Aftershock Vapor 17X Is A 17-Inch Powerhouse That Can Double Up As A Mobile Desktop
Since Riot Games’ first-person shooter (FPS) game VALORANT hit the scene in 2020, it’s gained a following for its colourful lore and unique agents while still retaining aspects of traditional FPS games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Suitable for casuals and hardcore gamers alike, we are all competitive when we start climbing up the ladder on VALORANT. This feat demands a PC that has the specifications to ensure no graphical lag or delays due to inferior processors.
Enter Aftershock’s Vapor 17X—a gaming-focused laptop that’s more than capable of meeting the demands of any adversary.
Harder, better, faster, lighter—that’s what you can expect from the Vapor 17X, which comes with the latest and greatest technology from Intel and NVIDIA.
We had a chance to test out the Vapor 17X, and here are some features that allowed games to run so smoothly we never had to think about delay or lag.
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QHD monitor with 165hz refresh rate for superior visual fidelity
The QHD resolution means that the screen is 2560x1440px (1440p), which gives you much-needy clarity if your life’s looking a little foggy.
Meanwhile, the monitor is 17.3 inches and features a quad-HD (QHD) and 165hz refresh rate.
Not only is this an upgrade overall, QHD compared to the standard full HD (FHD) means you get crisp and sharper image quality for graphics-heavy games and movies alike.
With the advent of streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, cinematic experiences are increasingly being brought into homes.
Therefore, you’ll want a screen to match the cinematic quality that these new direct-to-stream movies are produced in, and the Vapor 17X’s QHD screen will do just that.
Of course, the difference isn’t only seen in movies, but also gameplay.
Any hardcore FPS gamer will have you know that the difference can secure you the clutch round instead of letting your team down.
2. RTX 3070 & 11th Gen Intel Core processor are the latest in gaming tech
On to the internal hardware—you get what you’re paying for with the newest and latest gaming tech.
The new Vapor 17X machines will come with Intel’s 8-Core 11th Generation Processor.
Nvidia’s RTX 3070 8GB GDDR6 is the second fastest mobile graphics card in the market and more than holds up when it comes to intensive games like Battlefield V, Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, and Devil May Cry 5.
During tests, in-game frames per second (FPS) remained at well over 180fps on QHD settings even during the chaos of defending or planting a spike.
As is usual with Aftershock’s array of customisable options, you can select between the 3060 or 3070 varieties for your GPU or even a Ryzen processor.
This can be useful for VALORANT and games that push the limits of graphical fidelity in the future, like the highly anticipated Battlefield 2042, which will release in October later this year.
That said, in VALORANT, abilities and ultimates fly all over the map, and a better GPU will ensure none of them will cause any lag.
There’s no better feeling than watching your Raze ultimate secure a kill and the explosions that follow.
3. Thermals ensure the laptop runs at peak speeds
If GPUs bring the eye candy, thermal compounds, otherwise known as thermal paste, can be found and applied on the processor. They keep your laptop cool and ensure game performance stays in top condition for long hours.
Grinding ranked games for hours can lower performance over time, but not so much with the Vapor 17X.
Stress-testing VALORANT in ranked games over a near-4 hour duration, the Vapor 17X recorded the following temperatures:
- CPU: Average of 86° (Optimal temperatures are between 75°and 85°C when gaming)
- GPU: Average of 74° (Optimal temperatures are between 65° and 85°C when gaming)
For those unfamiliar, the laptop runs a risk of overheating if not adequately cooled, and in the worst-case scenario, the CPU may not start up at all.
While the Vapor 17X got relatively warm to the touch, the stress tests show that both the CPU and GPU were well within healthy temperatures.
4. Lightweight yet powerful so you can game smoothly anywhere
Gaming isn’t always something we do in the comfort of our home. Between impromptu all-night LAN seshs with friends at their places or even sneaking in a quick game after a long day at work, the Vapor 17X can do it all.
What helps with this mobility is just how light it is for a 17-inch laptop, as it weighs a mere 2.3kg. Combined with the thin bezel display and magnesium alloy chassis, the Vapor 17X feels more like a 15-inch laptop.
Coupled with the device’s clean chassis design, the Vapor 17X sports a sleek and minimalist aesthetic that appeals to both gamers and high-performance users.
5. Strategically located ports so Vapor 17X doubles up as a powerful workstation
Vapor 17X has 3 ports on the right — an SD card reader for those in the creative field and 2 USB 3.0 slots. On the left, there’s one more USB 3.0 slot along with ports for your earphones and microphone.
All 3 are located at a nifty spot for gamers, especially if you wield a wired mouse and use a headset—the latter indispensable for communication and footstep-sensitive games like VALORANT.
The other ports are at the back of the laptop, including:
- HDMI
- USB-C
- Power (charging)
- Ethernet
These features make the Vapor 17X a suitable candidate as a battle station—where one can hook up your monitor and keyboard so that the laptop functions as a mobile CPU.
Perhaps you’re someone who moves houses a lot or has to stay in a dorm. The Vapor 17X not only has ports that allow for up to 3 monitors but also the specs to rival a desktop.
So if you prefer lightweight yet powerful devices over a bulky desktop, the Vapor 17X’s mobility and function as a battle station might be something worth considering.
Aftershock Vapor 17X starts from $2,350
With such horsepower within the Aftershock Vapor 17X, you can be free from the distractions of lag and stuttering graphics, allowing you to eliminate the enemy to your full potential.
Prices for the Vapor 17X starts at $2,350, making it a worthy investment because a night in gaming with friends saves more in the long run, speaking from experience.
Over time, your machine might experience some natural slow-downs due to a buildup of dust. To keep it running in tip-top condition, Aftershock provides a complimentary cleaning service and system check.
This will not only improve performance but also ensure its longevity, keeping your machine well-oiled.
You can purchase the Aftershock Vapor 17X – complete with customisations for your specific needs – here. If you are on team AMD, Aftershock also provides an AMD variant in the Vapor 17R.
Check out and follow their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for more updates.
A worthy investment for 2021 games & beyond
Having a rig with the latest equipment will ensure that you won’t let your team down due to lag or worse, a blue screen of death.
Plus, you’ll want something that can withstand the test of time—Aftershock’s 2-year warranty will go a long way in ensuring this.
Upgrading your rig regularly can be costly, so getting something that’ll be able to play newly-released games years down the road might just be worth the investment.
Some Aftershock PC laptop reviews to check out:
Honest Aftershock Laptop Reviews Will Help You Get The Powerful Gaming Rig You Deserve
This post was brought to you in collaboration with Aftershock PC.
Featured image by MS News.
