptops usually carry a punch, such as the 2021 Aero 17 model, which received five stars and many accolades for being a creative professional’s dream. Thus, we had high hopes for the Gigabyte G5.
The Gigabyte G5 unsurprisingly met and occasionally exceeded this expectation, and we could not have asked for more from a gaming laptop with a reasonable price tag. After using this laptop for some time, we see it competing with the greatest gaming laptops and holding its own.
The tested model had an Intel Core i5-10500H processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, placing it among gaming laptops in the middle of the pack. There are many different (some more powerful) versions of the G5, including some with newer RTX 4000-series GPUs from Nvidia. However, even if you’re running a bunch of AAA titles at maximum settings, it’s unlikely that you’ll need much more internal power, as this one performed well in our benchmarks. The G5 only has a 1080p display – so there’s no need to aim for higher resolutions.
The laptop features a 15.6-inch display with a 1080p resolution, anti-glare technology, and a small bezel. On the show, colours come to life, maintaining a dazzling brilliance that never wanes. This is evident when playing games like Cyberpunk 2077 or watching movies or YouTube videos.
I watched an episode of Bojack (Horseman, of course) on my laptop, but it felt like I was watching the show on a small TV. 15.6 inches doesn’t sound much on paper, but it appears much larger than it is, so you should be fine if screen real estate is important to you.
The Gigabyte G5 is a great piece of hardware, regardless of its solid benchmark scores and attractive exterior. It has some weight, but not as much as you’d expect for a gaming laptop; I’ve thrown it in my backpack several times, and it never weighed me down or made itself known, never yelling, ‘I’m here! And weighty! And frail!
GIGABYTE G5 REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Gigabyte G5 RTX 3060 setup starts at $899.99 in the United States, a reasonable price for the capabilities and package you receive. The RTX 4060 variant costs $1,099, although it is only available with 8GB of RAM in the United States, as opposed to 16GB in the United Kingdom. We recommend that all gaming laptops have at least 16GB of RAM.
As previously stated, I do not believe there are many reasons to upgrade to the more expensive configuration unless you wish to “future-proof” your investment completely. The RTX 3060 graphics card is adequate for playing almost any game at 1080p, but if you’re concerned about falling behind, consider upgrading if you have the funds. If not, then our version is adequate.
In the United Kingdom, the price of our review model is £899.99 (AU$1,499), which is essentially identical to the price in the United States and is still a fair price for what you receive. The models are similar in the U.S. and the U.K., except for the one exception we noted above; we cannot justify spending more money when the less expensive model is still rather amazing.
The Gigabyte G5 has an excellent chance of making it onto our list of the best inexpensive laptops since it provides solid performance and an abundance of impressive features for the price.
GIGABYTE G5 REVIEW: SPECS
Two variations of the Gigabyte G5 are available. The variant we tested comes with the RTX 3060 graphics card, while the other setup includes the RTX 4060.
It can come with either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor. However, ours utilizes the i5 model. The RAM and SSD capacities of the two variants differ. Listed below are the technical specifications of our version:
| PRODUCTNAME | |
|---|---|
| Price: | $899 / £899 / AU$1,449 |
| CPU: | Intel Core i5-10500H |
| Graphics: | Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 |
| RAM: | 16GB |
| Screen: | 15.6-Inch 1920 x 1080p |
| Storage: | 512 GB SSD |
| Ports: | USB 3.2 x 2, USB 2.0 x HDMI 2.0 x 1 – DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, Mini DisplayPort 1.2 x 1 |
| Wireless: | Intel® WiFi 6 AX200, 2×2 |
| Camera: | HD camera |
| Weight: | 2.2 kg |
| Dimensions: | 27.9 X 361 X 258 mm (H x W x D) |
GIGABYTE G5 REVIEW: DESIGN
- Sturdy design
- Ports on the rear edge of laptop
- Pretty lightweight for gaming laptop
The aesthetics of the Gigabyte G5 are very unremarkable; there is nothing special or distinctive about its appearance, but I don’t mind. The classic chassis design is fresh air compared to other gaming laptops that try too hard to shout “gaming.”
It is devoid of Anything that grabs attention and maintains a sophisticated appearance. If you’re like me (i.e., you’re not a fan of excessive RGB), then the keyboard’s blue-tinted LED backlighting is plenty.
