The 2015 Razer Blade Review
by Brett Howse on February 11, 2015 2:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
- Razer
- Razer Blade
- Notebooks
- GTX970M
System Performance
The upgraded CPU in the 2015 Blade has made a big improvement in processing power. The outgoing model was no slouch, but 400 MHz of both base and boost clocks, and ten more watts of TDP available, the Core i7-4720HQ performs very well. Some may be wondering where the new Intel Broadwell CPUs are, since they have been available since last year. The launch of Broadwell has been very staggered, with the Core M launch at the end of 2014, which are 4.5 watt CPUs, and then the 15 watt dual-core Broadwell U series was launched at CES in January 2015. The higher wattage quad-core parts on the new 14 nm process will not be out for a few months yet. Razer could have stuck with the old 4702HQ model until then, so it was nice to see them offer a speed bump to the 4720HQ at the same price as last year’s model.
So with the speed increase, let us see how the new model performs compared to last year’s model and some other similar notebooks. If you would like to compare the 2015 Razer Blade to any other laptops we have tested, please check out our online comparison tool, Bench.
The new CPU and SSD combination make a good improvement here over the 2014 model. All of the system benchmarks have gone up quite a bit with the increase in CPU speed. The 2014 model was good, and the 2015 model is better. The move to a 47 watt CPU has improved all aspects of the Blade. The LiteOn SSD also squeaks past the Samsung model which was in our review unit last year.
Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi card in the 2015 Blade carries over from last year. This laptop features the Intel Wireless AC-7260 wireless adapter, which is a 2x2:2 card offering a maximum connection speed of 866 Mbps on 802.11ac.
While the card is the same, there have been a couple of driver updates since our last look at the Razer Blade, so the new model scores slightly higher. Wi-Fi performance is good, assuming you have invested in an 802.11ac router. In addition, the Intel card also does double duty as the Bluetooth adapter.
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fokka - Wednesday, February 11, 2015 - link
i don't think the GPU is swappable on a slim machine like this. afaik, MXM is mostly used in configurable machines like clevo and similar brands.JoshHo - Wednesday, February 11, 2015 - link
The module is integrated into the board and cannot be upgraded or replaced.forwardbias - Wednesday, February 11, 2015 - link
Is the temperature test underload? What about normal usage? Idle?Oxford_Guy - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
Under torture-test load, from the sound of itboeush - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
Personally, I don't get the attraction of cramped little keyboard, cramped little screen, too much heat and noise, and not enough battery for way too much money.Maybe if Razor, in their infinite wisdom, deigned to build a 17" model with a full size keyboard and a 980m ... then I'd be willing to consider it.
Oxford_Guy - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
I have a 13" Macbook Air currently, which is even smaller, and don't find the keyboard cramped at all - I think that's a non-issue unless you have huge hands. Also a 14" screen actually offers a reasonable amount of screen real estate for a portable machine. Those 15.6" laptops with numpad keyboards really aren't that portable, which is the point of a notebook!Battery life is even decent in this for a gaming laptop.
Heat and noise *are* still concerns, however...
sviola - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
Razer does have a 17" laptop. It's called the Razer Blade Prohfm - Saturday, February 21, 2015 - link
The keyboard on the Blade is awesome. Not cramped. My guess by your comment is that you're just not the target for their systems. I love it.gtrenchev - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
If it wasn't for the stupid logo :)Seriously Razer, it's just childish and tasteless. The only detail that repels me.
Oxford_Guy - Thursday, February 12, 2015 - link
It's not as bad as Alienware and MSI's gaming machines...