Aorus X7 vs Razer Blade Pro
By Chris Wood
The term gaming laptop usually brings to mind big and heavy machines that could only charitably be referred to as portable, and while this is still true of many systems, there are some products out there that break that mold. The Aorus X7 and Razer Blade Pro are two such machines.
Both systems offer some capable gaming specs in a much thinner and lighter form factor than much of the competition. Read on as we take a closer look at the machines to see which better treads the line between form and function.
Processor
It’s a dead heat out of the gate, with both laptops offering the same capable Q2 2013 Intel Core i7 processor.
Display
Both systems offer full HD 1920 x 1080 displays. With laptops of this size and in this price bracket, we wouldn’t expect anything less.
Graphics
This is the first category where the Aorus system takes a significant lead over the Blade Pro. While the Razer offers a single NVIDIA GeForce 765M 2GB graphics card, the X7 is features an SLI configuration of the same card, doubling the system’s graphics memory to 4GB.
While not all games take full advantage of SLI configurations, the X7 has a clear edge here. Aorus claims that the dual card setup is “or par with GTX 780M” graphics.
RAM
In the configurations we’re looking at, the Aorus X7 features a full 16GB memory, while the Razer offers just 8GB. While 8GB RAM is certainly nothing to sniff at, the X7’s extra memory will likely keep it from bogging down during extended gaming sessions.
Storage
The Aorus X7 features a hybrid storage system, with dual 128GB SSDs and a 1TB hard drive, while the Razer Blade Pro opts for a full SSD configuration, but offers only 256GB storage.
While we’d usually favour a full SSD setup, given the amount of storage that modern games require, the X7’s extra terabyte of space is an appealing prospect.
It’s worth noting that the Razor Blade Pro is available in a higher capacity 512GB SSD configuration, but at a significant price premium over this configuration.
Ports
The Aorus X7 is the clear winner here, providing everything that the Razer machine does, and much more besides.
Battery
The two machines feature very similar capacity batteries, and while neither manufacturer provides a battery life estimate, we’re willing to bet that the Aorus system’s SLI graphics card setup will cause it to take a hit in this category.
OS and disk drive
The Aorus system offers a choice of Windows 7 or 8.1, while Razer only ships its system with Windows 8. You’ll have to make do with downloads for all your gaming needs, as neither system offers an optical drive.
Dimensions and design
In terms of size and weight, the two systems are very similar. Dimensions are near identical, though the Aorus is a little deeper than its rival. The Blade Pro comes in a hair thinner than the X7, though the Aorus machine narrowly beats its competitor on the scales.
When it comes to aesthetics, both system feature attractive aluminium designs, but with very different styles. Like its younger brother, the Razer Blade Pro puts us in the mind of the MacBook Pro, while the Aorus X7 exhibits a more obviously gaming-centric look.
The rest
While both machines have backlit anti-ghosting keyboards and capable webcams, it’s the level of extra functionality that the manufacturers have packed into these laptops that sets them apart here.
The X7 is no slouch, offering manual fan control and dedicated programmable macro keys, but its the Razor that wins out.
The Blade Pro’s Switchblade UI, a 4.05-inch, 800 x 480 touch screen panel that occupies the space usually reserved for a numerical pad, is the system’s secret weapon. The miniature screen, which acts as the systems touchpad, features customized controls for specific games and apps, providing the laptop with some genuinely unique functionality.
The Razer laptop also has access to the company’s Synapse 2.0 service, which syncs the user’s peripherals preferences to the cloud.
Price
At the time of writing, the Aorus X7 comes in a full US$400 cheaper than the Razer Blade Pro.
These prices were taken from Amazon.com (for the Razer) and Newegg.com (for the Aorus). These are retailers recommended by the two companies and offer the specification detailed above.
Wrap-up
Taking all of the above into account, it isn’t difficult to make a recommendation based on specs alone. With the exception of the CPU and to some extent the storage options, the Aorus X7 beats the Razer Blade Pro in almost every key category.
The X7 features more RAM, dual GPUs and much greater range of ports than its rival, at a significantly lower price point. The level of performance packed into the X7 is genuinely impressive given its slim design.
While the Aorus machine is easier to recommend, the Razer Blade Pro does have its plus points, and the Switchblade UI is chief among them. The system’s unique touchscreen trackpad gives the Razer a unique selling point, and has a lot of potential for future, application specific development.
That said, it’s the Aorus X7 that steals the show. It’s a more capable machine with a smaller price tag than its rival.
Check back soon for a comparison between two more traditional gaming powerhouses – the Alienware 17 and MSI GT70.
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