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Razer Blade
83
Engadget Review
Razer's second-generation Blade is what we wanted the original to be: fast, powerful, and impossibly thin for a machine in this class. Unfortunately, it's still almost as expensive as ever.
Sean BuckleySeptember 30, 2012
Pros
- Fast and powerfulExcellent build qualitySlim, beautiful designGood battery life (for a gaming laptop)
Cons
- Audio is still lackluster (though it has improved)Switchblade UI has potential, but needs work
View All Critic & User Reviews
Razer Blade
- Critic Reviews (12)
- User Reviews (3)
- 78AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE12 ReviewsArs Technica70A tale of two gaming laptops: The x17 vs. the BladIt just isn't quite the complete package—gamers who insist on the best FPS possible will find cheaper laptops elsewhere, and the same is true of those who want to game but also want something more portable.PC World70Razer Blade review: gaming and only gamingSo if you're a LAN party aficionado looking for something lighter than the usual massive gaming laptops, Razer's Blade is a sleek system that will turn heads. But if you're looking to acquire a thin, light 17-inch laptop as a tool for photography or other general use, you'll want something else.CNET80PC gaming's concept carFaster and better than before, the improved Razer Blade is a better gaming laptop in an impressively thin form, but you're paying for design over practicality.PC Mag80Razer Blade (2012)Slim and sexy, the Razer Blade (2012) laptop offers lighter, more portable gaming, and the innovative Switchblade UI, but it will cost you, both in price and features.AnandTech80The New Razer Blade Thoroughly ReviewedThe new Blade is a far more well rounded system than the original, with the computing power to match its looks and a far more robust hardware (thermal) and software platform to support it.Gizmodo80Razer Blade (Late 2012) Review: Sharper, Better, BIf you are looking for a straight-up gaming rig and don't care about size or looks or weight or practicality or herniated discs, no—god no—you shouldn't buy this. But if you're looking for a laptop that you can use in real life, ... the Blade actually makes sense for you now.Wired70Arcade FireWhile the Blade remains a quirky and wholly unique computing — and gaming — computer, I’m hard-pressed to name a more enjoyable gaming laptop.Laptop Magazine70Razer Blade (2012) reviewWe didn't think it could be done. But Razer has managed to create a highly portable 17.3-inch gaming notebook that delivers remarkable performance for its size .. Just don't expect the same blistering frame rates you'd get from much beefier rigs.Engadget80Razer Blade review (2012)Razer's second-generation Blade is what we wanted the original to be: fast, powerful, and impossibly thin for a machine in this class. Unfortunately, it's still almost as expensive as ever.Kotaku80Razer Blade Mk2: The Kotaku ReviewWhile there's definitely room for the Razer Blade to improve, particularly in the graphics card department, the second generation of the surprisingly portable, seductively stylish gaming laptop is a marked improvement over the original.IGN80Form Over Function, or Both?While there's still work to be done, if each iteration improves this much (and is able to consistently cut the price), we're destined to see Razer become a strong force in computer gaming very quickly.TechRadar90Razer Blade reviewFrom top to bottom, the Razer Blade is a very well-thought out design, and is a joy to use on a day to day basis.
- 87AVERAGE USER SCORE3 ReviewsEngadget Reader90November 27, 2012Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90November 15, 2012Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!This laptop and the retina MacBook are similar but this comes in a one size fits all the MacBook maxed out is 3800 dollars the speed is good enough not great but good enough the display is Beautiful and bright it does get a tad bit gaming but everyday tasks it is fine I don't like the lack of ports but I don't use the optical drive its the lack of a sd card reader that gets me. So all in all do I think it is worth the price tag yes and no. The specs don't match the price but the form factor is crazy for a machine with that kind of power.Engadget Reader80November 15, 2012Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The second-generation Razer Blade is a hard computer to evaluate, in part because it tries to do so much. As a gaming PC, it's comparable to some similar models in its class, with a sharp, full HD 17-inch display, and the power to run most modern games at high frame rates, with some cranked all the way up to the max. However, at $2,500, it's more expensive by a wide margin than some other current gaming laptops, like the Samsung Series 7 Gamer or Alienware M17x, and can't be upgraded with a more powerful processor, extra memory, or an optical drive, like some of its competitors. However, the Blade is also one of the sleekest, best-designed 17-inch laptops ever made, and comparisons with the now-discontinued 17-inch MacBook Pro are apt. At over 6 pounds, it won't be mistaken for a netbook, but it's less than an inch thick, and is positively svelte compared to the M17x's 9+ pounds and 1.75 inches of of thickness.The Blade also boasts something you won't find on any other laptop (other than its first-generation sibling, that is): Razer's Switchblade UI, which consists of 10 customizable keys and an LCD touchpad. The touchpad can double as a secondary display, and built-in keyboard shortcuts let you use it for Gmail, Twitter, and Facebook, among other things. That can be handy if you have to check your mail now, but don't want to leave the game you're playing on the primary display. You can also record macros and customize the keys and display to do just about anything you'd like. And things get even more interesting when you use an app designed to let the Switchblade work directly with a game, such as the Star Wars: The Old Republic Combat Logger, which tracks your in-game health. However, right now, there are only a handful of Switchblade apps available, and some are fairly limited in functionality. Hopefully, as more developers take advantage of the device (which is also available on some of Razer's keyboards, like the $249 DeathStalker Ultimate), that might change. As a touchpad, the Switchblade isn't ideal. The glass surface can feel a little too smooth and slippery, and its location on the right side of the keyboard makes it awkward for lefties like me to use. I kept instinctively moving my hand to the space below the keyboard, where most touchpads are located, and in the end, had to use an external mouse instead. That may not be a big deal, since lots of laptop touchpads are terrible, and it's pretty common to use a decent gaming mouse instead. But it does undermine at least some of what makes the Blade worth considering, especially for lefties.In the end, I'd say the Blade is a beautiful, ambitious laptop that can justify its premium price over other portable gaming rigs thanks to its great industrial design and unique features like the Switchblade. If you want the most powerful (or the cheapest) gaming laptop available, you should look elsewhere. If you want the coolest, and the most portable, you you may not be able to find a better option.
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Key Specs
TYPE
Gaming
SCREEN SIZE
17.322
SCREEN RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
BUNDLED OS
Windows
SYSTEM RAM
81
POINTING DEVICE
Trackpad
VIDEO OUTPUTS
HDMI
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