2021’s Best Razer Laptops [In-Depth Review]
BEST GAMING 
Model
BLW's Score
92
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.7 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD + 2TB HDD
Display
17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
OS
Windows 10
Weight
6.8 pounds
BEST GAMING
Model
BLW's Score
92
MSRP
Price not available
More Information
Processor
Intel Core i7-7700HQ 2.7 GHz
RAM
16GB DDR4
Hard Disk
256GB SSD + 2TB HDD
Display
17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
OS
Windows 10
Weight
6.8 pounds
Razer actually began their business to develop a high-end computer gaming peripheral known as the Boomslang, a gaming mouse.
In the year 2000, the parent company, Karna LLC based in Singapore, folded and it wasn’t until 2005 that the current Razer company was formed.
Six years later they showed off the Razer Switchblade, a handheld gaming device, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
It wasn’t until 2013 that Razer released the first in a series of Razer Blade gaming laptops, The first 14-inch, and 17-inch Razer Blade laptops used fourth-gen Intel Haswell processors, with the 14-inch Razer Blade hyped as the “world’s thinnest gaming laptop”.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Each year since then, Razer has updated the Blade series of gaming laptops with models which include the Razer Blade 15, Razer Blade Stealth, and the Razer Blade Pro gaming laptop/desktop replacement.
Razer is now of the global leaders in manufacturing gaming laptops, a pioneer of eSports, and a large brand in the eSports world today.
Their laptops are respected by gamers for the innovative hardware in a “Razer” thin casing. Let’s take a look at four of the best Razer laptops you can buy.
Overall Top Pick: Razer The Blade
The Razer Blade 14-inch is the 2017 version of the Razer Blade but can still be found at many retailers. If you can hunt one down, it’s still a very good choice.
Specs
- Display Size: 14 Inch
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
- Weight: 4.3 pounds
- I/O: 1 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 3 x USB 3.1, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm Headphone-out/Microphone-in jack
- Price — Check the latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
Being last year’s model, if you can find this Razer Blade 14-inch version it is normally at a bargain price. Many retailers have knocked $300 to $400 off the original price, with it even being sold for as little as $1205.
For the price, you are getting a laptop that can match many of today’s latest gaming laptops under $1500, if not under $2000.
The relatively new 7th generation Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor is a great find at this price. This CPU from Intel features an improved battery with a stated run time of nine hours.
This is considerably better than the five hours of previous generations, although heavy gaming may bring that down to around a couple of hours.
16GB of dual-channel DDR4 RAM is pretty standard in laptops of this caliber and offers more potential for multitasking.
This laptop would make a great desktop replacement for productivity tasks, but some features may be overkill for a family computer. The 14-inch screen features a full HD display using IPS technology with a matte finish for viewing in direct sunlight.
Drawbacks
The storage featured on the 14-inch Razer Blade is average, with the configuration we looked at having a 512GB SSD but no additional HDD.
Although it’s very quick, gamers with larger collections may struggle for space after a few installs. Fortunately, a selection of high-speed ports allows you to easily connect external storage via USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt 3.A problem found with many of the Razer Blade laptops is with the temperature when running heavier loads on the GPU. The aluminum chassis can get very hot to touch and once the fans kick in their volume can be quite distracting.
It doesn’t help that the top-mounted speakers, despite offering a rich and detailed sound, do so at a lower volume. The Razer 14 may feature the same Chroma keyboard as its big brother, the Razer Blade 15, and for simple productivity tasks, word processing, or web browsing, the built-in trackpad is adequate.
You will want to buy a mouse as well though because gaming with the trackpad is a nightmare, it lacks the precision of other gaming laptops.
Extra Features
- Powerful NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU
- Frame rates up to 60 fps
- VR Ready
- HDMI output
Buying Advice
Normally when you talk about a previous model of a laptop, the specs are outdated.
This Razer Blade 14 still offers a great mid-range gaming laptop that sits between the smaller 13.3-inch Blade Stealth and the larger 17.3-inch Blade Pro. To carry this laptop around in your backpack is nowhere near as difficult as lugging around the Pro, yet it’s still large enough to fit in a full graphics card. Razer may be in the process of replacing this model with the newer Razer Blade 15 but if you can find it, the Razer 14 is half the price.
For under $1500 you are getting a gaming laptop that is VR ready and will be able to play the latest releases for at least the next couple of years.
Runner-Up: Razer Blade Stealth
The Razer Blade Stealth is Razer’s version of an Ultrabook.
It’s designed to rival computers like the MacBook Pro in both the looks and power department.
