Razer unveiled its new Razer Blade 14 at E3. With this, Razer aims to offer not only the “thinnest” but also the “most powerful 14-inch notebook in the world.” MeinMMO has taken a look at how the notebook is rated.
With the Razer Blade 14, Razer claims to have introduced the “thinnest” and the “most powerful 14-inch notebook in the world.” The most expensive version contains a Ryzen 5900 HX and a mobile version of the GeForce RTX 3080.
Prices start at $1799 (€1999) and go up to nearly $3000. The cheapest configuration comes with an RTX 3060.
By now, the first people have been able to test the new Razer Blade 14 with AMD processor. And the initial experiences are quite positive. However, there is also criticism of the new device, especially regarding a possible upgrade of the RAM.
MeinMMO has reviewed the first impressions and experiences of users regarding the new Razer Blade 14 and summarizes them for you in this article.
IGN: Powerful 14-inch laptop, but noisy under load
Nico Rego from “IGN Middleeast” has already been able to test the new Razer Blade 14 (via me.ign.com). In his review, Rego praises especially the good and sleek design of the laptop.
There is also praise for the good display. Colors look nice, and games, movies, and videos look crisp. The keyboard is also a good companion for everyday use.
In idle mode, the device is quiet and calm, but under load, the fans ramp up and can become uncomfortably loud. The battery life is around 9 hours, which is acceptable.
Criticism mainly arises for the lack of an Ethernet port. While the tester explains he had no issues gaming online, he still recommends an Ethernet dongle for the best gaming performance. Nico Rego is not very impressed with the built-in camera. The image is very grainy and hardly usable without additional lighting.
Reddit is buzzing with discussions about the new Razer Blade 14
Reddit users are also discussing the new gaming laptop (via reddit.com). The tester from IGN had offered to answer user questions on Reddit. Here, some users, who have also purchased the device, are chiming in.
However, on Reddit, you should note that these are not professional testers and you should take their statements with caution.
What about the battery life? Many are pleasantly surprised by the battery life of around 9 hours. Some had expected significantly worse battery lives for a gaming notebook. 9 hours of battery life for web surfing, YouTube, emails, and writing is a reasonable duration.
What about the RAM? Some on Reddit are disappointed with the limited RAM. Both the Razer Blade Stealth and the Razer Book also utilize a 16-GB configuration.
What about the display? There are also several questions about the display. The tester responds that he is mostly satisfied with the display:
The screen is pretty decent; you won’t get Macbook brightness or clarity, but overall, it’s not a bad panel if you want to work or play. The matte finish can be a bit frustrating when a bright light source shines at an angle, but otherwise, it works well. Unfortunately, I have no way to measure nits, otherwise, I would have.
theregos (via reddit.com).
How loud and hot is the gaming laptop? In idle mode (writing, browsing), the device’s fans are barely noticeable and not disturbing. However, during gaming, the temperatures rise significantly:
Maximum temperatures while gaming were CPU at 88C, GPU at 76C. I checked both in the BIOS and in the Radeon settings and couldn’t find a way to allow only the dedicated GPU [DGPU].
theregos (via reddit.com)
In another Reddit post, there is criticism regarding the temperature (via reddit.com). Under load, the device gets very hot and loud. However, the high temperature can be reduced by turning off the CPU turbo boost or undervolting the processor.
I know some won’t like the idea of turning off the CPU turbo boost, but without the ability to undervolt the processor, it will be difficult to keep [the laptop] cool.
prHat317 (via reddit.com)
Dave2D: Slim device, but with too little RAM
YouTuber “Dave2D” (via YouTube.com) has also had the chance to try out the laptop. He describes the device as a well-equipped package that offers a lot of power in a slim case.
Dave2D criticizes mainly the decision to solder the RAM. While it saves space, this is a poor decision for users who want to upgrade later. There is also criticism that Razer does not offer a 32-GB configuration out of the box.
Matthew Moniz: Strong competitor to the ASUS G14
YouTuber “Matthew Moniz” compared the new device with the ASUS G14 (via YouTube.com). In his preview, the YouTuber praises the good display, which offers nice colors and decent brightness.
However, Moniz only has a prototype, so he cannot perform performance tests. The ASUS G14 offers similar performance but is slightly lighter (1.63 kg vs 1.72 kg). While Moniz only has a prototype, he explains in his video that you should watch his review of the G14: “If you watch my review of the G14, you can imagine the performance.”
The hard drive and the Wi-Fi card can be replaced in the device, but he is not satisfied with the soldered RAM.
The biggest criticism of the Razer Blade 14 remains the RAM
This is the testers’ opinion: Overall, all testers are quite impressed with the new Razer Blade 14. You get plenty of power in a slim device. The device is compact and easy to take with you.
The device offers a vibrant and bright display and impressive gaming performance. The price is quite reasonable for the hardware if you are willing to pay over 2000 euros for a gaming laptop.
However, there is also criticism: Some YouTubers like Dave2D complain that you cannot expand the 16 GB of RAM and that Razer does not offer a configuration with 32 GB. The poor webcam, which is unsuitable for streaming, and the missing Ethernet port are also criticized.
The best gaming laptops presented at CES 2021 are also featured on MeinMMO.
