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Voyager a1600 in the test: Corsair's 1st notebook is based entirely on AMD

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With the Voyager a1600, Corsair is venturing into another market segment that is predicted to have a bright future. The debut work cleverly sets itself apart from the crowd, not only because it meets all the requirements for the AMD Advantage certificate. The test, including benchmarks, clarifies what else it has to offer.

Table of contents

  1. 1 The Corsair Voyager a1600 in detail
    1. Not just another notebook
    2. Model variants and prices
  2. Ryzen 9 6900HS + Radeon RX 6800M
    1. Key data, profiles & Performance
  3. It's still stuck with AMD Smart Access Graphics
  4. Test results and benchmarks
    1. Benchmarks in applications
    2. Benchmarks in games
  5. 16-inch WQHD display with 240 Hertz in 16: 10
  6. Keyboard with Cherry MX ULP and huge trackpad
  7. With stream deck shortcuts for streamers
  8. Ports and webcam
  9. Drives: A cooled NVMe SSD ex works
  10. Volume: from quiet to very loud
  11. Battery life
  12. Warranty, maintenance and upgrade
  13. Conclusion< /li>

The Corsair Voyager a1600 in detail

Long gone are the days when Corsair was only a supplier of OC-RAM modules. Today, the manufacturer is a “full-range supplier” in the PC sector: peripherals, cases, power supplies, SSDs, PC systems and, most recently, even monitors – the only thing missing from the portfolio was actually a notebook. And now there is that too. That is understandable, as this market segment is still predicted to continue to grow, while the desktop PC has recently fallen sharply again after a Corona high.

Corsair's first notebook: The Voyager a1600 with Ryzen 6000 Mobile and Radeon RX 6800M

Not just another notebook

Corsair has obviously done a lot to ensure that the Voyager a1600 doesn't simply become “another notebook on the market”. These include:

Not off the shelf ” Standard” is also the user interface in the BIOS, which does not offer the buyer any OC or timing features, but presents the available functions in a modern and clear way.

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The BIOS of the Corsair Voyager a1600

Corsair markets the system as a “gaming and streaming laptop.” What this ultimately means for the customer will be clarified in the test below.

Model variants and prices

In any case, Corsair makes it easy for customers to start by selecting their preferred variant, because there are only two that differ in terms of CPU, RAM and SSD. Specifically, the Voyager a1600 relies on a mobile Ryzen CPU from the Rembrandt series, Ryzen 7 6800HS or Ryzen 9 6900HS, and a mobile Radeon RX 6800M (test).

Depending on the configuration chosen, Corsair delivers the notebook with two 16 or two 32 GB DDR5 in SO-DIMM format – the memory is therefore not soldered. The same applies to the 1 or 2 TB SSD ex works. When it comes to storage, Corsair guarantees a product from its own portfolio (Vengeance), but not for the SSD – depending on availability, products from manufacturers such as Samsung could also be used here, as with the Corsair One i300 tower PC.

Most interested parties will certainly not find it easy to get hold of, because the variants cost 3,299.99 and 3,699.99 euros respectively.

Configurations in the Overview Corsair Voyager a1600 model number CN-9000003-XX CN-9000004-XXCPU AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS GPU AMD Radeon RX 6800M (max. 120 W) MUX switch yes Display 16 inch, 2,560 × 1,600 (16:10), 240 Hz RAM 2 × 16 GB DDR5 (2 × SO- DIMM) 2 × 32 GB DDR5 (2 × SO-DIMM) SSD 1 TB NVMe M.2 SSD (PCIe 4.0) 2 TB NVMe M.2 SSD (PCIe 4.0) Connections 2 × USB 4.0 Type C incl. Thunderbolt 3 ,
1 × USB 3.2 Gen2 Type C,
1 × USB 3.1 Gen1 Type A,
SD card reader (SDXC 7.0),
1 × headphone/microphone output,
Power connection (barrel plug) Wireless network Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.2 Dimensions (W × D × H) 356 × 287 × 19.9 mm Weight 2.4 kg Battery 99 Wh, 6,410 mAh Operating system Windows 11 Home (in DACH no Pro for a surcharge ) Price 3,299.99 euros 3,699.99 euros bold = test pattern

The editors were able to test the larger of the two variants in advance under the NDA Disposal. After switching on, the notebook welcomes the user with a tour of the Voyager Hub, which bundles the services installed by Corsair/Elgato and their options from iCUE to Stream Deck and the Camera Hub to AMD Adrenalin.

Ryzen 9 6900HS + Radeon RX 6800M

How fast the CPU and dGPU are in the Corsair Voyager a1600 , depends on the selected profile and power supply.

