AORUS
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Gigabyte's next-gen SSD shows the incredible potential of PCIe 4.0
When AMD launched its third-gen Zen 2-based Ryzen processors, it also introduced the next generation PCIe 4.0 controllers. Now, Gigabyte has launched one of the first PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs that shows the incredible speed potential of the new tech. The AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD can hit up to 5,000MB/s read speeds and 4,400 MB/s write performance. That's about 56 percent faster read and over double the write speeds of Samsung's 970 EVO, currently one of the fastest NVMe SSDs on the market.
Here's the world's 'most powerful and lightest' 13-inch gaming laptop
Following the impressive Razer Blade we reviewed last month, Gigabyte also wants a piece of the portable gaming laptop action with its new Aorus X3 line, a sub-14-inch Windows 8.1 device that claims to be the world's "most powerful and lightest" in its class. In terms of weight, it starts from 4.12 pounds (1.87kg), which is more attractive than the new Blade's 4.47 pounds (2.03kg). The smaller X3 has an impressive 13.3-inch QHD (2,560 x 1,440) LCD, whereas the larger 13.9-inch X3 Plus lets you choose between a QHD panel and a sweeter QHD+ (3,200 x 1,800) version.
Gigabyte's dual GPU Aorus gaming laptop is less than an inch thick
To impress us with a gaming laptop these days requires more than just spec-bombing, but Gigabyte's Aorus has grabbed our attention. For starters, the 17.3-inch model is a mere 0.9 inch thick and weighs 6.4 pounds, rather insane numbers considering that it packs a pair of NVIDIA GTX 765M chips in an SLI configuration. In comparison, the 17-inch Razer Blade Pro is almost exactly the same size with a single GPU. To achieve that, Gigabyte made the case out of solid aluminum with a sculpted look only a gamer could love, while packing copious vents and ports to duct away the hot air. The rest of the specs are also top-tier: a 17.3-inch 1080p display, Intel Core i7-4700HQ CPU, up to 32GB of RAM, three USB 3.0 slots, 500GB of mSATA SSD storage max and up to 1TB of 2.5-inch HDD storage. Gigabyte calls it a "powerplant on your lap," and it'll arrive around March for $2,099 - $2,799 depending on options. If you're interested, some heat-proof pants might also be in order.
