Verdict
The Razer Blade 14 gained’t be for everybody. In truth, it’s far nearer to being for nobody. A excessive worth will delay many whereas a scarcity of cutting-edge gaming specs will delay many others. However, in case your wants and needs boil right down to extraordinarily high-quality design, portability and powerful mid-tier gaming efficiency, you gained’t be dissatisfied in case you decide up a Blade 14.
Professionals
- Great mixture of moveable and energy
- Nice gaming keyboard
- Crisp IPS QHD panel
- Prime-notch RTX 4060 efficiency
Cons
- No Mini LED possibility
- No RTX 4080/4090 possibility
- Paying an enormous premium for the Razer model
Availability
- UKRRP: £2499.99
- USARRP: $2399.99
- EuropeRRP: €2799.99
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Model-new AMD Phoenix Vary CPUThis laptop computer comes outfitted with AMD’s newest Ryzen 9 7940HS chip for highly effective moveable gaming -
RTX 40-series gaming efficiencyCould be outfitted with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (140W) or RTX 4070 (140W) -
Skinny-and-light constructMeasures at an impressively low 1.78kg and 16.8mm skinny
Introduction
It’s been two years for the reason that final Razer Blade 14 and it was an thrilling launch, bringing the producer’s signature gaming energy and prime quality to a extra moveable kind issue. In 2023, the Blade 14 is again and higher than ever. However, the total image tells a well-known story in terms of Razer merchandise.
Shopping for a gaming laptop computer is usually a story of compromises, whether or not its seems, high quality design, general gaming efficiency, alternative of show expertise – the listing goes on. However, as with most purchases, worth is a prime consideration.
Razer stands out probably the most within the Home windows gaming laptop computer enviornment for its unwillingness to make a key compromise itself, and that’s sacrificing its requirements on design to ease the blow on shoppers’ wallets.
The Razer Blade 14 is one other instance of precisely this. Can Razer really justify the excessive beginning worth right here?
Design and Keyboard
- Typical Blade model
- Impressively compact however nonetheless weighty
- Sturdy all-round keyboard, if a bit cramped
In case you’re in any respect acquainted with Razer’s Blade line of laptops then there aren’t any surprises right here. The corporate’s signature all-metal construct as soon as once more presents what feels just like the nearer factor to a Home windows MacBook Professional on the {hardware} design aspect of issues. Our overview mannequin was within the conventional black and inexperienced Razer color scheme however some variations can be found in Mercury, if Razer’s standard model places you off.
The dearth of a lot change from Razer’s norm is basically as a result of it doesn’t want to vary. The Razer Blade 14 feels such as you’re holding an costly machine, because it ought to, however a excessive worth doesn’t all the time imply high quality supplies and design – besides with Razer.
Although, it’s notable that the Blade 14 has sized up a tad from the 2021 mannequin, up from simply 16.8mm skinny to 17.99mm. And, it’s barely heavier too, at 1.84kg up from 1.78kg. Up in opposition to its key Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) rival, it’s nonetheless 3mm thinner however it’s heavier than the 1.72kg G14.
Within the large battle between Razer and Asus laptops, I’ve all the time most well-liked the ROG Zephyrus vary’s keyboards over what the Blade machines provide. My current expertise with the Razer Blade 16 (2023) strengthened this, with the Razer keyboard usually feeling nearer to the decrease journey model of thin-and-light laptops however with a bit of additional journey.
However, the Blade 14 has positively gained me round. It supplied much more journey than I’m used to and a satisfying and crisp crunch with each press. I’ve a lot fewer reservations for severe players contemplating this laptop computer with the 2023 Blade 14 than fashions previous. It’s value noting that the compact 14-inch kind issue does current a barely cramped structure of keys so that will trouble some with bigger palms. The trackpad is pleasingly giant for a laptop computer this small and, in contrast to with the Razer Blade 16, I had no points with unintended presses.
Proper aspect ports of the Razer Blade 14
Proper aspect view of the Razer Blade 14
Left aspect view of the Razer Blade 14
Left aspect ports of the Razer Blade 14
There’s an appropriate port choice, with a mixture of two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, two USB-C 4.0 (no Thunderbolt 4 right here attributable to this machine being powered by an AMD CPU), an HDMI 2.1 port and a headphone jack. No room for an SD card or MicroSD card reader will stop this choice from knocking anybody’s socks off although.
Show and Sound
- No OLED or Mini LED possibility
- Impressively correct color
- Correct, if underwhelming, sound
2023 has undoubtedly been the 12 months of Mini LED in terms of gaming laptop computer shows, and Razer obliged with the fascinating Twin Mode Mini LED display on the Razer Blade 16. Asus has obliged as nicely, with the ROG Zephyrus G14 supplying you with the choice of a Mini LED panel. However, the Razer Blade 14 has missed out on this occasion.
