Corsair Voyager A1600 review: Corsair’s first laptop is full of potential

Price When Reviewed

$2.849.99

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Corsair, an organization that was as soon as recognized for its RAM modules, has grown quickly over the previous decade. Now, it’s taking a step into the advanced and aggressive world of laptops with its new Corsair Voyager a1600. Pitched as “the world’s first laptop designed for streamers,” the Voyager a1600 is exclusive and infrequently fulfilling, however it’s not a flawless gaming laptop. Let’s get proper into it.

Corsair Voyager a1600 specs and options

The laptop computer I acquired for overview was a top-tier mannequin with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor, 32GB of DDR5 reminiscence, and an enormous 2TB strong state drive. These are high-end specs, so it’s no shock this mannequin is available in at a hefty $2,849.99.

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5 4800MHz
• Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon RX6800M
• Display: 2,560 x 1,600 16:10 IPS non-touch show
• Storage: 2TB NVMe PCIe SSD
• Webcam: 1080p webcam
• Connectivity: 2x USB4, 1x USB-C 3, 1x USB-A 3, 3.5mm audio, SD card reader
• Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
• Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
• Battery capability: 99 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 13.95 inches x 9.35 inches x .63 inches
• Weight: 5.29 kilos
• MSRP: $2,849.99 as-tested

It’s an improve from the entry-level mannequin, which retails for $2,499.99. It has an AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS processor, 16GB of DDR5 reminiscence, and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 strong state drive. The AMD Radeon RX 6800M stays the identical. 

Design and construct high quality

Corsair’s first laptop computer strikes a singular profile. The giant, 16-inch show and deep chassis make for a beefy rig that lands someplace between 16-inch and 17-inch laptops. It’s typically comparable in width to different 16-inch machines, however depth is extra like 17-inch alternate options. The Corsair Voyager a1600 is a nasty alternative if portability is a priority. 

Size apart, Corsair’s first outing makes a good first impression. The laptop computer’s design is apparent, however inoffensive, and construct high quality is appropriate. The decrease half is rock-solid, with completely zero flex. Even the precise middle of the keyboard, usually a laptop computer’s most versatile level, permits solely a slight trace of deflection. The lid, nonetheless, wobbles and wavers whereas closing or opening the laptop computer.

The row of touch-sensitive perform keys surrounds a small LCD show panel. It shows battery life by default and might be personalized to indicate the system clock or animated .gifs of your alternative, amongst different capabilities. It’s a pleasant trick, however certainly a gimmick. I can’t think about a scenario the place it’d show really helpful. 

My largest beef with the a1600 is just not that it’s lackluster, however relatively that it falls in need of its apparent opponents. A laptop computer like this might be thought-about toe-to-toe with gaming giants just like the Razer Blade 17 and Alienware X17 R2. Compared to those, the Corsair Voyager a1600 feels much less cohesive. However, Corsair has a minimum of managed to match opponents just like the Acer Predator Helios, MSI Raider, and Asus TUF Gaming collection.

Keyboard and trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Corsair Voyager a1600 has a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Ultra-Low Profile (ULP) switches. They supply a definite key really feel that’s deeper, extra tactile, and extra distinct than common. Keys backside with a tactile, clicky motion that leaves little question a secret’s depressed. 

Is it higher than a scissor-switch keyboard? Not essentially. I’m pleased with the keyboards discovered on laptops just like the Apple MacBook Air M2, Dell XPS 13, and Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon collection, to call a couple of. Still, there’s no denying the Voyager’s keyboard is sweet, and the important thing really feel instantly stands out as completely different from a scissor change design. 

The keyboard format is sweet, as effectively. Corsair chooses to omit the numpad for a design that’s centered above the touchpad and provides giant, simple to achieve keys. Even the perform keys are a bit bigger than most laptops, although nonetheless about half the scale as these on most desktop keyboards. 

Corsair throws in a set of LED-backlit, contact delicate buttons above the perform keys (offically known as “S-Keys”). These goal streamers and are supposed to permit simple scene transitions, like a built-in model of Elgato’s unbelievable Stream Deck (Corsair owns Elgato). I’m not a streamer, so I can’t say for certain whether or not they’re helpful—however I’ve my doubts. Touch delicate perform bars on laptops don’t have an excellent monitor document. They are typically arduous to find by contact and too removed from the person’s arms. The Voyager doesn’t have any methods to counter these issues.