Specs
- Display Size: 13.3 inch
- Resolution: 3200 x 1800
- RAM: 16GB LPDDR3
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8500U
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- GPU: Intel UHD 620
- Weight: 2.93 pounds
- I/O: 1 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI 2.0a, 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
- Price — Check the latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
Despite having the same slimline dimensions as its predecessor, Razer has managed to increase the screen size from 12.5 to 13.3 inches. Using the smaller bezel design of the more expensive Blade 15 they have squeezed a 13.3-inch QHD screen into a case that is only 12.6 inches wide. And what a beautiful touchscreen it is! Although it has lost the 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution of the 12.5-inch version, it still features a QHD+ display (3200 x 1800). The 100 percent sRGB coverage and viewing angles of up to 178 degrees mean you will hardly miss those few extra pixels. Otherwise, it’s a pretty incremental upgrade, with the newer 8th generation core i7 quad-core processor, HD graphics 620 changed to UHD graphics 620, and the RAM being slightly faster.
The new hardware means this laptop runs faster than ever. Battery life has improved on the original’s poor five and a half hours, but only by an hour or so.
Drawbacks
If you’re buying a Blade Stealth to do some light gaming on the go, the Intel UHD Graphics 620 will suffice. You may be able to play some less demanding games like Dirt 3 or older versions of Battlefield and Call of Duty.
Newer AAA titles like Rising of The Tomb Raider or GTA 5 are out of the question on all but the very lowest graphics settings. If you want to take your gaming up a notch, you will need to spend a few hundred dollars more for the Razer Core external GPU case.
And then you still need to buy a GPU for those next-level graphics, but it will give you a mean gaming device for home use with that QHD+ display.
Extra Features
- Choice of matte black or gunmetal gray case
- Gunmetal gray case features Razer Chroma gaming keyboard
- Anti-ghosting on the keyboard
- 720p Webcam
Buying Advice
If you only use your laptop for more basic productivity tasks on the road, photo editing, or other graphics work, the Blade Stealth is an ideal Ultrabook choice.
The Intel UHD 620 graphics can handle lighter gaming but for any more serious gaming you will need to invest in a Razer Core eGPU.Even with the cost of a decent NVIDIA desktop graphics card, it will still come in cheaper than many high-end gaming rigs. And of course, you have that glorious QHD+ display to enjoy your games and movies on.
Best Portable: Razer Blade
Despite being classed as the “World’s smallest 15.6-inch gaming laptop”, the Razer Blade 15 is big on specs.
The perfectly crafted aluminum chassis which has been CNC milled for extra precision is packed with the latest gaming hardware.
Specs
- Display Size: 15.6 inch
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8750H
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
- Weight: 4.63 pounds
- I/O: 3 x USB 3.1, 1 x USB Type-C Thunderbolt, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Mini-DisplayPort, 1 x 3.5mm headphone-in/microphone-out audio jack
- Price — Check the latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
Taking a look at the internals of the latest Razer Blade 15, you find the latest 8th generation Intel Core i7 6-Core processor combined with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU.
The 8th generation processor allows for mega multi-tasking processes like playing games, streaming, and recording the gameplay at the same time. This latest model of the Razer Blade sticks to the same subdued matte black finish of its predecessors, with the Razer logo on the back of the lid being the sole point of light. Despite its slim profile, the Blade offers an adequate mix of expansion options with both USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt ports for external hard drives or GPUs.
A full-sized HDMI port and Mini-DisplayPort provide alternative methods of hooking up an external display in addition to the previously mentioned Thunderbolt. In terms of gaming, the NVIDIA GTX 1070 Max-Q can deliver frame rates over 60 fps on most triple-A titles even at a high setting. The GTX 1070 is also VR-ready if you want to try connecting an HTC Vive or Oculus Rift headset for a virtual gaming experience.
Drawbacks
Unfortunately, the aluminum case means this Blade can often get extremely hot, especially in heavy gaming marathons or more demanding video productivity tasks.
The area above the keyboard will get to higher temperatures when the GPU is taxed and unfortunately the cooling system uses fans that get very loud. Other sacrifices that have been made for this smaller case include the poor quality speakers. Although they are large, they are not very loud. You will almost definitely have to invest in external speakers or headphones to be heard above those whirring fans. Despite having the same full Chroma RGB backlit keyboard as the previous models, the smaller key travel of just 1mm makes it less comfortable to use. For storage, the configuration we have looked at only came with a 512GB SSD drive installed. It may be blazing fast but with the latest titles often needing 40-50 GB for installation, you can run out of space very quickly. However, alone M.2 slot in the Razer Blade 15 supports SSDs up to a maximum capacity of 2TB. You can also swap out the RAM sticks if needed.