Key data, profiles & Performance

Corsair has defined three profiles in the BIOS (controllable via iCUE):

Each profile gives a separate maximum consumption for CPU and dGPU as well as a combined maximum consumption before. This in turn depends on whether the notebook is powered by the 230-watt hollow plug power supply unit, a 100-watt USB-C charger or the battery. Corsair itself gave the editors the following limit values ​​depending on profile and power supply.

CPU and GPU power consumption per profile and power supply (Image: Corsair)

In the editor's test, however, the maximum specifications for the Ryzen 9 6900HS could not be reproduced. The 54 (Extreme, Balanced) and 45 watts (Quiet) mentioned by Corsair were all exceeded under constant CPU load in the Blender benchmark. Even the Quiet profile allows the CPU to operate at 50 watts far from the standard TDP in the HS series (35 watts). Interestingly, the 70 watts in the Extreme profile are on the same level as the Ryzen 9 6900HS in the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (test).

Charts

Power consumption Blender 020406080100Watt (W) 150100150200250300350400450500seconds

CPU Clock Speed ​​Blender 01.0002.0003.0004.0005.000MHz 150100150200250300350400450500seconds CPU – Extreme

  • CPU – Balanced
  • CPU – Quiet

    • CPU Temperature Blender 020406080100°C 150100150200250300350400450500seconds

    In the 3DMark Time Spy, which demands the CPU, but especially the GPU, the combined maximum values ​​mentioned by Corsair can be understood well: In the Extreme profile, the GPU fully exhausts the permitted limit of a maximum of 120 watts, the CPU allows itself the rest, which stays up to the common cap of 147 watts. In the Balanced profile, the 130 watts specified by Corsair are achieved, in the Quiet profile the 90 watts in total.

    3DMark Time Spy – Power consumption 04080120160200Watt (W) 1102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200seconds

    However, this was not always the case in games. The Witcher 3 (Full HD, high) presented values ​​similar to those of 3DMark, but in Cyberpunk 2077 (FHD, medium) only the extreme profile achieved the combined almost 150 watts, the other profiles missed the target, sometimes significantly, and that on a fluctuating background Level – sometimes the CP 2077 was playable in “Quiet” at 30 FPS, sometimes it stuttered at just over 10 FPS.

    Power consumption

    CP 2077 – Power consumption 04080120160200Watt (W) 151015202530354045505560seconds

    The Witcher 3 – Power Consumption 04080120160200Watt (W) 151015202530354045505560seconds

    The suspicion was that it was due to the profiles, and when asked, Corsair also said that AMD's SmartShift Max (i.e. the automatic distribution of power loss to the CPU and GPU in real time in network operation) is not yet compatible with all games.

    Currently, the profiles can only be used sensibly in CPU loads, the performance difference was subsequently reproduced in Blender as an example. In GPU loads, it again depends on whether the Balanced and Quiet profiles get the defined maximum. In 3DMark, where it succeeds, the performance loss is already clear, but considering the positive effects on the volume, it's tolerable. In CP 2077, where there was a problem, this is absolutely not the case.

    Performance according to profiles

    With AMD Smart Access Graphics it is still stuck

    AMD Smart Access Graphics didn't want to do what it was supposed to do on the test sample either. Like Nvidia Advanced Optimus, AMD Smart Access Graphics should in theory automatically connect the internal display to the active GPU (dGPU or iGPU) without manual intervention by the user and without rebooting. However, this does not work in the test, neither with the driver 22.7.1. nor with the driver 21.40.42.02 explicitly mentioned by AMD and Corsair for testing. Instead of redirecting the display from the iGPU to the dGPU when starting a 3D application, there was only a cryptic error message with a wrong reference to DirectX 9.

    AMD Smart Access Graphics didn't want to in the test yet

    Sending the signal of the dGPU via the iGPU and thus its frame buffer costs performance, as the article gaming notebook says -Benchmarks: Much more FPS in games by MUX switch click recently discussed.

    For this reason, the following gaming benchmarks were also carried out with dGPU mode activated in the BIOS. Corsair's tool iCUE offers the profile selection, but cannot (yet) address the MUX switch.

    Test results and benchmarks

    Benchmarks in applications

    The following application benchmarks were only carried out in the “Extreme” profile. With this 70-watt TDP profile, the notebook achieves the performance that the same CPU in the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 also achieved with a permanent 70 watts.

