MAX-Q Laptop Battle - ASUS Zephyrus vs Gigabyte Aero 15X

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1080P Gaming Benchmarks pg.2

1080P Gaming Benchmarks pg.2

In order to properly test how notebooks perform in gaming scenarios and to even the playing field given the fact that there are multiple screen resolution options available, we have standardized our methodology. In all scenarios we have decided to output the video signal to an external monitor instead of utilizing the notebooks’ integrated display so an idea can be given of how the systems can perform across a wide variety of situations. To prepare for an influx of DX12 titles we have also moved away from FRAPS and we are now using the handy PresentMon tool that’s available for free from GitHub. At the time of writing, this is the only tool available that can consistently log DX12 frametimes.

All results shown below are based upon the averages of three consecutive benchmark runs. Under no circumstance to we use any rolling demos or in game benchmarking tools. Rather, actual gameplay run-throughs are used for every game.

Overwatch

Overwatch happens to be one of the most popular games around right now and while it isn’t particularly stressful upon a system’s resources, its Epic setting can provide a decent workout for all but the highest end GPUs. In order to eliminate as much variability as possible, for this benchmark we use a simple “offline” Bot Match so performance isn’t affected by outside factors like ping times and network latency.

Warhammer II: Total War

Unlike some of the latest Total War games, the hotly anticipated Warhammer II title has been relatively bug free, performs well on all systems and still incorporates the level detail and graphics fidelity this series is known for. In this sequence, we use the in-game benchmarking tool to play back one of our own 40 second gameplay sessions which includes two maxed-out armies and includes all of the elements normally seen in standard gameplay. That means zooms and pans are used to pivot the camera and get a better view of the battlefield.

Wolfenstien: New Colossus

The latest Wolfenstien game has a lot in common with Doom since it uses a the same game engine but with a few modifications. That means Vulkan is front and center.

In this case we used a 30 second section from the Manhattan level’s boss fight as a benchmark scene. In it, there are plenty of explosions and environmental effects. It is also fairly scripted so consistency can be maintained.

The second page shows much more of the same but in even more impressive fashion since both the Aero 15X and Zephyrus easily post playable framerates in Warhammer II, one of this suites most graphically intensive titles. Honestly, if you are paying at their native 1080P resolutions, either notebook will be perfectly suitable for gaming. But what happens if you choose to output to a secondary monitor? Let’s find out…..

 

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1440P Gaming Benchmarks

1440P Gaming Benchmarks

In order to properly test how notebooks perform in gaming scenarios and to even the playing field given the fact that there are multiple screen resolution options available, we have standardized our methodology. In all scenarios we have decided to output the video signal to an external monitor instead of utilizing the notebooks’ integrated display so an idea can be given of how the systems can perform across a wide variety of situations. To prepare for an influx of DX12 titles we have also moved away from FRAPS and we are now using the handy PresentMon tool that’s available for free from GitHub. At the time of writing, this is the only tool available that can consistently log DX12 frametimes.

All results shown below are based upon the averages of three consecutive benchmark runs. Under no circumstance to we use any rolling demos or in game benchmarking tools. Rather, actual gameplay run-throughs are used for every game.

Doom (Vulkan)

Not many people saw a new Doom as a possible Game of the Year contender but that’s exactly what it has become. Not only is it one of the most intense games currently around but it looks great and is highly optimized. In this run-through we use Mission 6: Into the Fire since it features relatively predictable enemy spawn points and a combination of open air and interior gameplay.

Fallout 4

The latest iteration of the Fallout franchise is a great looking game with all of its detailed turned to their highest levels but it also requires a huge amount of graphics horsepower to properly run. For this benchmark we complete a run-through from within a town, shoot up a vehicle to test performance when in combat and finally end atop a hill overlooking the town. Note that VSync has been forced off within the game's .ini file and the Ultra High Resolution Texture Pack is being used.

Middle Earth: Shadow of War

While it may not be the best looking game on the planet, Shadow of War is a fun to play, open ended game that still has amazing visual fidelity. In this run-through we used a simple battle sequence where the player attacks a stronghold with a band of orcs. The total time played is about 30 seconds.

Maintaining playable framerates at this higher resolution is certainly a challenge but both competitors seem more than up to it.

 

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1440P Gaming Benchmarks pg.2

1440P Gaming Benchmarks pg.2

In order to properly test how notebooks perform in gaming scenarios and to even the playing field given the fact that there are multiple screen resolution options available, we have standardized our methodology. In all scenarios we have decided to output the video signal to an external monitor instead of utilizing the notebooks’ integrated display so an idea can be given of how the systems can perform across a wide variety of situations. To prepare for an influx of DX12 titles we have also moved away from FRAPS and we are now using the handy PresentMon tool that’s available for free from GitHub. At the time of writing, this is the only tool available that can consistently log DX12 frametimes.

All results shown below are based upon the averages of three consecutive benchmark runs. Under no circumstance to we use any rolling demos or in game benchmarking tools. Rather, actual gameplay run-throughs are used for every game.

