By Razer’s Blade 14 (2024) is still a gaming beast in a surprisingly small package. Its design hasn’t altered much from its predecessor, which isn’t necessarily a negative thing—after all, it has been my #1 choice for the finest gaming laptop available for a long time, and this most recent update strongly suggests that it should continue to hold that distinction. The recognizable all-black CNC-milled aluminum chassis is visually striking and robust, and its weight accentuates its high-end construction without compromising mobility.
Thanks to an upgraded AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and the option of an Nvidia RTX 4070 or 4060 GPU, the Blade 14 boasts greater power than before. This arrangement, which is backed by a noisy but efficient cooling system that regulates heat even during prolonged use, easily handles anything from creative demands to intense gaming sessions. The display, which has a 240Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2560×1600, is another standout. It offers fluid images and brilliant colors, which makes it enjoyable for both multimedia consumption and gaming. It does, however, lag behind several rivals in terms of brightness and HDR compatibility.
Excellent keyboard and trackpad functionality allows for accurate control and comfortable typing. To improve both looks and functionality, Razer Synapse software is still a helpful tool for adjusting performance parameters and customizing the RGB lighting. For a gaming laptop, the battery life is respectable at roughly 10 hours of moderate use and much less when gaming or performing intensive work. There are plenty of port options, yet some users may find it annoying as there isn’t an Ethernet connector. All things considered, the Razer Blade 14 (2024) is a great, although pricey, option for anybody in need of a strong, lightweight laptop that can manage nearly anything.
RAZER BLADE 14 (2024): PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Razer Blade 14 (2024) is presently accessible worldwide, with the base model including an RTX 4060 GPU and 16GB RAM costing $2,199.99 / £2,149.99 / AU$3,999. For $2,699.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$5,199, you can choose my review setup, which gets you an RTX 4070 and 32GB of RAM. In all honesty, this is the configuration to acquire. There’s no reason to settle for an RTX 4060 when you’re already spending more than two grand.
Even said, its price does place it at the higher end of the 14-inch gaming laptop market, especially when compared to less expensive options like the HP Omen Transcend 14 and the Asus ROG Zephyrus 14. Additionally, there is the Razer Blade 14 (2023), which is now offered on Razer’s website at a reduced beginning price.
This is undoubtedly one of the most costly 14-inch laptops available that isn’t the MacBook Pro, especially considering the current state of the market for 14-inch computers. Because there isn’t much of a difference between the two Blade 14 models save the processor and additional RAM, the 2023 Blade 14 is perhaps a better option if money is truly tight.
RAZER BLADE 14 (2024): DESIGN
Razer’s dedication to high-quality materials and construction is evident in the Blade 14 model. Its chassis, made from a single metal block, has a reassuringly portable weight and a sleek, sturdy feel. Its appearance is reminiscent of the clean, businesslike look of contemporary ultrabooks, which could fool some people into thinking less of its gaming potential.
The display is a quick 240Hz QHD+ IPS panel that features Calman verification and up to 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut for vibrant, fluid-looking images. Its 3ms response time ensures that the display is as snappy as it gets without the need for tiny LED or OLED panels.
Although the Blade 14’s exterior is quite similar to the MacBook Pro 14-inch, flipping the laptop over reveals two intake fans that aid in keeping the internal parts cool. Fans make noise, of course, and this laptop can get rather noisy when it’s working hard. However, you do have some control over this thanks to the Synapse program from Razer. Because of its top-firing speakers, Razer’s THX audio is another noteworthy feature of the laptop. However, this does reduce the amount of keyboard space available for other features, and on a 14-inch laptop, typing space is limited.
PERFORMANCE
Even while the Razer Blade 14 has an unquestionable aesthetic appeal, you should ultimately want it to perform as well as possible because it’s a gaming laptop, especially given the money you’re spending on it. Thankfully, the Blade 14’s Ryzen 9 8945HS processor and RTX 4070 GPU provide exceptional performance; by utilizing both, it achieves the highest frames per second of any 14-inch laptop we’ve tested this year.
The laptop’s cooling system handles heat rather well for its size, albeit it can get pretty noisy when operating. Given the small amount of space for air circulation and the ability to push the GPU to 140W, the high-performance components do not throttle considerably, which is impressive. This makes it the most powerful RTX 4070 laptop available right now, as evidenced by my testing data.
Ultimately, you will want this laptop to play games at its peak performance and perhaps even function as a portable workstation for frequent high-end design or content creation tasks. That will be easily handled by it, especially if you choose the Mercury coloring.
BATTERY LIFE
Razer promises up to 10 hours of power life with good battery performance—under the correct conditions, of course. Though the laptop does allow rapid charging, which may bring you up to 80% in an hour, intense gaming sessions will drain the battery very quickly, as they do with most gaming laptops. Regretfully, it appears to have a shorter battery life than its predecessor, and in our tests, the only parameter where this average falls short of the 14-inch class average is battery performance.
Nevertheless, the Blade 14’s lightweight design and slender frame allow it to easily transition from one power outlet to another, and the power brick itself is sufficiently portable. Ultimately, since this is a gaming laptop, it’s difficult to deduct too many points because there aren’t many gaming laptops out there that will provide you with all-day battery life.
