Introduction and design
Although Gigabyte may be more renowned for its range of desktop motherboards and graphics cards, it has more recently become deservedly well-known for its variety of gaming-focused laptops.
Following up from the notable Gigabyte P55K V4 we looked at last year, the Taiwanese manufacturer brought a new selection of gaming laptops to CES 2016, the pick of which may well be the 17.3-inch Gigabyte P57Wv5.
Although it may not be quite as slim, light, or pack quite the graphical processing power of the top-end Gigabyte P37X, the P57W has more than enough to chew through any game you might throw at it. Under the hood, a speedy combination of the latest Intel Core i7-6700HQ Skylake processor and Nvidia GTX 970M graphics rivals most desktop gaming rigs for power.
While it is not as thin as the Acer Aspire V15 Nitro, or as quite as trendy as the Alienware 17, the Gigabyte P57W makes for an enticing package that – on paper at least – strikes an even balance of price and performance.
Finding an angle
The subtle, angular aesthetic combined with a dash of orange accenting does not make this the most outlandish of gaming laptops, but there are more than enough stylistic details to let onlookers know you're suitably equipped to take on any game of your choosing.
While it looks and feels nice enough, the polycarbonate shell is missing the swathes of aluminium you'll find on alternatives such as the Asus ROG G752, and doesn't quite look as premium as the HP Omen.
Inside there's a full-sized backlit chiclet-style keyboard, which has W-A-S-D keys that are specifically outlined to signify their obvious importance on a laptop built with gaming in mind. The chunky bezel around the 17-inch IPS screen means that there's plenty of space surrounding the keyboard and trackpad, which makes for easy simultaneous use of the large trackpad and keyboard.
Though it may be large, I did find the trackpad overly sensitive, sometimes picking up the subtlest of movements when I was simply trying to double tap. This resulted in a few windows being flung across the screen unnecessarily, and pages sometimes scrolling a little when I clicked. Of course, if you're planning on doing any serious gaming on the P57W, it's likely you'll want to invest in a decent mouse anyway.
Underneath the trackpad, the DVD drive ejects towards you – an unusual configuration that makes it a little trickier to cater for when using a slimmer desk. If you're of the opinion that physical media is a thing of the past, then you will be pleased to know that Gigabyte includes a weight-saving facia to replace the disc drive – should you wish.
On the left side there are two super-speed USB 3.0 sockets, an SD card reader, network and audio connectivity. On the right edge you'll find another USB 3.0 socket, a Type-C USB, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, analogue video output and the power connector.
Though there are thinner alternatives, the Gigabyte P57W isn't the bulkiest 17-inch laptop around, and a respectable weight of 2.9KG makes it only 400g heavier than its 15.6-inch cousin, the P55K V4A. At 421(W) x 290(D) x 24.9(H)mm, it's a shade thinner than the less powerful MSI GE72 Apache Pro.
Specifications and performance
The Gigabyte P57W is currently only available as a single specification. It's not like this is a huge problem though, as little about it is lacking.
Spec sheet
- Processor: Intel Core i7-6700HQ (quad-core, 2.6GHZ, 3.5GHz with Turbo Boost)
- GPU: Nvidia Geforce GTX 970M (3GB GDDR5); Intel HD Graphics 530
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Screen: 17.3-inch full HD 1,920 x 1,080 IPS LCD
- Storage: 256GB M.2 SSD, 1TB HDD (7,200 rpm)
- Optical drive: Super Multi DVD-RW
- Ports: 3 x USB 3.0, 1 x Type-C USB 3.1, HDMI 2.0, Mini DP, VGA, RJ45, microphone-in, analogue/optical headphone-out, SD card reader
- Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
- Camera: HD webcam
- Audio: 2 x 2 watt speakers, microphone, Dolby Digital Plus Home Theatre certified
- Battery: Li-ion 6-cell 6830mAh (75.81Wh)
- Weight: 2.9kg (6.39 pounds)
The specs above may not place the P57W in the top tier of portable gaming powerhouses, but can be had for just £1199 (around $1700 or AU$2205) – at least £200 cheaper than the very similarly configured Acer Predator 17.
Though the CPU and GPU options cannot be upgraded, RAM can be beefed up to 32GB and the DVD drive can be swapped out for an additional 2.5-inch drive by using the included adaptor – a handy extra, though I would have preferred a little more battery capacity instead.
There's seemingly more than enough power to breeze through any game or application currently available, with games able to make full use of the 1080p screen without even a judder. The 256GB SSD could get filled up pretty quickly with games and other media, were it not for the additional 1TB HDD and ability to add in another in place of optical storage.
Performance
Deeper pockets might insist on a portable gaming machine packing a GTX 980M, but the GTX 970M at the heart of the Gigabyte P57W's gaming grunt is more than a match for any game running at 1080p. There's 3GB of video memory available, which allows most games to be turned up to high settings (or better).
