Razer has actually signed up with the 18-inch leviathan club with the giant Razer Blade 18 video gaming laptop, whose main market is going to be players looking for a desktop replacement effective sufficient to get near-to desktop performance, but mobile sufficient to take on the roadway.
As one would expect, it’s a superior offering, with some of its numerous merits consisting of a beautiful 18-inch QHD+ display screen with a 240Hz revitalize rate, remarkable choice of ports, extremely decent upgradability, and an elegant, robust style that shares all the trademarks of its smaller equally well-made brother or sisters.
Regardless of these wins, this setup of the Blade 18 proved a little undercooked in the efficiency department compared with some competitors that are also a lot less expensive. It’s most likely not the finest worth option cash can purchase right now.
Searching for more alternatives? Have a look at PCWorld’s roundup of the very best gaming laptops offered today.
Razer Blade 18: Specifications and features
On Razer’s website you’ll discover Razer Blade designs for sale with either an Intel Core i9-13950HX or Intel Core i9-13980HX. The former can be coupled with your option of Nvidia RTX 40 series video card, SSD storage system and RAM, with prices starting at $2,899.99 for the most economical design. There’s just one design you can select with a Core i9-13980HX. It includes an RTX 4090 GPU, 2TB SSD storage and 64GB of RAM as basic, and has a cost of $4,999.99.
If you’re on a budget however still desire a top-of-the-line RTX 4090 GPU, you’ll conserve $500 if you choose the Core i9– 13950HX configuration (my evaluation system’s configuration) with expenses $4,499.99. That’s presuming you don’t discover a much better offer on an 18-inch video gaming laptop with comparable specs elsewhere– which you can currently do.
For example, you can currently get an Asus ROG Strix G18 with 13th Gen Intel Core i9-13980HX processor and RTX 4080 GPU for $2,499.99 from Best Buy. Our benchmarking reveals this laptop computer is a genuine efficiency dynamo too– even regardless of the step-down GPU.
That doesn’t always mark down the Blade 18 as the best laptop computer for you. It’s worthwhile understanding that– right now anyhow– your dollar may go further if you look around.
CPU: Intel Core i9-13950HX
RAM: 32GB DDR5/ 5600 MHz
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
Show: 18-inch, QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 240Hz revitalize rate, 16:10 aspect ratio, 100 percent DCI-P3 color, 3ms response time, G-Sync
Storage: 2 x 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
Ports: 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (supports DisplayPort and power shipment), HDMI 2.1, RJ45 Ethernet port
Networking: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11 ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Weight: 6.80 pounds (3.10 kg).
Dimensions: 0.86 x 10.84 x 15.74 inches.
Battery capacity: 91Whr.
Rate: $4,499.99 at Razer.
Razer Blade 18: Design and build.
I might as well address the elephant in the space right now … last year’s Razer Blade 17 was huge enough for me. With a stunning 17-inch display screen, a large roomy and sensational keyboard, and chassis that I could slip into a backpack, why would I require anything larger? Well, Razer thinks I do, hence this year’s much more enormous desktop replacement, which doesn’t dwarf the Blade 17 however may be big enough to have its step in a fumbling match or 2, something I discovered myself actually making with it.
It determines 0.86 x 10.84 x 15.74 inches to the Blade 17’s 0.78 x 10.24 x 15.55 inches, a size differential that made the Blade 18 a little bit more uncomfortable to perch on my lap or carry around the house. It’s without a doubt the most desktop-bound laptop computer I’ve ever used.
Certainly, if you do occur to be balancing it on your lap and pointer it to one side, you ‘d better hope you’ve got a beanbag or tower of pillows to catch your fall, due to the fact that it’s also extremely heavy. Again, not dramatically more than the Blade 17, it weighs 6.80 pounds to the Blade 17’s 6.6 pounds, however the weight increase has sort of pressed it to the ceiling of what a laptop computer must weigh.
