Razer has updated its high-end 14-inch notebook with Maxwell graphics, a brand new Intel processor and double the memory of last year’s model. It’s not all change though, with the machine still offering the same trim build and QHD+ display as its predecessor.
Razer’s gaming laptops are unmistakably high-end, packing plenty of power into slim and attractive aluminum builds. Last year’s Blade marked a significant evolution of the line, offering gamers a 14-inch 3,200 x 1,600 touchscreen display with an impressive 255 pixels per inch. The 2015 update holds on to that headline feature, and adds a significant spec bump.
At the heart of the new system is a 2.6 GHz quad core Intel Core i7-4720HQ processor, backed up by 16 GB RAM (up from the 2014 model’s 8 GB) and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M graphics card, with 3 GB VRAM.
The notebook can be configured with between 128 and 512 GB SSD storage, and there are three USB 3.0 ports on board, alongside an HDMI-out. As this is a gaming machine, it should come as no surprise that the keyboard here is backlit (of the anti-ghosting variety) and offers programmable keys.
The company has also been working on thermals with the update, engineering the system to direct heat away from oft-touched surfaces, pushing it to more remote areas where it can dissipate quickly.
Despite the significant internal upgrades, the new model holds on to its predecessor’s 2.03 kg (4.47 lbs) weight, and comes in at the same 17.8 mm (0.7 in) thickness. In other words, it’s still one of the most portable gaming notebooks out there.
The new QHD+ Razer Blade is available now from the Razer Store, with prices starting at US$2,200 – the same price point that the 2014 machine debuted at. That figure is for the 128 GB SSD variant of the system, with price rising to $2,700 for the 512 GB SSD-equipped notebook.
The company is also offering a lower-end version of the Blade that ships with 8 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD storage, alongside a non-touch 1,920 x 1,080 panel. It ships for $2,000.
You can check out the video below for a look at the new system.
Source: Razer
