Razer Blade 14 (2024): Two minute evaluate
The Razer Blade 14 (2024) continues to impress as a gaming powerhouse in a remarkably compact kind.
It stays largely unchanged in design from its predecessor, which is not essentially a nasty factor, contemplating it has lengthy been my prime decide for the best gaming laptop going, and this newest refresh makes a compelling case for preserving that title.
Starting with its design, the acquainted all-black CNC-milled aluminum chassis is each eye-catching and durable, with a weight that reinforces its premium construct with out sacrificing portability.
Performance-wise, the Blade 14 is extra formidable than ever, due to its up to date AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and the selection between Nvidia RTX 4070 and 4060 GPUs. This setup handles every thing from intense gaming periods to demanding inventive workloads with ease, supported by a cooling system that, whereas noisy, successfully manages warmth even throughout prolonged use.
The show is one other spotlight, boasting a 2560×1600 decision with a 240Hz refresh charge. It delivers vibrant colours and clean visuals, making it a delight for each gaming and multimedia consumption. However, it does fall wanting some opponents in terms of brightness and HDR help.
Keyboard and trackpad performance are glorious, offering snug typing and exact management. Razer Synapse software program stays a great tool for tweaking efficiency settings and personalizing the RGB lighting to reinforce each aesthetics and performance.
Battery life is respectable for a gaming laptop computer, providing about 10 hours of sunshine use and considerably much less throughout gaming or high-performance duties. Port choice is sufficient, although the shortage of an Ethernet port may irk some customers.
Overall, the Razer Blade 14 (2024) is a superb, if costly, alternative for many who want a robust, moveable laptop computer that may deal with virtually something thrown its approach.
Razer Blade 14 (2024): Price and availability
- How a lot is it? Starting at $2,199.99 / £2,149.99 / AU$3,999
- When is it out there? It is on the market now.
- Where are you able to get it? You can get it within the US, UK, and Australia
The Razer Blade 14 (2024) is on the market now globally, beginning at $2,199.99 / £2,149.99 / AU$3,999 for the bottom mannequin with an RTX 4060 GPU and 16GB RAM. You can go for my evaluate configuration, which will get you an RTX 4070 and 32GB of RAM for $2,699.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$5,199, and truthfully, that is the configuration to get. You’re already spending north of two grand, so there is not any cause to accept an RTX 4060.
Still, this pricing does put it on the upper finish of the 14-inch gaming laptop computer market, notably when in comparison with options just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus 14 or HP Omen Transcend 14, each of which begin at a cheaper price level. There can also be the Razer Blade 14 (2023), which continues to be out there for a decrease beginning worth on Razer’s web site proper now.
Given the place 14-inch laptops are proper now, that is simply one of the crucial, if not essentially the most, costly 14-inch laptop computer that is not referred to as the MacBook Pro. So, in case you’re actually involved about your price range, then the 2023 Blade 14 is probably going a greater guess since apart from the processor and the additional RAM, there is not a lot distinction between the 2 Blade 14 fashions.
Razer Blade 14 (2024): Specs
Header Cell – Column 0 | Razer Blade 14 (2024) Base Config | Razer Blade 14 (2024) Review Config | Razer Blade 14 (2023) |
---|---|---|---|
Price | $2,199.99 / £2,149.99 / AU$3,999 | $2,699.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$5,199 | $1,999.99 / £2,099.99 / AU$3,887 |
CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS | AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS |
GPU | Nvidia RTX 4060 | Nvidia RTX 4070 | Nvidia RTX 4070 |
RAM | 16GB DDR5 | 32GB DDR5 | 16GB DDR5 |
Storage | 1TB PCIe SSD | 1TB PCIe SSD | 1TB PCIe SSD |
Display | 14-inch QHD+ 240Hz, 2560 x 1600p, as much as 100% DCI-P3, Factory calibrated, Calman Verified | 14-inch QHD+ 240Hz, 2560 x 1600p, as much as 100% DCI-P3, Factory calibrated, Calman Verified | 14-inch QHD+ 240Hz, 2560 x 1600p, as much as 100% DCI-P3, Factory calibrated |
Ports | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A , 2 x USB4 Type-C Ports with Power Delivery and Display Port 1.4, Charging supported with 20V USB-C chargers with PD 3.0 (100W), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x Power port, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A , 2 x USB4 Type-C Ports with Power Delivery and Display Port 1.4, Charging supported with 20V USB-C chargers with PD 3.0 (100W), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x Power port, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack | 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A , 2 x USB4 Type-C Ports with Power Delivery and Display Port 1.4, Charging supported with 20V USB-C chargers with PD 3.0 (100W), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x Power port, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack |
Battery | 68.1 WHr | 68.1 WHr | 68.1 WHr |
Dimensions | 12.23 x 8.97 x 0.70 ins | 310.7 x 228 x 17.99mm | 12.23 x 8.97 x 0.70 ins | 310.7 x 228 x 17.99mm | 12.23 x 8.97 x 0.70 ins | 310.7 x 228 x 17.99mm |
Weight | 4.05 lbs | 1.84kg | 4.05 lbs | 1.84kg | 4.05 lbs | 1.84kg |
Razer Blade 14 (2024): Design
- Gorgeous end and strong construct
- Mercury silver colorway is beautiful
- Mercury silver colorway prices considerably extra
Razer’s dedication to premium supplies and construct high quality continues with the Blade 14.