    Charts

    118 entries Edit Multi-core rating for applications Inflow chartsAll None

    Unit: percent 122 entries Edit Application Single Core Rating Inflow charts All None

    Unit: percent 128 entries 7-Zip

    Unit: MIPS 126 entries Agisoft PhotoScan Pro

    Unit: seconds 127 entries Blender Benchmark

    Unit: minutes, seconds 126 entries Cinebench R15 – Multi-Core

    Unit: points 126 items Cinebench R15 – Single Core

    Unit: Points 127 entries Cinebench R20 – Multi-Core

    Unit: Points 127 entries Cinebench R20 – Single-Core

    unit: points 126 entries Corona 1.3 benchmark

    Unit: minutes, seconds 126 entries DigiCortex Simulation

    Unit: milliseconds 126 entries HandBrake

    Unit: minutes, seconds 126 entries POV-Ray – Multi

    Unit: Points 126 entries POV-Ray – Single

    Unit: Points

    Benchmarks in games

    The test course recently created in the article Radeon 680M vs. Iris Xe in the test: Mobile iGPUs from AMD and Intel in a gaming duel was used for the gaming benchmarks. Because the Radeon RX 6800M with a maximum of 120 watts is significantly faster than the currently fastest iGPU, the Radeon 680M, the course was expanded to include Full HD runs in higher detail levels and WQHD benchmarks.

    In addition to the Asus ROG Zephyrus G15 with Radeon RX 6800S, the Asus ROG Strix G15 with Ryzen 9 5900HX and Radeon RX 6800M with 150 watts was also included in the comparison.

    Performance Rating Games

    Edit performance rating games – FHD high details Inflow charts All None

    Unit: Percent Edit Performance Rating Games – FHD low details Inflow charts All None

    Unit: Percent Edit Performance Rating Games – WQHD High Details Input Charts All None

    Unit: percent

    The Corsair Voyager a1600 turns out to be 10 to 20 percent faster than the Asus G14 in the gaming course. In FHD with low details, where the CPU has a big influence, it is 10 percent, with high details and in WQHD it is around 20 percent. There are also scenarios that go beyond that – mostly when RT is involved, the 6800S runs out of steam.

    Synthetic benchmarks

    Synthetic Benchmarks – 3DMark TimeSpy (DX12)

    Unit: Points Synthetic Benchmarks – 3DMark Port Royal

    Unit: frames per second (FPS) Synthetic Benchmarks – Unigine Superposition

    Unit: frames per second (FPS)

    The comparison with the G15 is also interesting, whose Radeon RX 6800M can consume more watts, but only relies on a Ryzen 9 5900HX: If the GPU does not only play a role in the respective benchmark, the Corsair Voyager a1600 is sometimes even ahead.< /p> Full HD benchmarks

    Full HD Benchmarks – Anno 1800

    Unit: frames per second (FPS) Full HD benchmarks – Cyberpunk 2077

    Unit: frames per second (FPS) Full HD benchmarks – Doom Eternal

    Unit: Frames Per Second (FPS) Full HD Benchmarks – Dota 2

  • FHD, Min Preset, DX11:
    • Radeon RX 6500 XT
      i5-10600K190.8
    • GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 70 Watt
      i5-10600K186.7
    • 6800M, 5900HX, 150W (GPU)
      Asus ROG Strix G15177,9
    • 6800M, 6900HS, 100W (GPU)
      Corsair Voyager a1600175,8
    • 6800S, 6900HS, 80 W (GPU)
      Asus ROG Zephyrus G14172,3
    • Iris Xe, i7-1280P, 36W
      Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i129,7
    • Radeon 680M, 6900HS Max W
      Asus ROG Zephyrus G14128,5
    • Radeon 680M, 6900HS 45 W
      Asus ROG Zephyrus G14125,7
    • Iris Xe, i7-1260P, 28W
      Dell XPS 13 Plus117.1
    • Radeon 680M, 6900HS 25W
      Asus ROG Zephyrus G14109.1< /li>
    • Radeon 680M, 6800U 25W
      Asus Zenbook 13S103,3
    • Vega8, 5900HX, 65W
      Asus ROG Strix G1595 ,7
    • Radeon 680M, 6800U 10W
      Asus Zenbook 13S83,9
    • Iris Xe, i7-1255U, 28 W
      Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G477,4
    • Radeon 680M, 6900HS 15W
      Asus ROG Zephyrus G1439.0

    • Unit: frames per second (FPS) Full HD benchmarks – The Witcher 3

    Unit: frames per second (FPS)

    By the way, if you want to play completely detached from the power outlet, you can also permanently force the notebook to only use the iGPU Radeon 680M via AMD SmartShift Eco. The performance that can then be achieved is also shown in the diagrams.

    WQHD benchmarks

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