Backlighting comes customary and helps Corsair’s iCUE, which makes altering the backlight simple. It’s additionally doable to sync with different iCUE units. This definitely provides Corsair with regards to customization.

The Voyager a1600 has an enormous touchpad that measures over six inches huge and about 4 inches deep. This is a behemoth by Windows requirements and on par with Apple’s MacBook Pro 16. Touch enter is responsive and multi-touch gestures really feel nice. It’s among the many finest Windows touchpads out there proper now, rivaling the Dell XPS 17, and approach above common for a gaming laptop computer.

Display, audio

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Corsair Voyager a1600’s show is a bit uncommon. It measures 16 inches however has a 16:10 side ratio, which is taller and nearer to sq. than now-traditional 16:9 screens. This is an more and more common transfer amongst many laptops, however the added measurement is particularly notable on a big show like that discovered right here. 

16:10 is nice in productiveness, because it’s simpler to rearrange two or 4 home windows in a approach that’s helpful. It’s additionally useful in video games with quite a few interface parts. This consists of grand technique video games like Crusader Kings 3 and MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV. On the flip facet, it supplies much less profit to first-person shooters or simulation video games.

Image high quality is unremarkable, because the a1600 has a regular IPS panel with no Mini-LED backlight. Maximum brightness reaches a good 379 nits, however elevated black ranges means the distinction ratio is proscribed to a most of 1060:1. Dark scenes look hazy and may lack element in shadows.

The Voyager a1600 additionally has a modest coloration gamut, reaching simply 80 % of DCI-P3. This is an issue. It means the a1600 can show much less colours total and skews in direction of a much less vibrant presentation. Color accuracy is respectable, so the issue is just not that the picture is wildly inaccurate. However, avid gamers have turn out to be accustomed to the ultra-saturated look of huge gamut shows. The a1600’s appears boring and washed-out by comparability.

These traits additionally make the Voyager a1600 unsuitable for demanding creators working with photographs, video, or digital artwork. The show lacks the decision and coloration gamut these house owners will demand. That’s an enormous miss, I feel, as a result of many streamers are additionally creators elsewhere and usually tend to want these benefits. 

The show has a most refresh charge of 240Hz and works with AMD FreeSync to supply clean body pacing. This mixture works relatively effectively in observe. Motion appears to be like clean and effective particulars are sometimes seen. When scrolling by means of a scene in League of Legends, for instance, characters and well being bars are simple to see, although names stay troublesome to learn. 

Audio high quality is underwhelming. The Voyager a1600 advantages from its upward-firing audio system, which hold audio clear and supply acceptable quantity. That’s all of the reward I can supply, although, as most quantity isn’t loud and the decrease finish is lacking in motion. Music and video games sound tinny, distinct, and a bit harsh, because the mid and higher vary dominates the presentation. Most gaming laptops supply a better most quantity and extra bass.

Webcam, microphone, biometrics

Corsair packs a 1080p webcam and four-array microphone into the Voyager a1600 which, at a look, appears spectacular. Yet it doesn’t maintain up underneath scrutiny. Video nonetheless appears to be like grainy and boring, particularly in low to average lighting. The digital camera solely works nice with some type of direct lighting, similar to a hoop mild. Is it higher than 720p? Yes, completely—however it’s not higher than different 1080p laptop computer webcams.

The microphone, in the meantime, was very disappointing. Audio quantity was good, and the microphone was capable of choose up my voice effectively after I turned my head away from the laptop computer. The high quality is hole, distant, and customarily not nice to take heed to. I’d name it practical at finest.

A bodily privateness shutter is included and toggled utilizing a guide flip slider within the laptop computer’s bezel. This is a superb characteristic. It’s simple to see if the privateness shutter is in place, and there’s no technique to open it electronically. 

