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Velocity Micro Raptor S77 gaming laptop review: Custom-made for the hardcore
Jason R. Rich
There are plenty of quality gaming machines out there, from brands like Asus ROG, Dell Alienware, Lenovo and Razer. But what if you’re such a hardcore gamer that you want the same level of customization from a gaming laptop as you’d get from a dedicated desktop? You’ll want to check out Velocity Micro’s latest offerings.
The team at Velocity Micro recently sent me a fully loaded Raptor S77 gaming laptop for review. After spending weeks using it to play all sorts of locally installed, cloud-based and multiplayer titles, I’ve got thoughts. If you’ve been dreaming about investing in a high-performance gaming laptop, keep reading to see why the Raptor S77 might be the mobile gaming machine you’re looking for.
Velocity Micro Raptor S77: At a glance
Velocity Micro
Display size: 17-inches | Display type: QHD or UHD | Display resolution: 2,560 x 1,440 or 3,840 x 2,160 pixels | Display refresh rate: 144Hz or 240Hz | Operating system: Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro | CPU: 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX | GPU: Nvidia RTX 4000 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 500GB | Battery capacity: 6 cell 80Wh Polymer battery pack | RGB lighting: Backlit keyboard with numeric keypad | Keyboard: Two layout options | Ports: 1x HDMI, 1x mini DisplayPort, 1 Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, 2x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x Ethernet | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0 | Speakers: Stereo | Dimensions: 15.59 x 10.32 x 0.98 inches | Weight: 6.17 pounds
The Velocity Micro Raptor S77 that was provided to me included a 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, Nvidia GeForce 4070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, a 17.3-inch 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 pixel) resolution display with a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 2TB SSD for storage. The price for this configuration would be just over $3,000.
Every gaming laptop sold is supported by a lifetime upgrade program. During the life of the computer, the user has the option to return a system at anytime for updates; you can pay to have certain components, like the RAM, SSD and Wi-Fi card upgraded. You’re also entitled to have your gaming laptop professionally cleaned and maintained.
A gaming laptop made just for you
What sets this company apart is that you can completely customize your gaming laptop — including its core components, audio and video components, storage, communications capabilities and selection of pre-installed software. The exact laptop you configured online gets custom-made just for you.
Velocity Micro also puts a U.S.-based team of experts at your disposal via live messaging, phone or email. You can get unlimited help with the configuration and setup process and then get tech support moving forward.
Velocity Micro Raptor S77: First impressions
The first thing I noticed was its size and weight. It’s definitely on the hefty side. It measures 15.59 x 10.32 x 0.98 inches and weighs in at 6.17 pounds. But consider: You’re getting a 17.3-inch display, full-size keyboard, and an extra-large touchpad — and this computer accommodates an embedded six cell polymer battery pack (80WH).
Jason R. Rich
The keyboard includes a numeric keypad, supports multiple languages, offers customizable RGB lighting and lets users create macros. The touchpad is seven inches (measured diagonally), so it’s on the large side. I also found it to be extremely responsive, but when gaming, I wound up using an external mouse to play games in the way I prefer.
Jason R. Rich
The larger size of the Raptor S77 also means plenty of space for ports. There’s an HDMI output port, a Mini DisplayPort, a DisplayPort over USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a Thunderbolt 4 port, an ethernet port and two 3.5mm audio jacks. These ports make it easy and convenient to connect whatever accessories you need, but there’s one drawback: The two USB Type-A ports are on the left side, while the USB Type-C ports are on the right side.
Jason R. Rich
I would have liked to see one USB Type-A and one USB Type-C port on each side of the laptop. The power, HDMI and ethernet ports are conveniently located on the back.
Jason R. Rich
Like all gaming laptops, the battery life in this model can be limited, based on the games you’re playing. When you’re using the computer in your own gaming space, you’ll probably wind up keeping it plugged in. For that, you’ll use the included power adapter. The one that comes with the Raptor S77 is also on the large and heavy side, which takes away from the computer’s overall portability, unless you plan to leave the adapter behind.
The main part of the power adapter is shaped like a brick (and is almost the same size). It measures 7 x 3.25 x 1.5 inches. The thicker cable than runs from the AC outlet to the charger block is just over three feet long, while the thinner cable that goes from the charger block to the back of the computer is just under four feet long.
Jason R. Rich
Based on your gaming style, you can likely enjoy at least a few hours of gaming on the go. To use it as the centerpiece of a powerful gaming setup in your usual gaming space, consider an external gaming monitor, mouse, keyboard and gaming headset. Whichever option you choose, you can expect premium performance and ultra-smooth gameplay — even when playing the most graphic-intense and action-oriented games.
Velocity Micro Raptor S77: My gaming experience
I logged into my Xbox Game Pass account and downloaded a handful of games. I also installed “Fortnite: Battle Royal” and a few other titles from different sources. During play, I relied on the laptop’s own keyboard, display and stereo speakers. At times, I added an external mouse and used the Raptor S77 with Bluetooth earbuds and a wireless gaming headset. I also tried a few games using an external controller.
