Gigabyte is one of the household names when it comes to gaming PCs in India. From GPUs to motherboards, gamers or PC enthusiasts who like to dabble in the art of assembling their own PCs are familiar with the brand. However, for laptop gamers, the Gigabyte name is still relatively new. Most of those who are familiar with it know it because of the Gigabyte G5 gaming laptop launched at the tail end of 2022. The laptop featured a fairly simple design and was powered by the Intel 12th Gen processor along with the Nvidia RTX 3000 series GPUs.
Fast forward to technically two years later, and Gigabyte has launched its successor, which is now known as the Gigabyte G6X. While earlier, the entire G5 series was divided into KE, ME, and GE, the latest G6X series is divided into mainly two variants – 9KG and 9MG. For clarity, the 9KG is the higher variant featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, and the 9MG is the lower variant powered by an RTX 4050 GPU with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM. Both, however, feature the same Intel 13650HX processor featuring 14 cores, 20 threads and a 4.90GHz boost clock.
As it is clear from the range of available GPU options, the Gigabyte G6X still technically remains a budget gaming laptop series. I say technically because the G6X 9MG I tested costs Rs 96,999, putting it well within fighting distance of laptops like the Lenovo LOQ, which also sports the same specifications. Towards the higher end, at Rs 1.25 lakh, you also get the ASUS ROG Strix G16, which also features the same specifications.
The Gigabyte G6X 9MG design looks a lot different than its predecessor. My review unit came in black colour and the material used in its construction is polycarbonate. In terms of how good is that plastic, it is not. Because it very easily attracts fingerprints, dust and sweat marks. Especially during this scorching summer, we’re facing in India, I constantly faced with the issue of sweat on my laptop’s deck area.
However, in terms of durability, the material felt quite good. It withstood a good number of bumps and scratches during the time I spent with the laptop. And all the scratches are also pretty easy to remove if you rub the surface a little bit with microfibre. So overall, the plastic does not feel premium but is good from a durability standpoint.
In terms of weight, the laptop is similar to its counterparts. Weighing in at 2.5kg, it is 100g heavier than the Lenovo LOQ and weighs exactly as much as the ASUS ROG Strix G16. It is neither more nor less portable than its competitors. One good thing that impressed me about the Gigabyte G6X is the laptop’s thickness. At its thickest point, the laptop is 2.89cm thick, which is a good amount of headroom and also indicates plenty of space for hot air to easily dissipate, you just need powerful fans to do so.
The keyboard and trackpad of the Gigabyte G6X are pleasant to use, but I think the keys lack tactile feedback. I am satisfied with the key-travel but I do think the spring action was a bit better. As of right now, it feels very mellow. With the trackpad though I have no complaints.
The Gigabyte G6X’s I/O port selection includes one HDMI 2.1 port, a 1G LAN socket, and four USB ports: two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port. Additionally, the Type-C port on the rear can provide a DisplayPort signal for connecting a gaming monitor, while the other Type-C port supports PD 3.0 for charging other devices. Overall, these connectivity options are quite comprehensive. Everything is here sans an SDXC card slot.
The display of the Gigabyte G6X features a 16-inch IPS screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio, a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels, and a 165Hz refresh rate. However, the display lacks brightness. In our test, the laptop’s brightness came out to be 333nits with 60% sRGB and 42.9% DCI-P3 colour space coverage. Despite decent luminance figures, the display seems pretty dull. In comparison, Lenovo LOQ’s display has similar on-paper specs but it manages to look fairly better than the one of Gigabyte G6X.
The 2W speakers on the Gigabyte G6X are pretty decent but not too great. They’re not too dissimilar to audio system you’d find on other gaming laptops. In short, they are adequate for general use. Ultimately, I’d suggest going for a set of external speakers or a gaming headset if you want truly rich audio.
You can upgrade the RAM and storage in the G6X 9MG as the laptop comes with two RAM slots and two M.2 SSD slots. The G6X I tested came with 16GB DDR5 4800MT/s RAM. The lower transfer speed is because the 13650HX is limited to DDR5 4800MT/s only. Meanwhile, a comparable AMD Ryzen 7000 series chip is capable of supporting up to 5600MT/s.
However, the good news is that both the M.2 SSD slots support Gen 4 speeds. The laptop already comes with a 1TB SSD which has a sequential read and write speed of around 5186MB/s and 4810MB/s respectively. It is fast enough for all your creative and gaming needs. And if you need more space in the future then the option to add another M.2 Gen 4 SSD is also present.
The Wi-Fi card used here is the Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX 211, which is placed underneath one of the SSD slots and is also upgradable. Overall, I’d rate the upgradability in the Gigabyte G6X as good enough and similar to last year.
The Intel Core i7-13650HX in the G6X performs very well in terms of temperature. In Performance (Max) mode, the GPU temperature averages 70°C, and the CPU reaches 74°C, indicating effective cooling with high performance. Performance (Turbo) mode shows slightly higher temperatures, with the GPU at 72.1°C and the CPU at 77°C, due to increased power limits. The Performance (Auto) mode maintains similar thermal performance, with the GPU at 71.6°C and the CPU at 76°C. The
Entertainment mode, prioritising quieter operation, results in a GPU temperature of 70.5°C but raises the CPU temperature to 83°C, the highest among all modes. In Quiet mode, the GPU has the lowest temperature at 66.6°C, while the CPU remains at 76°C, striking a balance between noise reduction and thermal management. At idle in Quiet mode, the temperatures drop significantly, with the GPU at 33.5°C and the CPU at 49°C, demonstrating effective cooling when the system is not under load. Overall, the Entertainment mode generates the highest CPU temperatures, while the Quiet mode provides the best balance between noise and heat management.