Those little nit-picks covered, lets discuss its benefits, of which it has lots of. Primarily is its fascinating display which in every method is much more impressive than the Blade 17 or the Asus ROG Strix G18 for that matter. It’s not just very big but the whole panel comes framed up with surprisingly thin 4.6 mm bezels. It likewise towered above my 15.6-inch work laptop computer, it’s tall 16:10 ratio panel providing a visual feast really worth enjoying.
Its upgradability is another win. Razer has actually put a great deal of thought into how you might actually want to utilize it like a desktop laptop. Hence inside the chassis you’ll discover 2 slots for RAM expandable to a maximum 64GB DDR5-5200MHz while 2 open M. 2 NVMe areas permit you to update to a maximum of 8TB dual sided SSD, so you can really max storage out, money permitting.
The cooling system is tailor made too, with a specially made vapor chamber that’s bigger than any Razer forefather. This works constantly with a three-fan system that sounds incredibly quiet, even when AAA games are pushing the hardware’s upper limits.
The laptop computer’s styling likewise reveals a massive amount of flair and sophistication, as I’ve come to anticipate from Razer laptop computers. The slick anodized black exterior feels extremely smooth, and the anti-fingerprint finishing works a reward dulling your finger prints so that your device doesn’t end up looking like a farcical polka-dotted accessory after playing.
That timeless razer styling is backed by a decent effectiveness. The entire chassis has been CNC-milled from a single slab of aluminum and it truly shows– the hinges are tight and unyielding, and the base is as tough as a rock. Here, if ever there was one, is a laptop computer that can take any number of bangs, scratches and wallops and will stand up again and once again without breaking.
Razer Blade 18: Keyboard and trackpad.
Like the Razer Blade 17, Razer has actually decided not to build the keyboard out to the complete periphery of the laptop computer’s chassis, leaving a lot of area for generous-sized speaker grilles either side. While that seemed like a lost opportunity in the Razer Blade 17, where the keyboard felt a bit cramped, in the Razer Blade 18 it truly works to make whatever fit well. Indeed, the larger sized keyboard is preferably proportioned, and the almost dime-sized secrets feel almost difficult to miss hit.
The key response is likewise balanced, being neither too mushy nor bouncy, in spite of the keys having rather a low vertical travel. The per-key backlighting looks brilliant too– it flashes green on start-up alluring you with all the possibilities you have to individualize the lighting impacts and colors in Razer’s Synapse 3 software.
That stated, the design is rather conservative. For one there’s no media secrets to speak of, which we’ve seen lately in some competitors. Personally, I would have quickly tolerated smaller sized keys just for a set of dedicated media controls or shortcuts to manage my audio.
Still, you do get larger-sized arrow keys than in the Blade 17, so you’re now a lot less likely to accidently strike Right Shift. This is a very welcome change. The Microsoft accuracy trackpad is also top-notch in every method, as it’s spacious, smooth, and responsive.
Razer Blade 18: Connectivity and audio.
The Razer Blade 18’s generous I/O alternatives easily accommodated my essential devices. I made brief usage of the 3 USB-A ports (that’s one more than you get in the Asus ROG Strix G18) for devices like my Wi-Fi speaker, gaming mouse and a full-sized keyboard, but I still had a USB-C port and Thunderbolt 4 port free for my external SSD and smart device.
On top of that, the HDMI 2.1 and Ethernet ports made my LAN video gaming sessions significantly simpler. They helped eliminate a few of the toing and froing that takes place between pals prior to games begin. For my part, I might simply just say: I’ve got all the ports, so simply hook me up!
The Razer Blade 18 also gets a thumbs up for its Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connection, both these functions are like a modern-day gauge for how well a premium laptop can handle the incorporated connectivity needs and speed requirements players require to truly be competitive. As a result, it was nice to understand the Blade 18 had my back with those things.
On the audio front, the Razer Blade 18 can muster a good noise. In reality, its six speakers (consisting of 2 tweeter and 4 woofers) produce a much more natural sound than you’ll discover in a lot of other laptops. To that end, you can take pleasure in some really decent music, complemented well with clear mid tones, however likewise bass notes and highs that remain real, even at higher volume levels.
