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| Image: © Future |
One of the best gaming laptops currently available, the Razer Blade 15 has long ruled the high-end market.With some truly eye-watering specs packed into a slim, luxury chassis and a solid display on top, the 2022 refresh maintains its position.Of course, the top-of-the-line RTX 3080 Ti configuration that we were able to get our hands on will cost more than most others on the market at $3,999; however, if you want to achieve 4K60 or higher and have the financial means to do so, you need look no further.
They're definitely not cheap, but there are plenty of options for those looking in the premium range, with costs starting at $2,499.99 for an RTX 3060 / i7-12800H model. However, in order to put this most recent iteration to the test, we used the 4K 144Hz i9-12900H configuration for three weeks. Our opinion is that this is the best Razer laptop available for anyone with disposable income.
Design
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| Image: © Future |
Luxury matte black chassis
Build first-class feels durable and sturdy
New air flow machine
Much remains unchanged from that classic Razer Blade design here, you are nonetheless getting a solid, matte black aesthetic with the robust energy of an aluminum chassis. Everything feels locked and loaded, even though there's nonetheless some significant flex within the show, and the hinge does have a considerable wobble to it. Still, that hinge is terrific sturdy and may be lifted with only a finger without moving the location of the lower 1/2 at all.
This time around, Razer has increased ventilation by adding more vents to the bottom of the chassis. Additionally, the keys are larger and have less space between them.When you take a closer look at that keyboard, you'll also notice that the power button has been moved to the main deck.This is becoming increasingly common in slimmer designs, and since I'm accustomed to similar layouts elsewhere, it didn't bother me.This meant that using the delete and backspace keys didn't require a lot of muscle memory, but if you're new to the design, keep this in mind.
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The Razer Blade 15 pursues a far more understated look, eschewing the fancy lights and extra gimmicks of competing devices in traditional way. The understated black style conceals an exceptionally powerful computer, and this elegant architecture has a quiet power thanks to its sturdy construction, additional cooling care, and 2kg weight.
Features
There are premium components available.
The advantage of a 4K 144Hz screen versus the competition
Using a proprietary charging wire is annoying.
The latest Ti versions of Nvidia's RTX 30-Series graphics cards are the emphasis of the new Razer Blade line, which also includes Alder Lake processors from Intel's 12th generation. That implies that this vehicle is equipped with some substantial next-generation power.
Only the MSI GE66 Raider and GS66 Stealth, Alienware X15 R2 and X17 R2, Asus ROG Zephyrus M16, and Gigabyte Aero sixteen can % that pinnacle-end card into their chassis' at the time of writing, and all for the same price factor (although many without that 144Hz 4K show to boast about). If you're seeking out this luxury performance, then, the Razer Blade 15's capabilities sense right for its price bracket.
After all, the services go well beyond the ones bleeding side additives, though a few paintings tougher than others to experience premium. You're getting upward firing speakers straddling the keyboard here, and boy do they hearth. I was particularly inspired with the sheer extent to be had right here, with room-filling sound and a notably special soundscape on offer. Of route, they are competing with the fan noise in case you're cranking this element up to eleven, but there's some exceptional detailing in here.
SPECS
Processor: Intel Core i9-12900H
GPU: RTX 3080 Ti
Memory: 32GB DDR5 4800MHz RAM
Display: 15.6-inch, 144Hz
Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)
Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
Ports: 3x USB-A Gen 2 ports, 1x USB-C / Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack, SD card slot, HDMI
Connectivity: Killer Wireless 6E AX1690, Bluetooth 5.2
OS: Windows 11 Home 64-bit
Weight: 4.4lbs (2.01kg)
Additionally, that 144Hz 4K screen is truly a sight to behold.In Borderlands 2, colors leap out of this panel, and in Metro Exodus, everything from fiery hellscapes to autumnal landscapes offered particularly strong clarity and detail.Despite the fact that the matte cover slightly reduces the brightness, I was still able to appreciate even the darkest set pieces in natural light.
