This Razer Blade 14 laptop review looks at a few aspects of this new gaming laptop, including its display that isn’t Retina-competitive. Its audio setup is fine, although not stellar, and its Thermal performance isn’t quite top-notch. Ultimately, it comes down to the following:
1. Razer Blade 14 Laptop
While the Razer Blade 14’s screen is a gorgeous, touchscreen affair, it’s not Retina Display-competitive. The screen’s resolution is 3200 x 1800, which isn’t Retina-competitive, but it’s sharp enough to play most games at near-4K. The laptop’s 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-4702HQ processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 870M graphics are plenty good enough for most normal games. With this combination, you can play games like Tomb Raider, Max Payne 3, and Battlefield 4 at 3200 x 1800.
2. The display isn’t Retina Display-competitive
In comparison, the screen of the Apple MacBook Pro measures 3,456 by 2,234 pixels and has a pixel density of 254 pixels per inch. In contrast, the Razer Blade 14’s display isn’t Retina Display-competitive, but the Razer notebook’s display is. However, it does run games that require high resolution and anti-aliasing.
Whether the Razer Blade 14’s display is Retina Display-competitive depends on the configuration and the game you’re playing. The MacBook Pro’s screen supports a 120Hz refresh rate while the Razer Blade 14’s is up to 165Hz. So, if you’re not a serious gamer, you might want to look elsewhere.
Performance is another key selling point, but the Razer Blade 14’s display isn’t Retina Display-competitive, and it has poor battery life. However, if you’re looking for a portable gaming notebook, the Razer Blade 14 is a great option. Its lightweight chassis and powerful performance make it an ideal choice for people on the go.
3. The audio setup is decent
The Razer Blade 14 has a decent audio setup. The speakers are on the left and right sides of the keyboard, which offer decent stereo separation. Even though they’re small, they do deliver decent sound quality. The speakers are THX-certified and deliver 7.1 surround sound. The sound quality is passable, though the speakers do buzz slightly at higher volumes. You’ll need to use headphones to get the best sound quality, though.
The speakers on the Razer Blade 14 are middling. They don’t get particularly loud, reaching 78 dB(A) one inch above the trackpad. Although they don’t produce a lot of low frequencies, they’re adequate for watching videos and listening to music. The laptop doesn’t have a dedicated audio output, though it does support 7.1 over HDMI. For most people, this will be more than enough.
The Razer Blade 14 uses a next-gen vapor chamber cooling system. This cooling system works by placing a thin metal chamber over the components that generate heat. Deionized water inside the chamber converts to vapor and whisks the heat to dedicated heat exchangers. The fans, which feature 88 individual blades, also do a decent job of dissipating heat. Vapor chambers have been used in tech for years, but they’re a relatively new technology in gaming.
The Razer Blade 14 has a solid selection of ports. It has two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack. It also has a proprietary charging port and one HDMI 2.1 port, which is likely to be the primary docking method for most users. You’ll also find a Kensington lock slot. Overall, the Razer Blade 14 is an excellent choice for those who like gaming and want a versatile laptop.
4. Thermal performance isn’t perfect
The Razer Blade14 isn’t a flawless laptop, but it does offer plenty of performance for its price. The octa-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX mobile APU ships with 8 cores and 16 threads and is capable of handling multiple Chrome tabs and 3D rendering. The chip is built on the AMD Zen 3 architecture and consumes less power than Intel Core chips. Thermal performance on the Razer Blade 14 isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly better than a regular Core laptop.
The heat issue we encountered was not particularly severe, but it was noticeable in more demanding games. While these issues were only apparent when playing games, they were hardly an issue when working or playing less demanding games. During testing, the laptop had a battery life of one hour and seven minutes, which is a pretty respectable amount for a gaming laptop. And, as long as you use headphones during intense gaming, it’s wonderful.
The Razer Blade 14 offers an excellent display that offers a high refresh rate and a wide color gamut. This means that the screen refreshes every 165 milliseconds. That’s more than enough for most gamers, though it isn’t quite as fast as the latest laptops. It’s a solid laptop that’s built to last, and you’ll be happy you bought it. It also comes with a full-size keyboard with RGB backlighting.
The Razer Blade 14’s screen is stunning, and it looks amazing when gaming. The screen is also one inch smaller than its 15-inch counterpart, so it’s a good compromise between portability and gaming. It’s a great laptop for those looking for a laptop for gaming while not wanting to spend an arm and a leg on a heavy machine. So, although thermal performance on the Razer Blade 14 isn’t perfect, it’s still better than a standard gaming laptop.
The Razer Blade 14 isn’t perfect, but it offers a fantastic keyboard and a very comfortable touchpad. Its keyboard and trackpad are both excellent, with RGB backlighting on every key. The touchscreen lacks room for a capacious touchpad, but it is still great. If you’re not a gamer, the Razer Blade 14 isn’t for you.
5. Design is a throwback
The Razer Blade 14 is a thin and svelte gaming laptop that lacks the traditional features of more expensive models. Its lack of touch screen and convertible tablet mode, as well as its lack of LED programmable buttons, make it less convenient for regular consumers than other Razer laptops. In general, it is a good idea, but it is not practical. In this article, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of Razer’s latest offering.
Razer has updated the Blade 14 design with a new keyboard and more power. The Blade 15 has 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 12th-generation Intel processor with fourteen cores. It also has eight speakers, up from four on the previous model. The new model comes with an 81-watt battery and an upgraded 280W charger. Its new design also resembles the original Razer Blade 14 model.
While the Razer Blade 14 is still a throwback, its design is more in line with a mainstream commodity than anything the company has done before. It looks like a typical computer, and its entry-level configuration is priced at around $1,800. It lacks flashy gimmicks, and despite being very thin, it delivers on its gaming promise. While it may be too pricey for most users, its performance should satisfy most people.
While the Razer Blade 14 is the most powerful gaming laptop in the world, it lacks some basic features. It is not a full-size gaming laptop, but it is still a 17-inch gaming machine with excellent GPU and CPU pairings. The Blade 14 is the thinnest laptop globally, and its design is reminiscent of an old Razer gaming notebook. The lack of basic ports makes the Razer Blade 14 feel small.
Conclusion
The Razer Blade 14 is a Windows 10 powered MacBook Pro competitor. It’s not the ideal laptop for casual Ultrabook buyers or serious PC gamers. It feels chunky, with a large bezel surrounding the screen. It’s also prone to scratches, and the chassis looks a little retro. And the keyboard is not as responsive as a mechanical keyboard, but it’s enough for gaming on a laptop.