Medion Erazer X6813 (MD97762) review

While devices like the iPad 2 and Windows tablets such as the Samsung Series 7 Slate 700t allow you to game on the go, they’re not machines made for ‘proper’ gaming and don’t have the power to run the latest titles in all their glory. If this is something you’re after or you just want to be able to move your gaming rig about easily, a gaming laptop is the best solution. We’ve seen some laptop bargains from Medion in the past, but this is the first time we’ll be looking at one of its gaming laptops: the Erazer X6813.

On paper, this beast has it all. The MD97762 version of the X6813 crams a Full HD resolution into its 15.6in screen, while its brushed-metal-effect chassis packs a quad-core Sandy Bridge Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, a fast 750GB hard drive, Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M graphics and a Blu-ray drive. And that’s in addition to niceties like an integrated subwoofer, nine-cell battery, analogue surround sound jacks, USB 3.0, Bluetooth 3.0 and eSATA.

Overall a pretty impressive specs and features list then, but it’s not nearly as impressive as the £900 price Medion will sell it to you for. Considering similar configurations from other brands will easily set you back £1,200 or more, it would appear to be a bit of a bargain. So will this Erazer be the best portable gaming deal since the MSI GT680, or have a few too many corners been cut?

Design certainly doesn’t betray budget roots. Inevitably chunky, as all powerful gaming laptops are, the Erazer X6813 has some attractive angles and a matt, brushed metal-look plastic lid subtly emblazoned with the chromed Medion and Erazer logos. This finish not only prevents unsightly fingerprints, but is also a little more rugged than the glossy finishes found on many rivals (including the MSI). 

The angled lines of its chassis remain consistent throughout the Erazer’s design, extending to a media bar above the keyboard and the touchpad’s buttons. The brushed plastic finish continues on the inside, with glossy strips demarking the screen and keyboard. Bling is kept to a minimum, with only some blue floodlights shining onto your desk from the laptop’s front edge - and if you’re not too fond of these, they can be turned off at the touch of a dedicated button. 

Build quality is also very good, and though not quite on a level with more expensive rivals like the Dell Alienware M14x or Asus ROG G73Jh, this still puts the Erazer miles above some of the cheap chassis we’ve seen from the likes of Clevo in the past.