The Razer Blade 15 comes equipped with a lock, three USB-A Gen 2 ports, one USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 port, a 3.5mm audio jack, an SD card slot, HDMI, and USB-C. All of these ports are balanced on each side of the frame.The box also contains a 230W power brick, and I estimated that it would take anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours to fully charge.
However, the Razer Blade 15's feature set falls slightly short here.A nightmare are proprietary charging cables, and this laptop has the beast that rules them all.The charger for the Blade 15 is a bulky two-pin device with an oddly heavy cable attached.You won't be able to juice this while you're on the go, and you also won't be able to steal someone else's USB-C cable for a quick power up.
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| Image: © Future |
That keyboard brings up yet another little complaint. It has a wonderful appearance and, obviously, bold Chroma RGB. Even for a laptop, there isn't much travel distance, and this lack of tactile delight made prolonged holds feel a little weak. Due to the shorter actuation, I was able to move over this deck quite rapidly, but it didn't feel as tight or precise as the Alienware x14.
Performance
Excellent overall performance in Balanced mode preset
Boosting CPU and GPU offers 4K 60fps in lighter video games
Still struggles to pinnacle 50fps in 4K on more disturbing titles
You're purchasing an RTX 3080 Ti device here, so that you can bet that overall performance goes to be sturdy. With all that cooling engineering underneath the hood, this thing certainly flies. Cranking the whole lot up inside the Razer Synapse software program (pushing both the CPU and GPU to their limits), I turned into reliably hitting 4K60 in titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and simply nudging that threshold in medium settings with a few particle outcomes and textures dropped on heavier games like Metro Exodus as nicely. Nudging those settings up full whack on these greater disturbing studies, but, we were still a bit far from the dream.
On Ultra mode at 4K resolution, Red Dead Redemption 2 achieved a frame rate of 27 fps, while Metro Exodus came in at 26 fps.Lighter games were a sight to behold here, but Doom Eternal and Halo Infinite could be played at a solid speed with a little tweaking.
When you turn those dials up, the fans can certainly make a fuss, but I've heard machines that are much louder doing much less work.But even if you don't want to use one of the best gaming headsets to drown out those whirrs, the balanced preset still gave me good numbers.Ultra on Total War: 1080p at 79 frames per secondRed Dead Redemption 2 was still running at 67 frames per second in 1440p, which is not to be taken lightly.
BENCHMARKS (BALANCED PRESET)
Fire Strike: 20,171
Time Spy: 9,690
PC Mark 10: 7,340
Cinebench (Multi): 9,870
Crystal Disk Mark: 6,672.93 MB/s read; 4,942.86 MB/s write
Should you buy the Razer Blade 15?
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| Image: © Future |
The Razer Blade 15 will continue to lead in high-end components and luxury performance in 2022, just as its predecessors did.All of this comes at a price that will scare off buyers in the middle of the market, but it seems reasonable to anyone looking to invest in the best.If you're just looking to play a few rounds of Fortnite or unwind with some city builders, the Blade 15's $4,000 or £4,000 price tag is hard to bear, but compared to other machines in this price range with comparable internal specs, it does a lot to make your money work harder for you.
The overall build quality and design cannot be disputed, and the 4K 144Hz display stands out even in this high-end market.Overall, I wouldn't recommend this bank-busting rig to the majority of players, but those looking for the laptop that will rule all laptops will find a lot of value here.
However, if you don't quite reach that $3,000-$4,000 price range, we suggest taking a look at the Razer Blade 14, which has a similar design but costs slightly less.Alternately, the Asus Zephyrus G15 is a better option for those who are looking for a luxury build that is comparable to this one but uses cheaper components.
Pros
+Cutting edge components.
+Excellent color and contrast in the display.
+Luxury design with solid build quality.
Cons
-Proprietary charging connection.
-Softer keyboard feel.
