Announcing the New Maingear Vector Pro 17 (MG-VCP17)

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JS_MC
JS_MC admin
1000 Comments 250 Likes Third Anniversary 25 Answers
edited August 2021 in Reviews & Buying Guides
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Main Features

  • RTX 3080 Laptop GPU
  • 165Hz QHD Display - 2560x1440 Resolution
  • 4 Zone RGB Keyboard
  • Webcam with IR for Windows Hello
  • WiFi 6 - 802.11ax
  • 6-Cell Battery (7900 mAh - 91.24Wh)

Ports

  • 1 x USB 3.2 (Gen 3) Type C
  • 2 x USB 3.2 (Gen 3) Type A
  • 1 x HDMI 2.1
  • Mic Jack
  • Headphone Jack
  • RJ45 Ethernet
  • Micro SD card
  • Kensington Lock
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Brand new from Maingear, The Vector Pro 17 is their latest in high-end gaming laptops, but to call it just a gaming laptop does it a disservice. The Vector Pro is a stunning piece of hardware, one that could easily fill just about any need. To be able to pack this much power into something as thin and light as the Vector Pro is just astounding and an easy recommendation for someone who is looking for a laptop that can do it all. 


Internals

This 17-inch Vector Pro comes with some impressive hardware. It features an Intel 11800H processor and an RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. This, paired with the 32GB of RAM, 1TB M.2 NVMe drive, and the latest wireless connections like Bluetooth and WiFi 6, make it an outstanding choice for your next gaming laptop, desktop replacement, or even portable workstation. 

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If you’re not gaming, the Vector Pro delivers several hours of use browsing the web or working on office-type documents while on the go without needing to charge. However, if you are planning to game on the go, you should be aware that the 11800H and RTX 3080 Laptop GPU are quite powerful components that will drain the battery extremely fast, and that’s with power throttling enabled to get the very most from its massive battery. This is very standard for gaming laptops, as the battery does not have near the capacity to handle the immense power required by these parts. It will do its best, but you should expect somewhere around 60-90 minutes if both the CPU and GPU are being heavily utilized. For the best gaming experience, you’ll definitely want to be plugged in. 

I’ve had the opportunity to use the Vector Pro for a bit now, and I’ve really been impressed by its performance. I’ve played games like GTA V, Rainbow Six: Siege, Call of Duty: Warzone, Apex Legends, and Borderlands 3, and it’s handled all of them with ease. I also worked on a couple of projects with Photoshop, and the Vector Pro moved just as cleanly. 

Here are some in-game benchmarks that show the performance you can expect!


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_3MysxbhJJG_QPBlPuC3TPHM4lSe3oSO0lv7IsYoBwint78ajHae9rWWE9VDMVK_FoGiWqsrahXETBLf8M84XRJHsp8yyAGBG2iNRnNf_Hw7sen-t0k6CTx47iC2AmEPZuPmSdq_
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17.3-inch QHD display

If you have a high-tier RTX 3080 laptop GPU, you’re going to want an equally high-tier display, and the Vector Pro’s 17.3” QHD 165hz refresh rate display is just that. 

Maingear made an excellent choice here as this is one of, if not the best laptop displays that I have ever used. The 1440p resolution offers the perfect balance of clarity and performance, especially for a 17-inch laptop. The 165hz refresh rate enables buttery smooth motion in everything from web browsing to intense gaming. The pixel density offered here is excellent and provides rich visual reproduction with bright whites and deep blacks. 

The adjustable brightness of the display is great, allowing for easy viewing in direct sunlight (aided by a matte screen finish to reduce reflections and glare), as well as a very low brightness setting, allowing for comfortable viewing late at night with no eye strain.

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Full-Size Keyboard 

The keyboard offers an above-average laptop typing experience. There is very little deck flex, as the whole chassis is relatively rigid. Key presses feel neither soft and spongy nor sharp, sitting somewhere in the middle, creating a comfortable long-term typing and gaming experience. However, function keys are a bit of a sticking point. Using them requires you to press the Fn key before F1-F12; otherwise, they’ll be read as utility keypresses. I’ve pushed the sleep button multiple times when trying to hit the Esc key. This is a relatively minor gripe but worth mentioning.

The Vector Pro 17’s keyboard has 4-Zone RGB, allowing you to change the colors in quadrants using the installed Node Control Center. And if keyboard glow isn’t stylish enough, there is a small light bar toward the bottom front of the laptop, allowing for some fun personalization - Make it subtle or make it vibrant; the choice is yours.


Webcam

One of the more notable differences between the Vector Pro and other Maingear laptops is the webcam placement - The Vector Pro moves its 720p, 30fps webcam to the top bezel of the screen. This is the much-preferred location for webcams, as it allows for a higher viewing angle that is typically more flattering and delivers a generally better experience. In addition, the better placement very much helps with Windows Hello compatibility, allowing you to log in to the Vector Pro just by looking at it.


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Sound

The Vector Pro utilizes Creative’s Sound Blaster 6+ Cinema paired with two downward-facing speakers, and they deliver with gusto. Stereo sounds are noticeably differentiated between the left and right sides, and there was no distortion, even at max volume. Of course, with all downward-facing speakers, the surface that the Vector is resting on does change the audio a bit, but it is never at the cost of quality. 

If you do want to tinker with and personalize the Vector Pro’s sound, it comes equipped with Sound Blaster 6+, offering both easy tuning as well as in-depth and precise modulation to fine-tune your listening experience.



Final Thoughts:

  • Excellent specs, amazing display, great keyboard, the right webcam, and fantastic port options.
  • Stellar desktop replacement, powerhouse workstation, and top-of-the-line gaming laptop
  • Feels lighter than some 15” gaming laptops

Verdict:

Maingear has outdone themselves with the Vector Pro, making one of the best laptops we’ve ever used, hands down. From gaming to work, this is the closest to perfect 17-inch laptop I’ve ever seen or used. If you’re looking for your new powerhouse laptop, then look no further. This is it.


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