Razer Blade 18: Display and web cam.
All Blade 18 designs included a QHD+ (2560 x 1600) display with a 240Hz refresh rate. While fans of 4K might resent the lack of a 4K option here, they really should not be. It’s a premium feature that provides the best balance in between comprehensive visuals and frame rates quickly enough to keep you competitive.
Besides that, the display screen just looks incredible. Regardless of its massive size, which is memorable enough, practically every game I worked on it, Sniper Elite 5 and Green Hell included, all looked like they ‘d had graphics upgrades.
While videos and animations appear eminently smooth, the colors and darks in these moving images likewise look fabulous on the IPS-grade panel. The display screen’s peak brightness level of 500 nits truly does justice to how well the colors pop in stationary images, too. Creators may still desire to look for out a laptop computer with 1,000 nits show for professional design work or image modifying, in which they’re likely to see even more brilliant colors.
A 5MP web cam sits atop the display screen, which in general, does a good task with both video and audio. You will not get the kind of images you ‘d anticipate from a Full High-Definition electronic camera, however, and I did witness some glitching on more than one event. Still for a video gaming laptop computer it’s completely good for simple player chats.
Razer Blade 18: CPU efficiency.
Having currently examined a close 18-inch rival, the Asus ROG Strix G18, the question asked: Could the Razer exceed this efficiency juggernaut? A bargain of testing intended to discover simply that and the result was kind of unexpected.
I sized up my Razer Blade’s Core i9-13950HX CPU versus those from the Strix however likewise from another 18-inch leviathan, the MSI Titan GT77. These are both strong entertainers, each packing Intel i9-13980HX processors, the somewhat zippier cousin to my laptop computer’s CPU. For the actual benchmarking, I ran two basic tests, Maxon Cinebench’s Multi-Threaded benchmark and a custom test that made use of the totally free HandBrake utility.
In the Cinebench standard, the Razer Blade 18 placed 3rd, substantially behind its two 18-inch rivals. However, this result shows its suitability for a series of CPU-intensive jobs like AAA video gaming and video modifying or encoding. It should be said … it’s plainly no match for the Strix or the Titan when it comes to such jobs, both laptop computers nearly doubling the Blade 18’s score.
The result of the HandBrake test is even less lovely. This CPU-intensive test resembles a sprint to the goal showing how well our laptop can keep thermals in check before it requires to throttle performance. While the Blade 18 handled this task with passable efficiency, once again it was seriously topped by both of its primary competitors, as well as a field of older and less powerful laptops.
What do these results imply? Put simply, they suggest the Razer Blade 18’s CPU efficiency, a minimum of in this setup, is a little off the speed of where it must be. While some efficiency differential was to be expected between our laptop and the i9-13980HX carrying 18-inch competitors, it actually should have cleaned the floor with the majority of the older laptops in the field.
As I pointed out previously, you can buy the Blade 18 with a more powerful i9-13980HX CPU, which although we didn’t get to evaluate it out this time may have carried out better. However doing so will cost an extra $500. Considering this design with an i9-13950HX and an RTX 4090 already costs an arm and a leg, any additional cost suffices to make even the hardest players recoil.
Razer Blade 18: Gaming efficiency.
In addition to packing the top of the line Nvidia mobile RTX 4090 GPU in my evaluation system, Razer has actually tuned its Total Graphics Power (TGP) to the optimum 175-watt rate, that made me extremely eager to see simply what it can.
I’ve been fortunate enough to witness the raw power of the RTX 4090 in many laptop computers this year and there’s no doubting its prowess. With 76 ray-tracing cores being one of its gun functions, it’s unquestionably a dream card for players with pockets deep enough to get one and completely ideal for the latest AAA games. Accordingly, here I was more worried about getting a sense of how well the GPU might carry out in the Razer Blade 18 than showing its performance chops.
As you can see in the chart listed below, the Razer Blade 18 tracked the Strix and Titan in the Overall rating classification. This outcome shows the Razer’s GPU is extremely skilled at dealing with the most demanding visual jobs.