Overwatch

Overwatch happens to be one of the most popular games around right now and while it isn’t particularly stressful upon a system’s resources, its Epic setting can provide a decent workout for all but the highest end GPUs. In order to eliminate as much variability as possible, for this benchmark we use a simple “offline” Bot Match so performance isn’t affected by outside factors like ping times and network latency.

Warhammer II: Total War

Unlike some of the latest Total War games, the hotly anticipated Warhammer II title has been relatively bug free, performs well on all systems and still incorporates the level detail and graphics fidelity this series is known for. In this sequence, we use the in-game benchmarking tool to play back one of our own 40 second gameplay sessions which includes two maxed-out armies and includes all of the elements normally seen in standard gameplay. That means zooms and pans are used to pivot the camera and get a better view of the battlefield.

Wolfenstien: New Colossus

The latest Wolfenstien game has a lot in common with Doom since it uses a the same game engine but with a few modifications. That means Vulkan is front and center.

In this case we used a 30 second section from the Manhattan level’s boss fight as a benchmark scene. In it, there are plenty of explosions and environmental effects. It is also fairly scripted so consistency can be maintained.

Here we see a minor slip for the GTX 1070 and GTX 1080 MAX-Q in Warhammer, a game which requires a copious amount of system resources to run even at lower resolutions. Other than that, Gigabyte and ASUS continue to deliver great overall results.

 

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Battery Life Benchmarks

Battery Life Benchmarks

Battery life is a key component of notebook testing since without adequate unplugged time, one of these systems could hardly be called “mobile”. In order to accurately measure how long a notebook can last away from the mains, we devised a quartet of tests. First is a light usage Browsing scenario which simply refreshes a webpage every 30 seconds while the second test runs an infinite loop of PCMark’s word processing / chart generation preset which simulates some light photo manipulation, word processing and Excel document creation.

The last two tests are more extreme in nature since they consume the majority of a notebook’s onboard resources. The first of these loops PCMark’s Creative benchmark, a testing suite that combines multi-threaded photo editing, GPU-accelerated video transcoding and web conference streaming. Finally the Gaming test uses Overwatch output at 1080P to the notebook’s screen.

All of these tests are done in the notebook’s default power profile, with screen brightness set at 75% and set the notebook to go into Sleep mode with 5% battery remaining. To log results we use PassMark’s handy BatterMon tool which polls the battery levels every minute and logs them to a text file.

So let’s get this onto the table right away: there isn’t anything wrong with the ASUS results in these tests. It really is that bad. However, there’s a lot going on underneath those numbers since the Zephyrus’ battery capacity is nearly half that o Gigabyte’s and it doesn’t actually have Optimus enabled. Supposedly, the extra trace routing and components necessary for that feature needed to be left off to save space. In my opinion and based on the battery life, that was a bad decision since that GTX 1080 is always on.

Gigabyte on the other hand has delivered on the very essence of what MAX-Q was designed to offer: high strength gaming chops with amazing battery life. Results of five and over six hours in these two tests are usually reserved for true Ultrabooks which don’t come equipped with discrete GPUs, let alone one that would give most desktop cards a run for their money.

The hits continue here for Gigabyte since the Creative test doesn’t really make use of the GPU. But once gaming is factored in, the Aero 15X’s larger capacity and more efficient graphics card still allow it to lead by a significant amount.

 

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Temperatures, Thermal Imaging & Acoustics

Temperature Testing

In order to log thermal results we used AIDA64’s logging modules and loaded up the program’s CPU Burn test for any CPU-centric results while the GPU results are taken from an actual 15 minute gameplay sequence. Both are done while the notebook is plugged in and displaying images through its screen. The recorded temperatures below are absolute maximums.

We have to remember that these are thin and light notebooks with limited cooling assemblies…..but they are also packing GPU cores that are pulled from the desktop arena. That means that neither really runs “cool” per se but it does look like Gigabyte does manage the thermal load just a bit better even though it doesn’t have ASUS’ fancy push-up air intake assembly.

I also noticed the Zephyrus’ GTX 1080 ended up hitting lower clock speeds more often than the GTX 1070 in the Aero 15X. This was likely due to temperatures but it didn’t really show up in any of our gaming results since the 1080 has more than enough raw graphics horsepower to overcome slightly lower operating frequencies.

Acoustic Results

What you see below are the baseline idle dB(A) results attained within a completely quiet sound-isolated environment in both in idle and load scenarios. The meter we use has been calibrated and is placed at seated ear-level exactly 16” away from the notebook. For the load scenarios, Overwatch is used in order to generate a constant load over the course of 30 minutes.

At idle, both notebooks are quiet as church mice but that situation changes once they’re put under load. Despite featuring higher temperatures, the Zephyrus is also noticeably louder in these tests which shows that its interior design is likely quite a bit more restrictive than Gigabyte’s.

Thermal Imaging

The last thing anyone wants with a notebook is to have it burn their laps after extensive use. Some systems can get extremely hot if their heat isn’t properly dissipated away from the user’s body and that can lead to no small amount of discomfort.