The G5 is extremely portable, to the point where I sometimes forgot it was in my backpack – not only because of its light weight but also due to its sturdy construction. I have accidentally dropped my bag with the G5 on the workplace floor and been jostled on public transportation, but I have never felt concerned because this device is so durable.
It is one of the most portable 15-inch gaming laptops I’ve examined, so if you’re looking for a device you can take on excursions, this is the one. Like most of the best laptops, the laptop’s exterior is sleek and slightly futuristic, with minimal RGB lighting that irritates the eyes.
A few USB ports and the headphone jack are located on the laptop’s side, while most physical connectors are situated around the back edge. Regardless of how you feel about port placement, rear ports can be useful if you leave your laptop on your desk permanently, allowing you to keep your workspace free of cables. Plugging in a USB mouse or flash drive may be inconvenient despite its portability.
You have access to a sufficient number of ports and a peculiar keyboard layout. Being a person with smaller hands, I found the keyboard’s keys too far apart for typing, but I had no issues using it for gaming. I asked someone with larger hands to try out the keyboard, and they reported that it was well-spaced and quite comfortable, so smaller-handed individuals, beware! Before beginning to write that novel on a Gigabyte G5, perform finger stretches.
GIGABYTE G5 REVIEW: PERFORMANCE
- 1080p is ideal for most games
- Might be weaker on CPU-heavy tasks
- Relatively quiet when gaming
The Gigabyte G5’s performance at this price point is difficult to surpass. The RTX 3060 is a good, reasonably-priced graphics card that, while it may not wow you with 4K gaming, will give outstanding performance with the finest PC games at 1080p resolution. You can play even the most demanding games without experiencing framerate drops.
Whether gaming, watching a movie, or looking through images, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate the FHD display’s remarkable clarity.
The Intel Core i5 processor at the heart of the gaming laptop is fairly standard – as you may have noticed, it’s an older 10th-gen Intel chip that lacks the split core architecture of those newer 12th and 13th-generation processors, but it’s not so old that it’ll cause any noticeable performance bottlenecking – you can perform most CPU-bound tasks without the laptop lagging. However, CPU-intensive applications like real-time strategy games may need help running on the Gigabyte G5.
Based on the mediocre scores in benchmarks such as Cinebench R20 and GeekBench 5, you likely will only be able to do a few intensive tasks, such as video editing or 3D animation. Still, it should be able to manage lower-level creative tasks. You can dabble in music production and basic home video editing, but that may be where the bar is set.
The fan design within the Gigabyte G5 is emphasized heavily by Gigabyte, and with good reason: the laptop doesn’t overheat when playing games for extended periods. When the fans do activate, they’re relatively quiet for a gaming laptop. The computer does become slightly warm to the touch, but never unbearably so. The cooling system consists of two enormous fans and four heat pipes, exhausted through the three exhaust slots.
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GIGABYTE G5 REVIEW: BATTERY LIFE
- Lasts about 4 hours
- A little disappointing for a gaming session
- Pretty quick charge
The four hours that the Gigabyte G5 lasted in our battery life benchmark does not feel like a lot if you plan to carry the laptop about with you and play games on the move. Although the power brick is not particularly hefty, carrying both the laptop and the power brick in a backpack is problematic.
Hence, the battery life of a gaming laptop is mediocre, but not terrible. When playing triple-A games on the G5, it is unlikely that you will get more than two hours of use without plugging it in; less if you have numerous wired devices connected. Keep in mind that you’ll be hunting for wall plugs frequently if you don’t plan to keep the laptop on your desk and move it around.
SHOULD YOU BUY THE GIGABYTE G5?
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | For a gaming laptop of this capability, the Gigabyte G5 is fairly priced and has a lot to offer. | 4/5 |
| Design | The vintage, simple design of the laptop chassis and incredible portability earns the laptop a decent score in this area. | 4/5 |
| Performance | While gaming is easy and runs pretty smooth, more CPU-heavy tasks take a dive on the G5. | 4/5 |
| Battery life | As is common for gaming laptops, the Gigabyte G5 has an underwhelming battery life, which disappoints since it’s otherwise so portable. | 3/5 |
| Total Average | A solid effort from Gigabyte, the G5 offers good 1080p gaming performance at a sub-£1000 price point. | 3.75/5 |