As an alternative, there’s no signal of a Mini LED, OLED or any form of Twin Mode expertise, it’s only a common outdated IPS LCD show for the Blade 14. That guidelines out this machine in case you’re trying to soar on the Mini LED practice nevertheless it’s positively value not being too hasty because the anti-glare QHD 240Hz 16:10 display you do get is a looker in its personal proper. I wouldn’t describe the visuals as vibrant or providing jaw-dropping distinction however they completely are crisp and detailed.
Our show testing helps the stable day-to-day visible efficiency of the Razer Blade 14, with an important peak brightness rating of 531.2 nits alongside 100% sRGB, 93% Adobe RGB and 99% DCI-P3. These scores imply the uninspiring show expertise shouldn’t put you off in case you are contemplating this machine for artistic work or simply worth correct visuals in gaming. For the specs it presents, the Blade 14 nails it. However a Mini-LED nonetheless would’ve been a pleasant choice to have.
An identical vibe is carried over from the show of the Razer Blade 14 to the sound, with the audio additionally favouring accuracy over flashiness. In any respect volumes, you get wealthy and full audio. Razer has additionally opted to not attempt to pressure the impression of some bass into this machine. There’s nearly no genuine bass to talk of and it’s, fortunately, not been amped up for impact both. By comparability, I examined it alongside the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) and the G14 does sacrifice some accuracy however provides off a extra vibrant sound, with a stable dose of bass. You gained’t be dissatisfied with the Blade 14 audio system until you’re a fan of taking part in large anthems by way of your laptop computer.
Efficiency
- Takes full benefit of RTX 4060
- Can get loud below excessive demand, however not obscenely sizzling
Our overview mannequin of the Razer Blade 14 sports activities a mixture of an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage. This model comes at a worth of £2499.99/$2399.99 and, brace yourselves, is the least expensive Blade 14 mannequin. In case you fancy an RTX 4070 (there aren’t any RTX 4080 or 4090 choices) and 32GB RAM, you’ll be forking out £2999.99/$2799.99.
The Razer Blade 14 squeezes each drop of efficiency out of those specs, topping rival units with related specs. On the productiveness entrance, these excessive specs expectedly eat up nearly something you may throw at it, with upwards of 25-30 tabs and a few multi-tasking being completely no drawback for the Blade 14. And, whereas gaming is the principle focus, it is a sturdy machine for creativity too – managing 597 within the PugetBench for Premiere Professional check.
The outcome there retains tempo, specs-wise, with the a lot higher-powered Razer Bade 16 (601) and isn’t all that far behind the M1 Max Mac Studio (626). So, intense artistic work, outdoors of extraordinarily demanding skilled workloads, is completely lined by the Razer Blade 14.
Throughout the board, in our efficiency benchmarks, the Blade 14 not solely confirmed itself to be probably the most highly effective RTX 4060 machine we’ve examined nevertheless it additionally, intriguingly, didn’t fall wildly behind the cellular RTX 4090-sporting ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) on a number of checks – demonstrating the bounds of moveable energy.
Each the high-end G14 and the Blade 14 sport AMD’s newest Ryzen 9 7940HS chip, and the scores are mightily spectacular – displaying sturdy multi-core capabilities up in opposition to the very best Intel cellular CPUs.
For gaming, the RTX 4060 Razer Blade 14 will give you round 50-60fps at QHD and Extremely settings throughout AAA video games, relying on the title. With DLSS in full swing in Cyberpunk 2077, I noticed scores climb to 89fps whereas ray tracing was powerful going at QHD for the Blade 14, coming in at simply 18fps – however decreasing high quality and backbone will increase issues right here when you have a hankering for rays.
You’re alternative of a Razer Blade 14 or an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 possible gained’t come right down to SSD speeds however you gained’t obtain a lot steering if it did, because the outcomes have been close to an identical. The Blade 14 supplied up 6664.73MB/s learn and 4937.3MB/s write, with the Asus not more than a single digit out on each. As such, you’ll be wonderful in case you’re somebody who transfers a bunch of recordsdata to and out of your machines, with excessive speeds throughout.
Battery Life
- Sturdy productiveness battery life
- Beneath 2 hours when gaming
- Just below an hour and a half recharge
The Razer Blade 14 manages its battery in gorgeous style, with our benchmark leading to a rating of 10 hours and 18 minutes. The MUX swap, which turns off the GPU when it isn’t wanted, works deftly right here to make sure that, when productiveness is your precedence, you may comfortably get a day’s work out of this machine.