Regardless of what game I was playing or the accessories I used, the Raptor S77 consistently delivered the smooth gaming you’d expect from a high-performance laptop. And while it automatically switched to optimum settings for each game I played, I could easily tinker with those settings whenever I felt like it.
Jason R. Rich
The built in speakers offer high quality audio, although, like most gamers, I found myself using either a gaming headset or wireless earbuds most of the time. My biggest complaint with this gaming laptop is the noise of the cooling fans that run whenever a game is played. The fans can be annoyingly loud.
As you’d expect from a premium gaming laptop, there are cooling vents along both sides and the back of the laptop. So, while it runs at the temperature needed for peak efficiency, expect to hear the almost constant hum of the fans. (For this reason, I recommend noise-cancelling headphones, earbuds or a gaming headset.)
Despite the noise, the Raptor S77 is extremely well made and delivers fast and smooth performance. It also comes ready for VR and Windows mixed-reality tech, and has a built in FHD webcam. And if you take advantage of Velocity Micro’s Lifetime Upgrade Program and included maintenance program, you can keep this laptop up to date as needed.
Is the Velocity Micro Raptor S77 worth it?
I’ve yet to find a “perfect” gaming laptop. But, when it comes to a portable gaming machine, I found the Raptor S77 to be exceptional. Here are 10 things about the Raptor S77 that I love, plus a few things I wasn’t a huge fan of.
10 things I like most about the Raptor S77 gaming laptop
- The 17.3-inch QHD display is gorgeous. And thanks to its 240Hz refresh rate, fast-moving animations are consistently smooth.
- The display offers G-Sync support, 100% DCI-P3, an exceptionally wide viewing angle and a matte finish that’s easy on the eyes.
- Up to five displays can be connected and controlled simultaneously. Thanks to all those ports, you’ll find using the Raptor S77 as a centerpiece for a gaming system to be an absolute pleasure.
- Connecting an external keyboard and mouse is a viable option and allows gamers to stick with their preferences without serious sacrifice.
- Velocity Micro’s Lifetime Upgrade Program and Maintenance Program ensure that your investment in the Raptor S77 will allow for years of future gaming. When the time is right, upgrade the Wi-Fi card to support Wi-Fi 7. These programs alone offer serious value.
- Velocity Micro’s sales and tech support team are U.S.-based and readily accessible. The company’s online support hub is one of the most extensive we’ve encountered, and it includes video tutorials. Lifetime tech support is included.
- All of the components, from the CPU and GPU, to the RAM, SSD and other key components, come from name brands and are expertly installed and thoroughly tested.
- Beyond gaming, the laptop’s 4K display, HDR support, fast refresh rate, Wi-Fi 6E and integrated stereo speakers make it ideal for streaming video, especially high-action special-effects movies. Of course, you can use this model for any school or work tasks too.
- Create programmable macros and assign unique RGB colors to keys to further enhance your gameplay.
- Right out of the box, the computer supports variable rate shading, Microsoft DirectX 12 and Nvidia CUDA technology to provide the most visually compelling gaming experiences possible.
Three things I don’t like about the Raptor S77 gaming laptop
- The laptop itself is portable, but it’s neither small or lightweight. It measures 15.59 x 10.32 x 0.98 inches and it weighs 6.17 pounds, but that’s without the power adapter.
- The power adapter is also bulky and heavy – with a brick-like shape.
- The cooling system and fans are very loud (almost annoyingly so). I used noise cancelling headphones, but people in nearby rooms could easily to hear the fans.
Velocity Micro Raptor S77: Final thoughts…
A custom Velocity Micro Raptor S77 will cost you. But what you’re getting is personalized computer, expertly made just for you, using high-quality and name brand components. You can also to send the laptop back to the factory anytime to upgrade components (for a fee), which virtually guarantees it’ll be future-proof for years. Plus, you get the computer professionally maintained and have access to U.S.-based tech support for the life of the computer. Those are perks most gaming laptop companies just don’t offer.
Regardless of what types of games I played, my experience was fun and hassle-free. While the starting price of the Raptor S77 is around $2,300, plan on spending around $3,000 to get the gaming laptop of your dreams.
For all of your consumer tech needs, be sure to check out our extensive and continuously updated tech coverage, including an ever-expanding lineup of product reviews and buying guides from our in-house tech experts.
WESTON – A small group of loyal customers gathered in Weston Saturday morning to thank a pharmacist who is relocating as Walgreens closes the location where he served the community for almost three decades.
The celebration was led by an 11-year-old boy who shocked the pharmacist by presenting him with thousands of dollars that he raised as a thank you gift.
Weston Walgreens closing
In the midst of corporate cutbacks at Walgreens, the location on Boston Post Road is closing permanently. So a small group came out to thank the pharmacist at the store.
“It’s humbling. I can’t believe it. It’s amazing,” said veteran pharmacist Bob Hesselberg, who has worked at the store for nearly 30 years. “I don’t want to retire, even though I am 75. I don’t want to retire. I’m not ready for it.”
Hesselberg is moving on to a store in Waltham. The sendoff was led by 11-year-old Aarav Khanna, whose school bus routinely drops him off right across from the Walgreens location.
