Razer’s ‘Blade’ 14-inch Gaming Laptop is Faster and more Capable
Razer, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today announced its new Razer Blade gaming laptop. The Blade’s specs have been improved across the board from its predecessor, and it is now more affordable..
Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO talked up the work Razer has been doing to make their hardware more affordable,
“We are getting much more aggressive as far as price point, but that hasn’t come at a cost to the performance or design of the Razer Blade, We’ve improved nearly every aspect of the 14-inch laptop, from CPU and GPU performance to system memory and port selection. Chroma technology unlocks an unprecedented, immersive experience on a gaming laptop.”
The new Razer Blade houses the latest 6th generation Intel Core i7 quad-core processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M GPU with 6 GB of VRAM. PCIe SSD technology offers up to three times faster speeds than traditional solid-state drives. Killer Wireless-AC is included. All models will feature 16 GB of DDR4 dual-channel RAM.
All Razer Blade models also come with a stunning 3200×1800 QHD+ display. The laptop remains 0.70 inches thin, but now weighs only 4.25 pounds, making it even more portable than previous generations. The screen and internals are housed in a CNC-milled aircraft grade aluminum chassis.
The Razer Blade – following Razer’s Blade Stealth Ultrabook – will be the second laptop in the world equipped with individually backlit RGB keys. Millions of color options for the anti-ghosted keyboard are available thanks to Razer’s Chroma technology.
In Non-Fiction Gaming’s Poll of the week we asked readers, ‘Who Makes the Best Gaming Peripherals?’ Razer was considered up the top with SteelSeries and Logitech.
Razer Chroma
All Razer Chroma products, which include mice, keyboards, headsets and a mouse mat, feature 16.8 million customizable colors and a range of effects such as spectrum cycling, breathing, reactive and more. Lighting effects are enabled through Razer’s Synapse software that allows synchronizing lighting colors and patterns between Chroma devices with the click of a button.
An SDK is available for developers to integrate Chroma lighting effects in-game. It is already supported by AAA game titles, including Call of Duty, Dota 2, Overwatch and Blade and Soul.
The Razer Blade gaming laptop will follow the Razer Blade Stealth’s direct-to-consumer pricing model to keep costs down. Previously at $2,399 for a QHD+ display, the new Razer Blade now starts at $1,999.
The new Razer Blade will be compatible with the Razer Core external graphics enclosure in the near future. Utilizing Thunderbolt 3, the Razer Core will connect to the Razer Blade, providing desktop-class graphics and additional connectivity such as USB 3.0 and Ethernet. Thunderbolt 3 provides remarkable connectivity via the Blade’s compact USB-C port at speeds of up to 40 Gbps, the fastest, most versatile link to any dock, display or data device.
Pre-orders for the Razer Blade will start today on RazerStore.com. Units will ship in April. Further retail availability will be announced later this year.
Price:
U.S. $1,999 – 256 GB PCIe SSD
U.S. $2,199 – 512 GB PCIe SSD
Availability:
Razerzone.com – Pre-order March 15th, ships in April
Product features:
- Intel® Core i7-6700HQ Quad-Core Processor (2.6 GHz / 3.5 GHz)
- NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 970M (6 GB GDDR5 VRAM)
- 16 GB Systems Memory (DDR4, 2133 MHz)
- Windows® 10 64-bit
- 256 GB / 512 GB SSD (PCIe M.2) options
- 14.0-in. IGZO QHD+ 16:9 Ratio, 3200×1800, with LED backlight, capacitive multi-touch
- Anti-ghosting keyboard with per-key lighting Powered by Chroma
- Killer™ Wireless-AC 1535 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth® 4.1)
- Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB-C™)
- USB 3.0 port x3 (SuperSpeed)
- HDMI 1.4b video and audio output
- 3.5 mm headphone/microphone combo port
- Built-in webcam (2.0 MP)
- Built-in stereo speakers
- Array microphone
- Dolby® Digital Plus Home Theater Edition
- 7.1 Codec support (via HDMI)
- Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) security chip embedded
- Razer Synapse enabled with programmable keyboard, trackpad, backlighting, and fan control
- Kensington™ security slot
- Compact 165 W power adapter
- Built-in 70 Wh rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery
- Approx. Size: 0.70 in. / 17.9 mm (Height) x 13.6 in. / 345 mm (Width) x 9.3 in. / 235 mm (Depth)
- Approx. Weight: 4.25 lbs. / 1.93 kg
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