The laptop computer helps biometric login by means of each a fingerprint reader and an IR digital camera. The fingerprint reader is dependable however might be adopted by even a barely damp, sweaty, or soiled hand (so hold your arms out of the Doritos!) The IR digital camera’s facial recognition is quicker and at all times works, so it’s the higher technique to log in. The digital camera works even in a darkish room and might be set as much as acknowledge customers with glasses on or off.

Connectivity

IDG / Matthew Smith

The Corsair Voyager has two USB4 ports alongside one USB-C 3 port, for a complete of three USB-C ports. These ports don’t help Power Delivery, nonetheless, to allow them to’t cost the laptop computer. This is a small disappointment, although mitigated by the very fact USB-C wouldn’t usually be capable of present sufficient energy for this laptop computer, which has a 230 watt energy adapter. It is technically doable to ship that over the newest USB Power Delivery customary, however I’ve but to check a laptop computer that provides it. 

Thunderbolt 4 can also be lacking, as is frequent on laptops powered by AMD {hardware}. This, once more, is simply a minor disappointment, however it might result in much less spectacular storage efficiency total. Corsair isn’t particular in regards to the bandwidth of its USB-C 4 ports. 

It’s nice to see Corsair embody a full-sized SD card slot. This is changing into extra frequent after years of absence on premium laptops, however it’s notably helpful for the Voyager a1600. It’s meant for streamers and creators, who may have to make use of a DSLR for picture or video. The SD card slot permits fast transfers with out an adapter. 

Wireless connectivity is great with help for the newest WiFi 6E customary. I don’t at the moment have a WiFi 6E router for testing, sadly, however WiFi 6 efficiency was additionally wonderful, routinely hitting 70MB/s whereas downloading from Steam. Bluetooth 5.2 rounds out wi-fi connectivity, offering the best degree of help for Bluetooth audio units. 

The Voyager a1600 has a built-in Corsair Slipstream wi-fi transceiver, which can be utilized for low-latency wi-fi connections to different Corsair wi-fi units. I didn’t have any Corsair units to check it with. Speaking typically, nonetheless, I’d anticipate this to show a bit extra dependable, and to have an extended usable vary, than Bluetooth. 

Performance

The Corsair Voyager a1600 I examined was a top-tier mannequin with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor, AMD Radeon RX 6800M 12GB cell graphics, 32GB of DDR5 reminiscence, and a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 strong state drive. This is the highest of AMD’s cell product stack. So, how does it carry out? 

IDG / Matthew Smith

We begin with PCMark 10. Technically, this can be a loss for the Voyager a1600, because it brings up the rear in opposition to different laptops on this aggressive set. Look nearer, although, and the distinction is trivial. All of those laptops do effectively total and beat smaller and/or inexpensive alternate options. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Next up is Cinebench R15 multithreaded, a benchmark that vastly prefers wonderful many-core efficiency. The Voyager a1600 does very effectively right here, beating all laptops apart from the Alienware X15 R2, which manages a small lead. All of those scores are good, however there’s a wider ranger right here than in PCMark 10, and it exhibits {that a} laptop computer’s thermals and efficiency profile contribute considerably to the way it will carry out in benchmarks.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Handbrake rounds issues out with a prolonged check that requires over 13 minutes for even the quickest laptop computer to finish. The Voyager a1600 is precisely mid-pack, touchdown simply behind the Alienware X15 R2. Aside from the Razer Blade 15, which doesn’t maintain up effectively right here, the hole between laptops stays small.

The Voyager a1600’s AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS processor places up an excellent battle. It can’t beat Intel alternate options, however it definitely goes toe-to-toe, and does so at pricing just like the competitors. That’s sufficient to maintain it within the battle. 

We’ll now dive into graphics efficiency, and right here I have to add an necessary caveat: I might be exhibiting outcomes for each the Balanced and Extreme mode. I personally don’t take into account an Extreme mode to be very helpful in a laptop computer, because it’s usually so loud and scorching that it’s impractical in real-world use. In this case, nonetheless, the hole between every mode is remarkably giant, so each outcomes are required to get the complete story. The identical is just not true in processor benchmarks. The Extreme mode does present a tiny benefit in these assessments, however it’s just some dozen factors (or seconds) in its favor.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Okay, let’s begin with 3DMark Time Spy, which instantly exhibits the large hole between Corsair’s Balanced and Extreme modes. The Voyager a1600 places up an excellent battle in Extreme mode, beating all opponents besides the Alienware X15 R2. However, Balanced mode is a distinct story, and it finally ends up ending approach behind the alternate options. 

