Product Listing

Aftershock APEX-15 review: Performance you can afford

By Koh Wanzi - 26 Jul 2018
Launch SRP: S$2576

Introduction

 

The APEX-15 comes with a mechanical keyboard and a 144Hz display. (Image Source: Aftershock)

Checking the right boxes

Gaming laptops have seldom looked more attractive than they are now. The advent of slim and light Max-Q designs with ultra-thin bezels means that now more than ever, you can enjoy a tantalizing combination of both performance and portability. Many of these laptops are also paired with 144Hz displays, so you can expect a really smooth gaming experience with up to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU in a slim package.

Unfortunately, many of these laptops will cost you well over S$3,000, so you’re paying a hefty premium for what they offer.

That’s something local startup Aftershock is trying to do differently with the APEX-15. The company has typically been known for its value-for-money approach, so this isn’t surprising.

The APEX-15 is Aftershock’s latest ultra-portable, and it combines a svelte, portable design with goodies like a 144Hz display and a mechanical keyboard. The latter is probably the highlight of the laptop, as it’s pretty rare to see a mechanical keyboard on such a thin chassis and at this price point.

Here’s an overview of the laptop’s specifications:

  • Intel Core i7-8750H processor (2.2GHz, 9MB L3 cache)
  • 16GB single-channel DDR4-2666
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
  • 256GB PCIe SSD
  • 46.74Wh battery
  • 359 x 240 x 19.9mm
  • 1.95kg

The above will cost you just S$2,576, which is a fairly attractive price, all things considered. To put things in perspective, the Razer Blade with a 144Hz display and GeForce GTX 1060 6GB Max-Q costs S$3,299. It does come with a larger 512GB PCIe SSD, but that still doesn’t fully account for the over S$700 price difference between the two. What’s more, the Razer Blade doesn’t even come with a mechanical keyboard.

But are there trade-offs for the price of the APEX-15? Read on to find out.

Join HWZ's Telegram channel here and catch all the latest tech news!
8.0
  • Design 7.5
  • Features 8.5
  • Performance 7.5
  • Value 9
  • Mobility 7
The Good
Good value for money
Mechanical keyboard with optical switches
144Hz IPS-type display
Slim, light, and compact design
The Bad
Lackluster audio quality
Poor battery life
No Windows Precision Touchpad
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.