“I’ve seen the amount of kindness and hard work he puts into his job,” Khanna said.
CBS Boston
Money raised for pharmacist
Khanna got the idea to raise money for Hesselberg as a going away present. And the total grew quickly. Thanks to the community, Kanna was able to present Hesselberg with a check for $6,000 on Saturday, leaving the pharmacist in shock.
During the Saturday celebration, a young girl gave a handmade card to Hesselberg, who people in the community call “Pharmacist Bob.”
“You walk in, he not only greets you by name, but he wants to know how your family is, and how is that medication you had last time, and how are you doing? And he means it,” customer Carol Ott said.
The Weston Walgreens closes in the middle of November. Hesselberg hopes some customers will follow him to Waltham, but he worries about some of the older residents driving that distance, especially since the chain won’t be doing home delivery anymore.
“I’m gonna miss everybody. And I’m very grateful for all of this. And thank you so much,” Hesselberg told the crowd.
CBS News
Harris tells Philadelphia church election will “decide the fate of our nation for generations to come”
Vice President Kamala Harris is back in Philadelphia Sunday as the countdown to election day nears one week.
Harris, who spent several days in the Delaware Valley over the past week, spoke at the Church of Christian Compassion in Philadelphia on Sunday morning and will hold a campaign rally in the city later in the night.
“In just nine days we have the power to decide the fate of our nation for generations to come,” she told the congregation.
Several minutes into her speech, some shouting broke out in the crowd. Harris paused during the disruption. “That’s why we fight for our democracy. Every voice is important,” she said while the outburst was quieted.
Harris went on to encourage the Philadelphia church to lean on faith in the days leading up to the election, and urged worshippers to use their feet to get to the polls.
“Here in Pennsylvania, right now each of us has an opportunity to make a difference. Because in this moment we do face a real question. What kind of country to we we want to live in,” she said. “The great thing about living in a democracy is we the people have the choice to answer that question. So let us answer not just with our words, but with our works.”
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, Harris visited the Famous 4th Street Deli in Philadelphia’s Queen Village neighborhood before attending a town hall in Delaware County. Earlier in the week, the vice president sat down with former Congresswoman Liz Cheney in Chester County in the first of three moderated conversations in battleground states.
During that conversation, Harris appealed to Republican voters who are on the fence about voting for former President Donald Trump, and claimed he used the presidency as a way to “demean and to divide” Americans.
“I think people are exhausted with that, rightly,” Harris said. “And it does not lead to the strength of our nation to tell American people that we must be suspicious of one another, distrust one another.”
On Monday, Harris will harness the star power of some of her biggest supporters during a benefit concert at Temple University’s Liacouras Center, according to multiple sources.
Twenty-time Grammy winner Bruce Springsteen will headline a concert and a rally with former President Barack Obama as part of the Harris campaign’s effort to mobilize voters in the final weeks of the 2024 presidential election.
Speaking to CBS News Philadelphia’s Joe Holden, Harris said she’s “honored” to have Obama’s support on the campaign trail. “And people like Bruce Springsteen, to have their support, and of course he is an American icon, I think it just shows the breadth and depth of the support that we have,” Harris said.
When asked if any other big name supporters are planning to turn out for the event Monday, Harris said with a laugh, “I have nothing to report at this moment. Stay tuned, however.”
Earlier this month, Springsteen endorsed Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The Indiana Fever fired coach Christie Sides on Sunday, the organization announced.
Sides went 33-47 in her two seasons with the squad, including going 20-20 this season. The Fever made the playoffs as the sixth seed and were swept in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.
Indiana is the sixth team to make a coaching change this offseason, joining Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington and Los Angeles. All of the coaches let go had three years or less experience.
Jessica Hill / AP
Whoever takes over the Fever will have a strong young core to work with, led by Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. The pair have won the last two WNBA Rookie of the Year awards.
“We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth,” Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said.
“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.”
Krauskopf came back to the Fever earlier this month after spending time with the Indiana Pacers.
Ashley Landis / AP
Sides was a longtime assistant in the league, spending time with Chicago (2011-16), the Fever (2017-19) and Atlanta (2022) before getting the head coaching job. She replaced Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox, who coached in the 2022 season.
Sides had two years left on her contract.
The Fever haven’t had a head coach last for more than three years since Lin Dunn, who coached from 2008-14. Since then, they’ve had Stephanie White (2015-16), Pokey Chatman (2017-19) and Stanley (2020-22).
Indiana had a brutal schedule to start the season and lost eight of their first nine games. The Fever finally got going after the Olympic break, winning seven of eight to get into playoff contention.
11-year-old stuns pharmacist at shuttering Massachusetts Walgreens with $6,000 gift
Harris tells Philadelphia church election will “decide the fate of our nation for generations to come”
Indiana Fever fire coach Christie Sides after Caitlin Clark’s breakout season
11-year-old stuns pharmacist at shuttering Massachusetts Walgreens with $6,000 gift
Harris tells Philadelphia church election will “decide the fate of our nation for generations to come”