The RTX 4090-sporting ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) that we’re at the moment testing comes nowhere near that determine, measuring simply 3 hours and 20 minutes in our workplace work-focused benchmark.
In case you resolve to drastically cut back the gaming efficiency the Blade 14 can provide and play some video games unplugged, you’ll discover lower than 2 hours of battery life – which isn’t half unhealthy. Speedy 100W charging is right here by way of Razer’s personal charging cable, which suggests you will get again as much as 100% in below an hour and a half.
Newest Offers
Do you have to purchase it?
You need sturdy mid-tier gaming efficiency in a stunningly designed bundle: In true Razer model, the Blade 14 is an opulent and ultra-portable laptop computer that makes probably the most of what it does have. The QHD show is crisp and shiny whereas the keyboard is one in every of Razer’s finest for a while. The AMD and Nvidia mixture has each drop of efficiency squeezed from it.
You need the best-of-the-best gaming expertise otherwise you care about worth for cash: The Razer Blade 14 sits in a little bit of a no man’s land. It isn’t providing cutting-edge gaming specs, with no RTX 4080 or 4090 possibility and no luxurious Mini LED visuals. However, regardless of not sporting top-end internals, it additionally isn’t a price proposition. It’s a must to have a look at the very best laptops in case you’re in both of those camps.
Verdict
The Razer Blade 14 might be the dream laptop computer for the precise individual, with few flaws within the specs it does provide. The QHD IPS show is sharp and detailed whereas the Blade 14 doesn’t waste any of the efficiency that the Ryzen 9 7940HS and RTX 4060 mixture can present it. The signature Razer high quality is right here too, with a strong and splendid construct in addition to sturdy portability chops.
Nevertheless, worth and selection are the 2 fundamental points right here. Many different gaming laptops provide much more efficiency at an identical or lower cost. It is probably not anyplace close to as moveable or luxuriously designed however the Medion Erazer Deputy X20 with an RTX 4070 is available in at £500 lower than the RTX 4060 mannequin of Blade 14. There’s additionally the likes of the Asus TUF Gaming A15 which, admittedly, presents some lowered specs and efficiency in comparison with the Razer however does additionally provide an RTX 4060 and prices lower than half the value.
Then, there’s its greatest rival, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023). A G14 with the identical specs because the £2499.99/$2399.99 Razer Blade 14 we examined (past a lowered 165Hz QHD panel in contrast with the 240Hz QHD on the Razer) however with the GPU boosted to an RTX 4070 prices £100/$550 much less.
A transparent argument could be made for the Razer Blade 14 when put up in opposition to much less refined rivals attributable to its immense portability and gorgeous design. However, head-to-head, it’s laborious to look previous the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 until you’re already a Razer stan.
How we check
Each laptop computer we overview goes by way of a collection of uniform checks designed to gauge key issues together with construct high quality, efficiency, display high quality and battery life.
These embody formal artificial benchmarks and scripted checks, plus a collection of actual world checks.
We used as our fundamental laptop computer for at the very least every week.
Examined the efficiency through each benchmark checks and real-world use.
We examined the display with a colorimeter and real-world use.
We examined the battery with a benchmark check and real-world use.
FAQs
It comes down to private alternative and necessities. The Razer Blade 15 presents a bigger show and a wider vary of choices in terms of specs, together with higher-powered elements. However, the Blade 14 presents improved portability.
Many could also be delay Razer laptops as a result of excessive value of entry nevertheless it largely comes right down to the high-quality design and supplies used.
Trusted Critiques Check Information
PCMark 10
Cinebench R23 – multi core
Cinebench R23 – single core
Geekbench 5 single core
Geekbench 5 multi core
Geekbench 6 single core
Geekbench 6 multi core
3DMark Time Spy
CrystalDiskMark Learn velocity
CrystalDiskMark Write Pace
Brightness (SDR)
Black stage
Distinction
White Visible Color Temperature
sRGB
Adobe RGB
DCI-P3
PCMark Battery (workplace)
Battery recharge time
Borderlands 3 body fee (Quad HD)
Borderlands 3 body fee (Full HD)
Horizon Zero Daybreak body fee (Quad HD)
Horizon Zero Daybreak body fee (Full HD)
Grime Rally (Quad HD)
Grime Rally (Full HD)
Cyberpunk 2077 (Quad HD)
Cyberpunk 2077 (Full HD)
Cyberpunk 2077 (Full HD + RT)
Cyberpunk 2077 (Full HD + Supersampling)
Returnal (Quad HD)
Returnal (Full HD)
F1 22 (Quad HD)
F1 22 (Full HD)