Keep in thoughts that the competitor scores proven listed here are for his or her respective default modes, which is usually a “Balanced” mode, or comparable. In brief, this isn’t an excellent end result for Corsair. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

The pattern continues in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Here, the Voyager a1600 once more performs very effectively in Extreme mode, standing toe-to-toe with Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080, and RTX 3080 Ti laptops. In the extra usable balanced mode, nonetheless, the Voyager a1600 falls far behind, delivering a mere fraction of the anticipated efficiency.

IDG / Matthew Smith

Metro Exodus stays on pattern. The Voyager a1600’s outcomes are far under expectations in Balanced mode however leap into rivalry with Extreme Mode energetic. Even then, nonetheless, the Voyager a1600 is on the low finish of the efficiency spectrum.

I attempted the Voyager a1600 in a wide range of different video games starting from older, much less demanding titles like Final Fantasy XIV to the newest, cutting-edge video games, like Cyberpunk 2077. The pattern was at all times the identical.

Clearly, the Corsair Voyager a1600’s efficiency is closely influenced by the mode used. It can’t sustain in Balanced mode however holds up effectively in Extreme.

That’s an issue, as a result of Extreme mode is approach too loud. The fixed whirr is simple to listen to even when utilizing over-ear headphones. I can’t think about placing up with it whereas gaming (or streaming). 

Corsair may need a repair for this. The firm plans a BIOS replace so as to add a Gaming mode that sits between the Balanced and Extreme modes. This mode barely reduces the AMD SmartShift mixed energy goal from 147 watts to 135 watts. It’s not but out there, although, so I couldn’t check it. 

Battery life

The Corsair Voyager a1600 goes all-in on battery measurement with a 99 watt-hour unit. This is the utmost the FAA will let passengers keep it up a airplane, so it’s the efficient arduous restrict for battery measurement. 

IDG / Matthew Smith

Battery life is available in at 4 hours and 55 minutes. That’s not wonderful, in fact, and positively far in need of a full work day. However, this degree of battery life stacks up effectively within the realm of high-end gaming laptops. The Voyager a1600 is mid-pack, and that’s not a horrible place to be.

There is a quirk to notice, nonetheless: the Voyager a1600 can really feel a bit hesitant when used on battery energy. This appears as a consequence of a delay in switching between AMD’s built-in and discrete graphics. 

The Voyager a1600 will use the Ryzen 9 processor’s built-in graphics in much less demanding workloads, switching to the Radeon RX 6800M. Opening a program could cause a hitch or stutter because the system works out which show mode it’s supposed to make use of. Disabling switchable graphics within the laptop computer’s BIOS resolves the difficulty however may even lower real-world battery life. 

Conclusion

The Corsair Voyager a1600 is an imperfect however promising introduction to the laptop computer market. It stands out from the gang with its giant 16-inch, 16:10 show, mechanical keyboard, huge touchpad, and use of AMD {hardware} for each CPU and GPU. The S-Key bar and LED display screen additionally add aptitude, although they’re a bit missing in perform.

Unfortunately, the Voyager a1600 appears like what it’s: a primary try from an organization new to laptops. The choices made for its efficiency profile are odd so, relying on the mode you select, the laptop computer both underperforms the competitors or howls like a rabid animal. The laptop computer falls in need of expectations in show, audio, webcam, and microphone high quality, and the port choice is so-so. 

Corsair’s first laptop computer might attraction to streamers and avid gamers who crave a top quality keyboard and touchpad, or those that admire its giant 16:10 show. For most, nonetheless, sport efficiency is essential, and that’s the place the Voyager a1600 has hassle. It technically can carry out effectively, however solely when the followers scream like a banshee. Alternatives just like the Acer Predator Helios 300 and Lenovo Legion 5i can ship the identical or higher, with much less drama (and at a lower cost).