Extra Features
- Extra slim bezels of just 4.9mm
- 85 percent of visible area is used by the screen
- 144Hz refresh rate with 100 percent sRGB color gamut
- Intel Wireless AC Killer 2600 for faster internet traffic
Buying Advice
If you are considering purchasing a Razer 15, make sure it’s the most recent version. A slim and portable computer, it packs a maximum amount of horsepower under its hood and has an impressive battery life of over six hours, longer than most other gaming laptops. For serious gamers, it offers a complete package of portability and power in a stunning design.
Best For Gaming: Razer Blade Pro
If your budget stretches to it, the Razer Blade Pro gaming laptop offers the most complete gaming laptop you can currently buy from Razer.
To make it even more reachable for the many, Razer has recently released a full HD version of their 4K flagship laptop which retails for $1000 less than previously, at $1999.
Specs
- Display Size: 17.3 inch
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Processor: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
- Storage: 258GB SSD + 2TB HDD
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
- Weight: 6.78 pounds
- I/O: 1 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 1 x SDXC Card Reader, 3 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, 1 x RJ45 (Killer E2500 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000)
- Price — Check the latest price on Amazon.com
Benefits
A laptop or desktop replacement that is this thin shouldn’t be able to pack in such top-spec hardware. At 0.88 inches thick, it is only marginally thicker than a MacBook and certainly thinner than competing desktop replacement machines. Yet it still manages to pack in a quad-core i7 processor, NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU, and stunning visuals. The 17.3-inch full HD screen offers a 120Hz refresh rate for some of the smoothest and quickest graphics you will ever see on a laptop this size. The Blade Pro can reproduce 178 percent of the sRGB color gamut, well over the average of 123 percent of desktop replacements and the 113 percent of the Alienware 17. It also features IPS technology for better viewing angles and a matte finish for viewing in direct sunlight. Yet it’s not all just about the expansive screen with the Blade Pro. The GeForce GTX 1060 GPU along with the overclocked i7 processor ensure games run at the fastest possible frame rate.
16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and 2TB HDD ensure that there’s enough memory and space for even the most demanding productivity tasks too. This is a laptop you can use to create so much, whether it is an HD movie, the next big dance floor hit, or even the next triple-A blockbuster video game.
Drawbacks
Unfortunately for a laptop of this caliber, many users have reported the SSD has a slower transfer rate than average. It’s not a deal-breaker but is significantly lower than the Alienware Predator or ASUS 17-inch powerhouse gaming laptops. However, the extra 2TB 7200RPM HDD makes up for that shortfall with extra capacity. You could just use the SSD as a cache with the HDD for installation storage. Crazy specs like the ones featured on the Blade Pro are bound to affect the temperature of the aluminum chassis.
Despite having a hidden internal fan, vapor chamber, and heat exchanger, the system often hits temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit after just 15 minutes of heavy gaming.
Extra Features
- Membrane scissor-switch style keyboard
- Razer Synapse software offers 16.8 million colors on Chroma keyboard
- Large 4 x 3.3-inch touchpad
- Superfast Ethernet Gigabit (10/100/1000) for larger Steam downloads
- Killer Doubleshot Pro Wireless AC
Buying Advice
If you have been looking for the ultimate mix of powerful specs and portability, the Razer Blade Pro should be top of your list.
With the latest quad-core processor, the new improved GTX 1060 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and impressive storage capacity, this laptop will handle anything you throw at it.
As you would expect from a machine of this quality it is also VR ready to provide you with a smooth VR experience.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a quality gaming laptop, you could do a lot worse than choose a Razer Blade series laptop.
The Razer Blade 15-inch laptop is among the thinnest laptops on the market and classed as the world’s smallest gaming laptop. The Razer Blade Pro 17-inch laptop has a choice of 1080p or 4K displays, with the 4K Pro being the first laptop to be THX certified.
Razer only makes laptops that are primarily designed for gaming. Even the Razer Blade Stealth with integrated Intel HD graphics can be extended with an external GPU for a formidable gaming setup.
The current best laptop available from Razer is the Razer Blade 14, which—although it’s due to be phased out—can still be found for a bargain price. The quality specs of the Razer Blade 14 should be future-proof for the next couple of years at least.
The support offered by Razer on their laptops is not rated as the best. Many reviews of their technical support have reported them to be unresponsive, with them only scoring 14 out of 20 and ranking 8th in an annual report by Laptop Mag.
Many users have complained about the repetitive nature of the designs used, but we have to say that the lit-up Razer logo on each model just screams “GAMER.”
About the Author Marcus
Marcus has a graduate degree in computer engineering and has many years of experience in cutting-edge technology research and development in both startups and Fortune 500 corporations. In his free time, he enjoys RTS gaming.
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