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Following our look at the new Gigabyte Aero X16, a powerful all-rounder laptop that excels in content creation, we now turn our attention to a more budget-friendly option. What if you’re a student or new gamer looking for an entry-level gaming laptop that doesn’t break the bank?
Enter the Gigabyte Gaming A16. A laptop is a vital tool for student life, and a capable one is a must for those who will be studying or working in a mobile environment.
Today, we set our sights on the GIGABYTE GAMING A16, a laptop we believe is specifically crafted for that purpose. In this review, we’ll explore why this laptop is an excellent fit for students and budget-conscious gamers.
GIGABYTE GAMING A16 Build
Build
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16 features a slim chassis measuring just 19.45mm, giving it a sleek and modern profile. It boasts a “Black Steel” outlook, specifically designed to appeal to robust gamers.
The D-cover incorporates a signature gaming-style design and is complemented by a large air inlet, which is not only a key part of its aesthetic but also essential for enhanced cooling. I really enjoy how this look, it has a subtle cyberpunk looks to it.
The laptop’s design is further enhanced by a display that can be laid flat at 180 degrees, offering a level of versatility for various usage scenarios.
Display
Equipped for an immersive visual experience, the GIGABYTE GAMING A16 features a panoramic 16-inch IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a WQXGA (2560 x 1600) resolution. It provides a smooth 165 Hz refresh rate, which is a major benefit for gaming.
The display is framed by 4-sided super-slim bezels, giving it an impressive 90% screen-to-body ratio. While there are no official claims on the color performance, our calibration tests yielded results of 61% sRGB, 43% DCI-P3, and 42% Adobe-RGB.
This isn’t the best color accuracy for professional creative work, but it is more than sufficient for general use and high-refresh-rate gaming. For those who require better color performance, connecting an external display is a viable option, but for gaming, this display offers a great experience.
Audio
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16 is powered by two 2W speakers. While not designed to be a centerpiece feature, they are decent speakers that get the job done for everyday tasks.
However, the audio experience is significantly enhanced by the inclusion of Dolby Atmos®, which provides a more immersive audio environment. The system also supports virtual 5.1.2-channel surround sound, further improving the spatial audio for gaming and multimedia consumption. As is the case with most laptops, if you are serious about your audio experience, we highly recommend connecting the laptop to an external speaker or a quality pair of headphones.
Keyboard
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16 features a Golden Curve Keyboard, designed for a comfortable and silent typing experience for both gaming and work. The keyboard’s key measurements are impressive, including a 0.15mm dish key, +106% larger key caps compared to standard, and a 1.7mm travel distance.
These features, combined with a super silent operation of less than 30 dB, make it pleasant to use. The laptop also includes an enlarged touchpad, aiming to provide a best-in-class on-device control experience for portable scenarios.
I/O
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16 offers a versatile selection of I/O ports. On the left side, you will find a DC-in port, an RJ45 Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.1 port, a Type-A USB 3.2 Gen1 port, and a Type-C USB 3.2 port with support for DisplayPort™ 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0 for fast charging.
The right side of the laptop houses an additional Type-A USB 3.2 Gen1 port, a Type-A USB 2.0 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack for a mic/headphone combo. The inclusion of an RJ45 Ethernet port is particularly welcome, as it allows users to take full advantage of a stable wired connection, which is highly crucial for a good gaming experience.
GIGABYTE GAMING A16 Internal
CPU
Powering the GIGABYTE GAMING A16 is the latest Intel Core i7-13620H processor. This processor is equipped with 10 CPU cores and 16 threads, with a configuration of 6 performance cores and 4 efficient cores. The performance cores can reach a max boost clock of up to 4.90 GHz. The processor also features 24MB of Intel Smart Cache.
While it does not include a dedicated NPU core, the CPU does incorporate Intel Deep Learning Boost, which is designed to accelerate artificial intelligence deep learning workloads, specifically for inference tasks.
GPU
The laptop features the NVIDIAGeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU, which comes with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM and operates at a Max TGP of up to 85 Watts. The GPUs are built on the NVIDIA Blackwell Max-Q architecture, delivering up to 798 AI TOPS for advanced AI performance optimized for mobile, graphics-demanding tasks.
The system supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 for enhanced performance and image generation, and NVIDIA Studio for accelerated creative applications and AI-assisted workflows. A MUX Switch allows users to seamlessly switch between the integrated GPU for longer battery life and the discrete GPU for higher performance.
Benchmark
In our benchmark tests, the GIGABYTE GAMING A16 with the NVIDIA RTX 5060 GPU delivered respectable scores. It achieved a score of 1993 in 3DMark Speed Way, 1771 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, and 4622 in 3DMark Port Royal, showcasing its capable gaming performance.
Cooling
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16 is equipped with WINDFORCE Cooling Technology, which features a dual-fan design and 3D VortX air-channeling to maximize airflow. The Icy Touch design aims to keep the laptop cool to the touch for comfortable control during extended gaming sessions.
The 3D VortX Air-Channeling system utilizes two-sided inlets and four-way outlets to create efficient three-dimensional airflows. The system is also intelligently managed by GIGABYTE GiMATE, which dynamically adjusts to system demands to ensure noise-free immersion in low-power scenarios.
Cooling Benchmark
The cooling system proved to be very effective at keeping the device’s temperatures in check. Based on our benchmark during the demanding 3DMark Speed Way test, we observed that the CPU temperature was maintained around 61°C and the GPU at 68°C. These are very respectable scores, as the cool temperatures help to keep the laptop stable while it pumps out great performance.
Battery
The laptop is equipped with a 76Wh Li-Polymer battery. It supports fast charging, capable of reaching 50% battery capacity in just 30 minutes, and also supports PD 3.0 Type-C Charging for added convenience. The official longevity claim for the battery is up to 14 hours of use.
However, in our PCMark 10 test, we managed to get 6 hours and 1 minute of use. This shorter duration is likely due to the benchmark being run on the dedicated GPU. If the laptop were to run solely on the integrated GPU, it would likely achieve a duration closer to the 14-hour claim.
GIGABYTE GAMING A16 AI Features
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16 laptop incorporates GiMATE, a smart AI assistant that is designed to transform the user’s interaction with the device. The experience is similar to what is found in the Aero X16, so for a more in-depth look at its functionality, you can refer to that review.
GIGABYTE GAMING A16 Gaming Experience
Based on its hardware configuration, the GIGABYTE GAMING A16 GA6H provides a great gaming experience. The combination of the Intel Core i7-13620H processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 GPU is a potent pairing that is capable of delivering strong performance. This power, coupled with the laptop’s 165Hz display, makes for a very smooth and enjoyable gaming experience.
The laptop will be able to handle most, if not all, modern games with great performance, especially since the screen is limited to FHD resolution.
GIGABYTE GAMING A16 Conclusion
The GIGABYTE GAMING A16, priced at RM 5,499, presents itself as a compelling option for both entry-level and more serious gamers. Its powerful Intel Core i7-13620H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 pairing, along with the very effective WINDFORCE cooling system, are definite pros.
However, the slightly limited color accuracy of the display and the battery life under heavy load could be seen as minor cons. Overall, this is a very good gaming laptop that we can confidently recommend. For its excellent price-to-performance ratio, we are proud to award it our Gold Award.
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