I typically don’t pre-order games, but my eagerness to play Starfield led me to make an exception. I paid extra for the privilege of playing the game five days early, but I had a problem—I would be away at a convention during those crucial five days. Fortunately, the Razer Blade 14 laptop came to my rescue.
WIRED
- Stunning screen
- Powerful RTX 40-Series GPU
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
- Abundance of ports, including USB-A and USB-C
- Full-size HDMI output
- USB-C charging, with an optional proprietary charging block
- Remarkable display quality
TIRED
- Noisy fans, especially during graphics-heavy gaming
- Generates significant heat
- Charging block is large and cumbersome, though not always necessary
- Starting price of $2,400
Razer’s latest gaming laptop is equipped with AMD’s powerful Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, Nvidia’s RTX 40-Series GPU, and up to 32 GB of RAM, delivering a performance powerhouse capable of handling even the most demanding games. This was precisely what I needed to enjoy Starfield on the go.
Portable Powerhouse
Every aspect of the 14-inch Razer Blade exudes premium quality. The aluminum chassis is both robust and elegant, featuring a spacious and responsive trackpad. Conveniently, there are USB-A and USB-C ports on both the left and right sides of the laptop, making it easy to connect peripherals wherever you set it up.
While the Blade can charge via USB-C, its high-performance components demand more power than a standard charging block can provide. Hence, the laptop comes with its proprietary charging cable and a substantial power block that resembles the size of a console. If you intend to use the laptop while it’s charging, the hefty power block becomes a necessity, which can somewhat impact portability. However, for idle charging, USB-C suffices.
During my testing, I rarely found myself concerned about battery life. The Blade 14 is equipped with a 68.1 watt-hour battery, and Razer claims it can provide up to 10 hours of battery life for a full day of work or play. While gaming on the powerful RTX 4070 graphics card naturally reduces this duration, I managed to enjoy several hours of gaming without worrying about battery life.
Luminous Luxury
The laptop’s display deserves special mention. The Razer Blade 14 boasts a 16:10 IPS display with a high-resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. The slightly taller aspect ratio subtly enhances the gaming experience, akin to switching to IMAX for every scene in a movie.
The nearly bezel-less screen is exceptionally bright, even at 30-40 percent brightness, which is usually more than sufficient. The outstanding contrast ratio contributes to its exceptional performance. Despite its capability to emit nearly 500 nits of brightness, the screen delivers deep black levels, making it appear to disappear in a dark room during darker scenes.
Color reproduction on the screen is equally impressive, covering 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, resulting in incredibly vibrant colors. In fact, the screen’s quality was so high that I only later realized that Starfield’s color grading left much to be desired.
Upon returning home, I switched my Starfield gaming sessions to another PC, but I couldn’t help missing the Blade’s 14-inch screen. While it may seem small for a gaming laptop, the luxurious display made some of my favorite home monitors feel inferior.
In addition to its impressive qualities, the laptop offers a 240-Hz screen refresh rate, providing a noticeably smoother experience, particularly during fast-paced gaming sessions.
Noise and Nuisances
Despite being a stunning gaming powerhouse, the Razer Blade 14 has its minor drawbacks. The laptop’s fans, essential for preventing overheating, can be quite noisy, especially during GPU-intensive gaming sessions. While the noise doesn’t become unbearable, it’s noticeable.
Speaking of heat, if you plan to carry the laptop in a bag, you should consider adjusting power settings during transport. During my travels, I played a game for a while, closed the laptop, and placed it in my bag. When I retrieved it later, the laptop was quite hot to the touch, although not to the point of causing burns. Nevertheless, it highlights the importance of handling the laptop with care, given its powerful components.
The primary concern for many potential buyers is likely to be the price. The Razer Blade 14 starts at $2,400 for the model with the Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and 16 GB of RAM, and goes up to $2,800 for the 4070 model with 32 GB of RAM. This price may come as a shock to some, especially when compared to similarly configured alternatives like the Asus Rog Zephyrus G14, which starts at $1,850. While there are differences between the two, such as the lower screen refresh rate and the absence of a 4070 option, waiting for a sale is a reasonable choice for budget-conscious buyers.