That graphical power combined with Intel's widely-used Core i7-6700HQ processor and 16GB of fast DDR4 RAM means that the P57W is more powerful than many desktop PCs, making it a prime candidate for taking to a multiplayer gaming event.
Of course, if you would rather keep the machine tethered to the confines of your home, it'll do anything else you might ask of it when you aren't getting killed in Dark Souls 3 for the thousandth time – whether that's video editing, watching a film, or even boring old office tasks.
Windows 10 felt particularly swift – no matter how many Chrome tabs I had open, it carried on without breaking a sweat. Boot times were particularly impressive too, thanks to the SSD boot drive.
Benchmarks
Here's how the Gigabyte P57W performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
- 3DMark: Cloudgate: 21,724; Sky Diver: 19,787; Fire Strike: 6,657
- Cinebench: CPU: 674 points; Single Core CPU: 145 points; Graphics: 80 fps
- PCMark 8 Home Test: 3,803
- PCMark 8 Battery Life: 3 hours 3 minutes
- Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor: 1080p, Ultra: 53 fps; 1080p, Low: 126 fps
- Metro: Last Light: (1080p, Ultra): 33 fps; (1080p, Low): 108 fps
- GTA V: (1080p, Ultra): 17fps; (1080p, Low): 102 fps
It's little surprise that the P57W reported some respectable scores across our range of benchmarks. Its closest rival - the identically specified Asus ROG G752VT - was pipped to the post in almost every test, but only by a couple of points here and there. Overall the benchmark scores were very impressive, and not far off the higher 3DMark scores achieved by the GTX980M powered Acer Predator 17.
With everything on ultra, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and Metro: Last Light were consistently smooth, and frame rates were a considerable jump up from Gigabyte's GTX 965M-powered P55K, and double that achieved by the Dell Inspiron 15 7000, which features a GTX960M GPU.
Battery life
I wasn't expecting anything revolutionary when it came to battery life, but the Gigabyte P57W surprised me by delivering a reasonable runtime of just over three hours in PC Mark 8, while Techradar's own HD video test saw it last for nearly five hours with screen brightness at 50%.
Gaming with the speakers on and screen brightness turned up, I found myself reaching for the power cable after a couple of hours of gaming – what you'd expect from a machine that tips the balance in favour of performance over anything else.
Multimedia
Unlike some of the slightly more expensive 17-inch gaming laptops around, there isn't a subwoofer onboard, though the twin 2W speakers do just about enough to keep you firmly engrossed in games or films. Dolby's Digital Plus Home Theatre software helps to improve surround sound effects in games, but there isn't the weight to the sound that we've experienced from other larger laptops we've used. If you decide to have a dabble in the settings, a customizable equaliser allows you to adjust the audio to your own tastes, toggle virtual surround and much more.
The 17.3-inch 1080p IPS display has accurate colour, wide viewing angles and an anti-glare coating that gives the screen a matte finish and helps minimise reflections. While it is a perfectly good screen, it's surprising that there isn't an option for ultra-high-resolution 2K or 4K panels.
Verdict
The Gigabyte P57W can be had for only £1,199 (around $1700 or AU$2205), which makes it rather good value for money when weighed up against its rivals. There might be thinner alternatives, and others that look a little more premium, but with so many boxes firmly ticked it's difficult to consider spending any more if you need a portable machine that'll play any current game with ease.
We liked
Gigabyte's P57W packs in plenty of power at a truly reasonable price. The high-spec combination of the latest Intel i7-6700HQ coupled with NVIDIA's GTX 970M runs any game at 1080p with ease.
It's not a bad looking laptop, and although there are some thinner alternatives, it's not an unnecessarily large laptop either, offering plenty of connectivity options along with a full-sized keyboard and well-spaced trackpad.
The IPS screen is a pleasure to use, thanks to accurate colours and superb viewing angles. Dolby Sound and a roomy 1TB HDD round off the package nicely.
We disliked
There's nothing offensive about the design, though the hints of orange will likely appeal to younger, more trendy gamers than myself. I would have preferred to see some more premium materials on show to make the plastic shell stand out a little more.
Although it may not be a gamer's first choice of input, the trackpad feels overly sensitive and left me frustrated at times, needing a little fine-tuning to get right.
The forward-ejecting position of the DVD drive seems down-right silly, as it's a real pain to use when on your lap or on a slimmer desk. Although you can swap out the optical storage for more hard drive space or a weight-saving facia, I would have preferred to see it in a more accessible position.
Final verdict
If you would rather not be tethered to your desk and are looking for a gaming machine with a reasonable-sized screen and ample power on tap, the Gigabyte P57W delivers admirably.
It's better value than the Asus ROG G752VT, and while it may not have the premium looks, the orange accents and angular design are enough of a clue to hint at the power within.
You're unlikely to find more power in a laptop priced lower than this, but despite the savings it doesn't feel like Gigabyte has skimped on any of the essentials.
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