The new version of Razer's Blade gaming notebook comes with a brand new feature, a USB-C port which is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and allows the use of the Razer Core external graphics enclosure which you can see below. This is the model that they were showing off at CES, which will allow you to use any GPU that will fit in the enclosure as opposed to the GTX 970M which is in the laptop.
A quick rundown of the specifications are a quad-core Intel i7-6700HQ, 16GB of DDR4-2133, the aforementioned 6GB GTX 970M and a choice between a 256GB or 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD at a price of $2000 or $2200. The integral touchscreen is a 14.0", 16:9 IGZO panel with a native resolution of 3200×1800 and LED backlighting.
Click here to see the full PR and spec list.
IRVINE, Calif. – 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 than ever before.
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.
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.
“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,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “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 will be compatible with the Razer Core external graphics enclosure as part of a beta program upon launch. Utilizing Thunderbolt 3, the Razer Core connects 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
For more information about the Razer Blade, please visit razerzone.com/blade.
Seriously. Get rid of that
Seriously. Get rid of that gtx970m.
With the saved money, it will be better spent on the external gpu!!!
The Problem with this is if
The Problem with this is if you actually want to play games away from home on your “Laptop”.
The 970m is a pretty capable GPU.
I honestly don’t expect the external GPU thing to do very well. You’re asking people to buy expensive laptops, Expensive enclosures and expensive GPUs. At that point they may as well buy an expensive Gsync/AdaptiveSync Display and an expensive keyboard and mouse to make their home gaming experience better.
At that point you should probably just buy/build a desktop and a laptop.
“•Trusted Platform Module
“•Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) security chip embedded”
is the Trusted Platform Module or the UEFI/BIOS going to allow for more than one OS choice. I’d like to have more information on the OS options beyond windows 10 and DX12. I woud like to see Linux/Vulkan options also!
P.S. M$ stop pushing Silverlight in windows update so hard, you turn the update back on as soon as I hide the Damn thing, and I’ll not have that security risk on my hardware!
“a USB-C port which is
“a USB-C port which is compatible with Thunderbolt 3″
Shouldn’t this be ” a Thunderbolt 3 port” ? Thunderbolt 3 only comes as a USB Type C port.
A Thunderbolt 3 port that provides a USB 3.0/3.1 Type C port would be acceptable, but the Thunderbolt 3 already tells us what type of port it is.
Although many of us do know
Although many of us do know this. There are many people who still don’t know what thunderbolt is. Let alone that there are different revisions that use different connectors.
^ That … I don’t assume
^ That … I don't assume every reader here is completely up to date on connections so I try to make it easier to understand even if it might not be a perfectly technical answer
So with these external GPU
So with these external GPU enclosures, are the only compatible with a certain list of GPUs or can you slap any current-gen GPU in there?
If she fits, she sits.
If she fits, she sits.
I’ce never even considered a
I’ce never even considered a Razer laptop, but NOW with that external enclosure it does look very good. Travel with the laptop, and come home to a full GPU.
How about a 17″ 3000×2000
How about a 17″ 3000×2000 resolution (like the microsoft surface thing) 100hz OLED laptop?
that has ONLY a the best current quadcore CPU in it?
with a 512gig SSD?
AND supports external GPU…
….now THATTTTT i`d see appropriate for this price.
The problem here is that once
The problem here is that once again we have a piece of bga filth posing as a high performance gaming laptop. It is a hideous representation and a rip off for consumers.
For those that are not in the know you can buy an older laptop (even the 7 year old M15x will do) and put a full 980M GTX inside. Thats right a fully upgradeable graphics card module inside the laptop just like a desktop.
This amazing piece of technology is called MXM. Been around for a decade. Until recently gaming laptops ONLY had much modules.
You drop $2000 into this trash. I dropped $500 dollars into my old laptop and upgraded it to a 980M. 30% faster than 970M and FOUR TIMES CHEAPER.
Dont be fooled by such soldered on cpu and gpu rubbish that cant be upgraded, serviced or repaired.
Do yourself a favour a buy a Clevo laptop or simply a desktop for gaming.
BGA gaming laptops must die!
Yeah, I agree. This
Yeah, I agree. This disposable dead-end garbage is really pathetic. I cannot believe how many Kool-Aid drinkers go for this crippled soldered compromiser trash. BGA sucks and so many people have no idea what they are buying. Might as well buy a fancy tablet or smartphone… same concept on a larger scale. For $2000 this pathetic machine is grossly overpriced. For a difference in price less than the cost of an average high capacity SSD you can get a fully upgradeable, serviceable and repairable monster laptop that will stomp the life out of it. Having to tether it to an eGPU contraption to get entry-level gamerboy desktop performance out of it doesn’t make a lick of sense. It will be interesting to see how this plays out when Intel figures out they can get away with this engineering abortion and bring the same foolish design to desktop. Playing the silicon lottery will be a losing proposition for everyone when it involves swapping out motherboards instead of simple CPU swapping. And, soldering a GPU (one of the most failure-prone components) to the motherboard is over the top idiotic. Sockets and slots forever… BGA filth deserves to die.
How can these reviews gloss
How can these reviews gloss over the greatest fat elephant in the room to any self respecting laptop enthusiast? I honestly expect more from PCPer.
These components are all soldered into the motherboard and locked down for ever more. They are disposable products, expensive tablets, and should be judged according.
Also tired of being sold how this school boy junk is somehow good because it weighs next to nothing, is thin and let’s me game for 6 hours on a bus at gimp settings. They all need a PSU to function properly. Let’s accept that and start looking how they really perform when the gloves come off.
No enthusiast one with half a brain would buy a $2000+ performance desktop with the CPU and GPU welded down. Why should a laptop enthusiast have to?
I mean really. Is this asking too much?
few things i like to share.
few things i like to share. razor = apple wannabe, super thin = soldered parts, ram, gpu and overheat, restricted TDP. way to buy something that on paper meant to overclock say 3.5ghz, only to realize it runs at 3.5ghz for only 10-15sec because intel restrict it’s TDP, filth BGA silicon.
these mobile cpus are the worst of the worst silicon hence intel limit TDP and throw them in and call them ultra low power chip and can still get away with it making profit.
people who buy razor laptop, not only get this kind of cpu, but ram/gpu are all non-upgradable. if 1 part breaks, you are expected to replace entire motherboard.
Slim thin and light *gaming*
Slim thin and light *gaming* laptops can not provide proper high performance. They are crippled by design… Inadequate cooling and soldered internal hardware must be compensated with a gaming dock now, LOL. Why not use high-performance desktop hardware that are interchangeable than use of a gaming dock that lets you be locked to a permanent place home? Isn’t the meaning with a laptop
Slim thin and light *gaming*
Slim thin and light *gaming* laptops can not provide proper high performance. They are crippled by design… Inadequate cooling and soldered internal hardware must be compensated with a gaming dock now, LOL. Why not use high-performance desktop hardware that are interchangeable than use of a gaming dock that lets you be locked to a permanent place home? Isn’t the meaning with a laptop