Its chassis, crafted from a single block of aluminum, presents a glossy, sturdy really feel with a weight that’s reassuring but moveable. The design mimics the minimalist, skilled aesthetic of recent ultrabooks, which could deceive some into underestimating its gaming capabilities.
The show, a speedy 240Hz QHD+ IPS panel, sports activities as much as 100% of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut with Calman verification for vivid, fluid-looking visuals, whereas the 3ms response time will guarantee that the show is about as responsive as you will discover with out going for mini LED or OLED panels.
The physique of the Blade 14 could be very harking back to the MacBook Pro 14-inch, although turning the laptop computer over, you will discover two consumption followers to assist maintain the parts cool. Of course, followers produce noise, and below load, this laptop computer can get somewhat loud. You do have some management over this although by way of Razer’s Synapse software program.
Razer’s THX audio is one other standout function of the laptop computer, due to its prime firing audio system, however this does reduce on what keyboard area is on the market for every thing else, and on a 14-inch laptop computer, typing area is at a premium.
Typing on the Blade 14 continues to be a pleasure, and the keys are adequately spaced and have a fantastic really feel to them, even after typing for a number of hours.
Finally, there are a very good variety of ports, together with two USB-A and two USB-C ports, the latter of which permit for energy supply and options DisplayPort output for a second display screen.
Razer Blade 14 (2024): Performance
- Best-in-class efficiency for a 14-inch laptop computer
- RTX 4070 GPU is highly effective sufficient to deal with nearly any sport
- For the worth, there are extra highly effective gaming laptops on the market
While the aesthetic attraction of the Razer Blade 14 is plain, on the finish of the day, it is a gaming laptop, and so you are going to need it to carry out on the highest stage attainable, particularly contemplating the funding you make on this gadget.
Fortunately, the Blade 14 delivers excellent efficiency due to its Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and RTX 4070 GPU, leveraging each to get essentially the most frames per second of any 14-inch laptop computer we have examined this yr to this point.
Despite its dimension, the laptop computer’s cooling system manages warmth comparatively effectively, though it may well get fairly loud below load. The high-performance parts don’t throttle considerably, which is spectacular given the restricted area for air circulation and the truth that the GPU might be pushed to 140W, making this essentially the most highly effective RTX 4070 laptop computer you are going to discover proper now (one thing backed up by my testing information).
In the top, you are going to need this laptop computer to sport at its greatest and presumably transition right into a cellular workstation for high-end design work or content material creation regularly. It will definitely be capable to swing that with ease, particularly in case you go for the Mercury colorway, which provides the Blade 14 one thing of a distinguished look about it that will not be misplaced in conferences.
Razer Blade 14 (2024): Battery life
- Decent sufficient battery life with light-use
- The 140W GPU drains the battery fast
- Relatively quick charging
Battery efficiency is strong, with Razer promising as much as 10 hours of energy life — below the precise settings, in fact. However, like most gaming laptops, intense gaming periods will drain the battery in a short time, although the laptop computer does helps quick charging that’ll get you as much as 80% in an hour.
Unfortunately, it does appear to get much less battery life than its predecessor, and it is battery efficiency is the one metric the place this common falls under the 14-inch class common in our checks.
That mentioned, the ability brick is moveable sufficient, and the Blade 14 itself is greater than able to hopping from energy outlet to energy outlet if wanted due to its slender construct and light-weight building.
Finally, it is a gaming laptop computer, in spite of everything, so in case you’re hoping for all-day battery life, there is not a gaming laptop computer on the market that may give it to you, so it is arduous to knock off too many factors right here.
Should you purchase the Razer Blade 14 (2024)?
Value | While not the costliest gaming laptop computer on the market, the Blade 14 (2024) has been and is a premium gadget. | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | The design, although not likely completely different from final yr’s mannequin, continues to be unmatched in a gaming laptop computer. | ★★★★★ |
Performance | There are extra highly effective laptops, however solely the Blade 14 may give you this type of efficiency in such a transportable bundle. | ★★★★★ |
Battery Life | Given that the Blade 14 (2024) is a gaming laptop computer, I wasn’t anticipating a lot by way of battery life, but it surely’s barely down from final yr’s mannequin. | ★★★☆☆ |
Total | The Razer Blade 14 (2024) simply the perfect gaming laptop computer I’ve reviewed to this point this yr, and it’s totally more likely to maintain onto that title for an extended whereas but. | ★★★★☆ |
Buy the Razer Blade 14 (2024) if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Also contemplate
If my Razer Blade 14 (2024) evaluate has you contemplating different choices, right here is one other laptop computer to contemplate:
How I examined the Razer Blade 14 (2024)
I spent the higher a part of three weeks with the Razer Blade 14 (2024), utilizing it as my on a regular basis laptop computer for work, content material creation, and gaming within the evenings.
In addition to its actual world use, I additionally ran our customary battery of benchmarks on the gadget, together with artificial, inventive, gaming, and battery benchmarks.
I’ve been reviewing gaming laptops for practically half a decade, and have a Master’s Degree in Computer Science. I’m additionally a lifelong gamer, so I’m higher positioned to guage the deserves and worth of this laptop computer than many within the trade.
- First reviewed April 2024