In case you missed it, Acer announced the Nitro Blaze 7 Last week at IFA in Berlin it was introduced as a new addition to the gaming laptop market. It follows in the footsteps of other Windows 11 laptops such as the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Gocloser to the former if we look at them all on a spectrum. We took a deep dive into the spec list as soon as it was revealed and were generally pleased with what we saw.
A fast 144Hz refresh rate edges out the ROG Ally, and Ryzen AI support on the AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS chip is a nice touch, though we can’t exactly say we asked for it. Plus, its VRR support via FreeSync Premium is a must if it wants to compete. However, a 50Wh battery means it falls well behind the recently refreshed ROG Ally X. We think battery life is something that desperately needs improvement judging by the performance. Reaction to the original ROG Ally.
Acer's Nitro Blaze 7 could be held back by its 50Wh battery
As the name suggests, a 50Wh (or 50Whr) battery is designed to provide up to 50 hours of power when operating at 1W. For comparison, the Steam cover It can run on anything between 3 and 15 watts, at the user's discretion, and is likely to be more efficient thanks to a combination of weaker hardware and a custom, lightweight operating system. We don't yet know what the Blaze's final power settings will look like, but we expect it to struggle with lower-than-expected battery life based on the advertised specs.
Comparing Blaze 7 vs Steam Deck Our analysis reveals that both devices opt for similar batteries (the LCD Steam Deck’s 40W, the OLED’s 50W), with the latter rated for between 3 and 12 hours of gaming time. Still, the Blaze’s laptop-grade CPU and Windows 11 OS could pose a liability if you’re looking for extended playtime, especially compared to the Deck’s lighter specs. Being able to adjust your device’s TDP to find the right balance between performance and battery life is important, but you can only go so far if both your hardware and software are demanding.
If we look back at last year's ROG Ally, which only had a 40Wh battery, its durability as a “real” wearable was criticized. ROG Ally X and its 80Wh battery It was highly praised as soon as it was rumored, needless to say it was confirmed. From there, launching a new handheld that is less portable than the competition (in terms of battery life) seems like a risky commitment and one that could hurt Acer.
Online user reaction paints a similar picture
In reaction to the announcement of the wearable, online users were quick to comment on the 50Wh battery. user on Reddit He says, “Why do companies try to make these portable devices perform so well but put a 50Wh battery in them? It doesn’t make sense to me.” It’s a valid argument, you’d say. They also said the device would “fail,” especially given the stiff competition it faces now that the Steam Deck has paved the way for so many alternatives on the market.
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