Summary of "The Most Sensible RTX 5080 Laptop Yet – Gigabyte A16 Pro"

Summary of “The Most Sensible RTX 5080 Laptop Yet – Gigabyte A16 Pro” Review

Overview

The video reviews the Gigabyte A16 Pro, a 16-inch gaming laptop equipped with an Nvidia RTX 5080 mobile GPU, the latest-gen Intel Core i7-1240H CPU, and 32GB of LPDDR5X memory. It aims to deliver high-end gaming performance at a more affordable price (~$2,200 USD) compared to competitors, making some compromises to achieve this goal.

Key Technological Concepts & Product Features

Processor: Intel Core i7-1240H with 10 cores (6 performance + 4 efficiency), 16 threads. Base clock: 2.5 GHz, boost up to 5.2 GHz. Power consumption ranges from 45W base to 115W turbo (gaming profile limits power to ~70-82W).
GPU: Nvidia RTX 5080 mobile with 16GB GDDR7 VRAM. Supports DLSS 4, Frame Generation, 4th gen ray tracing cores, and Reflex. GPU power capped at 115W.
Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X at 5600 MT/s, soldered with no upgrade path. Performance similar to standard DDR5, with very high read/write speeds (~62,831 MB/s read, 79,087 MB/s write).
Storage: Two 1TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSDs (Kingston OM 8SGP41024K2-CO). One M.2 slot runs at full Gen 4 speeds (~7,100 MB/s read), the other at slower Gen 3 speeds (~3,560 MB/s read) with no BIOS option to change this—a notable compromise.
Display: 16-inch IPS panel, 2560x1600 resolution, 165Hz refresh rate. Adequate sharpness and smoothness but lacks contrast and vibrancy compared to OLED panels. Brightness is decent but not outstanding.
Keyboard & Input: Single-zone RGB keyboard with 1.7mm key travel and decent feedback. Cramped arrow keys. Power button isolated above keyboard to avoid accidental presses. Trackpad is average in size and accuracy but has hollow-feeling clicks.
Ports & Connectivity:
- Left: Power, Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery 3.0).
- Right: USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-A 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack.
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth.
- Missing: SD card reader and Thunderbolt ports.
- Charger port on left side can interfere with usage when not on a desk.
Battery: 76Wh battery with 240W charger. Good battery life for video playback (about 15-17% drain per hour on power-saving/balanced profiles). Gaming on battery drains rapidly (down to 10% after 1 hour of Cyberpunk 2077).
Webcam & Audio: 1080p 30fps webcam, average quality comparable to old phone cameras. Speakers are 2W stereo units, loud but lack bass and audio fidelity.
Build & Design: Functional, not flashy. Mostly plastic with some metal on trackpad. Weighs ~2.3 kg. Hinges open 180°, but one-handed opening is tricky. Lid and keyboard deck have some flex but no creaks. Cooling via Gigabyte’s Windforce Infinity EX system with side and rear exhausts.

Software & Features

Gigabyte GIMate Software: Controls power profiles, cooling, RGB lighting, and includes AI-powered chat assistant and creator tools. AI assistant is basic and struggles with complex queries. Five preset profiles: Gaming, Balanced, Creator, Power Saving, Online Meeting. Profiles customizable but no option to set custom power limits in BIOS or software.
Performance Profiles: Gaming profile limits CPU power below Intel’s max turbo, but delivers solid gaming performance.

Performance Analysis

Gaming Performance

Cyberpunk 2077 (max settings, 2560x1600): 40-50 FPS native; DLSS performance preset doubles FPS (~95); adding Frame Generation boosts FPS to 200+.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Stable 60+ FPS max settings; DLSS gives ~20% boost.
A Plague Tale Requiem: ~60 FPS max settings; DLSS boosts to ~90-100 FPS.
Counterstrike 2: 100-120 FPS max settings; good for casual gamers.
Forza Horizon 5: ~90 FPS max settings; DLSS and Frame Gen push it to 130-140 FPS.
Hogwarts Legacy: 50-60 FPS max settings; DLSS + Frame Gen pushes near 200 FPS.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns (Marvel Rivals): 40-50 FPS max settings; DLSS + Frame Gen pushes to ~180 FPS, though latency trade-offs exist.

CPU Stress Testing (Cinebench R23)

Gaming profile multi-core: Initial boost to 5.2 GHz, then throttled to ~4.8 GHz and down to 3.7 GHz as temps hit ~95°C; power peaks ~80W, averages ~43W.
Single-core gaming profile: Stable 5.2 GHz, temps ~95°C, power peaks 48W, averages 17W.
Balanced profile multi-core: Lower clocks (~4.5 GHz peak), but temps spike to 99°C, power slightly higher (~82W peak).
Balanced single-core: 4.5 GHz peak, temps ~77°C, power ~40W peak.

Thermals & Noise

GPU and CPU temps during gaming hover around 80°C.
Cooling system vents exhaust hot air from sides and back, avoiding front blast.
Fan noise under load is audible but not excessive.

Pros

Competitive pricing for RTX 5080 laptop.
Strong gaming performance with DLSS and Frame Generation support.
Good battery life for non-gaming tasks.
Functional build and design with practical port selection.
Effective cooling system preventing front heat blast.

Cons

Memory soldered with no upgrade path.
One M.2 slot limited to PCIe Gen 3 speeds with no BIOS override.
Display is adequate but uninspiring compared to OLED.
Keyboard and trackpad are functional but unremarkable.
Charger port placement can be inconvenient.
No Thunderbolt or SD card reader.
CPU thermal throttling under sustained heavy loads.
AI features in GIMate software are limited in usefulness.

Conclusion

The Gigabyte A16 Pro offers a sensible balance of performance and price for an RTX 5080 gaming laptop. While it makes some compromises in upgradeability, display quality, and thermal headroom, it delivers solid gaming performance, good battery life for casual use, and practical features. It’s a strong contender for buyers seeking high-end GPU performance without paying premium prices, provided they accept some quirks and limitations.

Main Speaker/Source

Matt from Kit Guru (reviewer and presenter).

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Summary of "The Most Sensible RTX 5080 Laptop Yet – Gigabyte A16 Pro"