In order to see how notebooks fared with heat dissipation, we ran a continual gaming load and analyzed their thermal signatures with a FLIR E5 thermal camera. This will show any hot spots and whether or not any areas go beyond acceptable levels.

Our final stop on this whirlwind tour is thermal imaging and the pictures tell an interesting story. The Zephyrus blasts most of its heat upwards towards the screen (which could cause long-term issues) while a bit is exhausted out the left side. Luckily, the large buffer zone between the cooling assembly and the keyboard means the typing surface remains blissfully cool.

Gigabyte directs most of their hot air out through the back and even though it may look like the screen is getting nailed, it actually isn’t. I’d say the ambient temperature behavior here is very similar to the ASUS and none of the areas that are coming into direct contact with your body become overly hot.

 

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Conclusion - MAX-Q Matures at Light Speed

Conclusion - MAX-Q Matures at Light Speed

I initially went into this review thinking that I would be comparing two very similar notebooks and while the Aero 15X and Zephyrus may both use NVIDIA’s MAX-Q design language, they’re both cut from very different cloths. ASUS targeted a gamer demographic and it shows with their flagship ROG laptop cutting a unique, imposing shape. Gigabyte on the other hand decided to go with a stealth-like approach and you’d be hard pressed to pick out their powerful computer from a lineup of other 15.6” ultra-thins. So this competition looks like a toss up depending on what you are looking for, right? Well not so fast.

The ASUS Zephyrus is a godlike gaming notebook if you go by its specs and there’s a good reason why NVIDIA chose it as their poster child when launching MAX-Q at Computex. It is insanely thin, highly portable and it packs an almighty gaming and creative wallop with an i7-7700HQ processor and GTX 1080. The IPS G-SYNC display, great trackpad and ASUS’ amazing software suite are just the icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, this product falls woefully short of its prime directive: despite sky high specs the Zephyrus just isn’t a very good notebook. It struggles to deliver the all-round user experience that we’ve come to expect from modern mobile devices and for every one of its benefits, there’s a corresponding limitation. There’s no DisplayPort output meaning you will need to buy a Thunderbolt to DisplayPort adapter for output to a 1440P or higher display. Remember, this is $3000 device which makes this omission all the more egregious. It isn’t quiet when gaming, the keyboard is in an extremely uncomfortable position, the lifting bottom feels prone to accidental damage and there’s no SD card reader.

Sure, ASUS has delivered an ultra slim and highly portable chassis but battery life is nothing short of pathetic. This is partly due to a lack of NVIDIA’s Optimius technology, which is a puzzling omission on a MAX-Q device. What’s the use of such a highly portable laptop if you’ll be constantly searching for a plug?

After using the Zephyrus as my daily driver for nearly two weeks, moving over to the Aero 15X was like arriving home after a long walk through a snowstorm, to be greeted with a roaring fire and a mug of hot chocolate. It felt safe. But to people looking for a unique, bespoke product that feeling of familiarity may be detrimental to the Aero 15X’s appeal. In a direct comparison to the Zeph, this thing is a plain Jane no nonsense computing device.

Aero 15X’s design plays it safe while doing so many things right but that doesn’t mean it lacks finesse. The edge-to-edge display, ultra slim bezels, well integrated keyboard and high quality materials all contribute to a truly stunning design. It offers those things without cutting on the connector front either since Gigabyte has implemented key elements ASUS is missing like a native DisplayPort 1.2 connector, an SD card reader and even a LAN jack.

Performance is also quite strong with the Aero 15X offering 75% of the Zephyrus’ gaming output and as good –if not better- real world application responsiveness. While most users won’t “feel” the difference, the Toshiba NVMe SSD in this thing is balls-to-the-wall fast.

Gigabyte also reinforced NVIDIA’s marketing efforts by proving that MAX-Q designs can indeed offer great battery life. The inclusion of Optimus and a much higher battery capacity make for a truly portable gaming or professional workload experience. The nearly 5 hours of screen-on time while I edited scripts, created charts and browsed the web matches many Ultrabooks I’ve reviewed. Basically, the Aero 15X is infinitely more adaptable than ASUS’ one-trick offering.

It may sound like Gigabyte has created the ultimate notebook for everyone from gamers to prosumers to students. And they would have if it wasn’t for the Aero 15X’s trackpad. Words just cannot describe how bad it is but the word “unusable” pops into mind. While the default ELAN software can be overridden with something like Windows Precision, that shouldn’t be necessary in the first place.

So there you have it. While the Zephyrus and Aero 15X may represent some of the highest price points in their respective lineups, there’s a lot of performance hiding behind those deceptively thin exteriors. So much so that I’d call NVIDIA’s MAX-Q design a complete success. As we saw, the way MAX-Q gets translated can very quite drastically from one vendor to another and you can’t go ahead and assume every one of these branded designs will offer an optimal experience. But if Gigabyte’s Aero 15X is any indication, the future of gaming notebooks is here right now and it is very, very impressive. Just make sure to bring a good gaming mouse along for the ride.