The figures mentioned above are very impressive. Mainly because the laptop CPU temperatures usually lie in the 90°C range. So the G6X is easily beating out its competitors, at least in terms of cooling.
The maximised cooling also translates to increased performance as the RTX 4050 performs as well as the RTX 4050 in the much more premium ASUS ROG Strix G16 and a lot better than the RTX 4050 in the Lenovo LOQ. Now, provided that the LOQ comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, which isn’t as powerful as the 13650HX but still. The enhanced cooling of the Gigabyte G6X is to be applauded here for this result.
When it comes to real-world gaming performance, the Gigabyte G6X impresses with one of the highest scores achieved by an RTX 4050 laptop. The performance analysis of three laptops equipped with RTX 4050 graphics cards and various Intel processors—Gigabyte G6X (13650HX), HP Victus 15 (13420H), and ASUS ROG Strix G16 (13650HX)—reveals distinct differences in gaming performance across several popular titles at 1080p resolution on both high and medium settings.
Metro Exodus shows that the HP Victus 15 leads at 1080p high settings with an average FPS of 93, followed by the ASUS ROG Strix G16 at 85 FPS and the Gigabyte G6X at 83 FPS. However, at 1080p medium settings, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 takes the lead with 115 FPS, whereas the Gigabyte G6X and HP Victus 15 score 111 FPS and 71 FPS, respectively.
In Dirt 5, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 consistently performs best, with 106 FPS at high settings and 130 FPS at medium settings. The Gigabyte G6X follows closely with 97.5 FPS at high settings and 127 FPS at medium settings. The HP Victus 15 lags behind with 85 FPS at high settings and 109 FPS at medium settings.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla results indicate a close competition between the Gigabyte G6X and ASUS ROG Strix G16, both achieving 119 FPS at medium settings. At high settings, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 slightly edges out with 100 FPS, while the Gigabyte G6X and HP Victus 15 score 97 FPS and 91 FPS, respectively.
For Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the Gigabyte G6X and ASUS ROG Strix G16 again show similar performance, with the ASUS ROG Strix G16 slightly ahead at both settings—129 FPS at high and 135 FPS at medium, compared to the Gigabyte G6X’s 131 FPS at high and 136 FPS at medium. The HP Victus 15 scores lower, with 103 FPS at high and 108 FPS at medium settings.
In Civilization VI, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 leads with 122.91 FPS at high settings and 132.45 FPS at medium settings. The Gigabyte G6X follows with 119 FPS at high and 129 FPS at medium settings, while the HP Victus 15 scores 79 FPS and 83 FPS, respectively.
Gears of War 5 shows the ASUS ROG Strix G16 outperforming with 134 FPS at high settings and 163 FPS at medium settings. The Gigabyte G6X trails with 125 FPS at high and 152 FPS at medium settings, and the HP Victus 15 scores 106 FPS and 127 FPS, respectively.
Lastly, GTA V benchmarks highlight the ASUS ROG Strix G16 as the top performer with 183 FPS at high settings and 187 FPS at medium settings. The Gigabyte G6X follows with 167 FPS at high and 171 FPS at medium settings, while the HP Victus 15 scores 143 FPS at high and 156 FPS at medium settings.
Overall, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 consistently delivers the highest FPS across most games and settings, making it the best choice for gamers seeking top-tier performance. The Gigabyte G6X offers solid performance, often close to the ASUS ROG Strix G16, while the HP Victus 15, despite being equipped with the same RTX 4050 GPU, generally falls behind in FPS, especially at medium settings.
In conclusion, the Gigabyte G6X 9MG proves to be a standout option for gamers looking to strike a balance between performance and affordability. While Gigabyte is a well-known name among PC enthusiasts for its quality components, the G6X series marks a solid entry into the laptop gaming market. With the RTX 4050 GPU and Intel 13650HX processor, the G6X 9MG delivers impressive gaming performance, often matching or coming close to the more expensive ASUS ROG Strix G16 and outpacing the HP Victus 15 in several benchmarks.
Despite some drawbacks, such as the tendency to attract fingerprints and a display that lacks the vibrancy of competitors like the Lenovo LOQ, the G6X 9MG shines with its robust build quality, extensive I/O port selection, effective cooling system, and competitive gaming performance. The upgradability options for RAM and storage further enhance its appeal, making it a future-proof choice for both gaming and productivity.
Priced at Rs 96,999, the Gigabyte G6X 9MG offers exceptional value, delivering near top-tier performance without the hefty price tag of the ASUS ROG Strix G16, which costs Rs 1.25 lakh. For gamers on a budget, the Gigabyte G6X 9MG is definitely worth considering, providing a solid mix of performance, durability, and upgradability that makes it a compelling choice in the competitive gaming laptop market.
