Company-producer of computer hardware for gamers Razer launches the third generation of ultra-thin series of gaming laptops Blade, making this time, bet on IGZO-Display Unit with ultra-high resolution. Try to figure out whether it turned Razer using such a solution to beat competitors, and at the same time find out how it feels to play in the resolution 3200h1800 pixels.
Unlike many other laptops, which manufacturers include them in the category of the game just because they installed a discrete graphics card, laptops Razer Blade – really “hard-line” as the manufacturer calls them, gaming devices, charged for maximum performance. At the same time, the emphasis placed on them portability – laptops are relatively light and slim body. Interestingly, the 2014 model was for the company rather experiment than an evolution of the previous version. Actually, in the design and technical equipment changes almost did not happen, just an existing model added ultra-high resolution screen using a matrix formed by technology IGZO.
Appearance
Any device design begins with the packaging, and in this respect Razer Blade immediately declares himself as the device with a claim to exclusivity. Box of the laptop is rather unusual, although at first glance it is not obvious – it is double, and the first, fairly nondescript in appearance, hiding carton carefully protected corners of expanded plastic box in the second branded black and green colors, is directly from a laptop.
Appearance of the Razer Blade can be described as simple and concise as possible. Compared with previous models of the company it is practically not changed – at least the design elements on the body, matt black anodized aluminum, touchpad, almost merging with the color of the front panel, and the only company logo on the top cover, illuminated at power. But in general, the laptop looks, without exaggeration, just awesome, and this impression is reinforced when you take it in hand.
Razer Blade destroys all notions of gaming notebook as a heavyweight and overall device. He’s really thin and light – the size of his body constitute 345h235 mm, thickness – 17.8 mm and the weight is equal to only 2.03 kg with battery. By the way, the size of the power supply at the Razer Blade is also small; it is quite easy and does not take up much space when transporting the notebook. The disadvantages of the design decision model should be attributed rather easily soiled case, which is easy to leave marks on the touch.
Connectors are distributed over the body Razer Blade is conveniently left are placed two ports USB 3.0, a standard audio jack and 3.5mm power connector – wire does not interfere with my work with the mouse, which puts most of the users to the right of the laptop. On the right side is another USB 3.0 port and HDMI.
Set modest, nothing more, but enough to connect all the necessary peripherals. Puzzling only missing memory card slot (by the way, it was not and last year’s model). Present and traditional webcam, located above the display – its resolution is 2 megapixels.
On the bottom panel are rubberized lining, slightly raises the laptop above the table surface, and the air of the two fans needed to cool the processor and graphics accelerator. Despite this decision, unfortunately, with the cooling system was no miracle – Razer Blade gets very hot. If the bottom of the keyboard on the palm rest, the temperature remains within the comfort zone, then to the body below the screen is better not to touch, during heavy heats it very much. But performance is not affected laptop – CPU temperature and graphics chips, though it reaches high values, in general does not go beyond the norm. The notebook remains surprisingly quiet – even two fans at maximum speed sound relatively quietly. When playing in their headphones quiet hum does not interfere, and easily interrupted by integrated sound system.
The stereo speakers are located on the notebook chassis on either side of the keyboard and almost imperceptible at first glance. But the sound they give out quite decent for such a portable computer – the sound is very clear, detailed, with deep bass. Much better from the laptop certainly is not expected, but the general background audio Razer Blade sounds worthy.
Remove the bottom panel Razer Blade is very easy – it will take on a six-slot screwdriver Torx, often used in computer technology. Climb inside, however, is rather pointless, since all components are soldered directly to the motherboard and you can change yourself, except that, SSD-drive.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The company has vast experience in the manufacture of computer peripherals, including keyboards, so that from the Razer Blade in this regard could be expected of a very high quality of performance. So it turned out – the keyboard is almost perfect. It is an island type, without digital block. The key travel is relatively short, but with a good response and precise pressing. Supported and Technology Anti-ghosting, ie while pushing a large number of keys, they recorded no errors.
Corporate software allows you to customize the keyboard user’s needs and create keyboard macros, including key disable Windows. Green key illumination looks good and is regulated in a fairly wide range. Only due to the fact that the English and Russian layouts are highlighted in one color, and the letters on the keys are close to each other, sometimes easy to confuse them for printing.
Touchpad for Razer Blade raises no objections, especially considering that the laptop will soon be used in conjunction with a gaming mouse. It provides precise cursor positioning, works without problems with scrolling and zoom, and a well system recognizes gestures control. Pleased that Razer did not contact fashionable monolithic design of the touchpad and made right and left keys on a separate block. Press them quite comfortably, except that it was possible to make the response a bit more tangible.
Display
The main innovation in the Razer Blade, and along the main “trick” Laptop – is, of course, a huge display with a resolution 3200h1800 points using a matrix IGZO. Transition to advanced technology came in handy for gaming machine: the screen has a very short response time and provides excellent color reproduction virtually devoid of distortion when viewed at a large angle. Reaches maximum brightness 400 cd/m2, so it is easy to read even in bright light. Screen is not only high resolution, it is made even touch. Much practical value it has, but to work on a laptop installed Windows 8 and can thus. Fixation at the screen very thorough, moderately tight loop – display opens quite easily, but very clearly fixed in one position.
If the image quality on the Razer Blade everything is fine with the software point of view, high resolution leads to some problems. The operating system copes with scaling fonts and interface elements at such high resolution, but many programs using their fixed settings, menu often becomes a game of “find the pixel.” Suffers from this, for example, Origin from EA (however, this promise quickly fix), and many other applications.
Hardware Specifications
As the hardware platform for a new laptop in the Razer chose the same processor Intel Core i7-4702HQ, which was the basis for last year’s model and Blade. It is clocked at 2.2 GHz and can accelerate to 3.2 GHz mode TurboBoost. But the graphics system has been upgraded to GTX 870M from Nvidia with 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on board. The amount of RAM is fixed at 8 GB DDR3L-1600. A wide variety of complete sets from Razer Blade is not provided, the laptop versions differ only by the SSD-drive – from 128 to 512 GB.
Filling the laptop is certainly very powerful, but a large screen resolution – it is a serious challenge for all hardware systems. And in most games at the highest resolution and highest settings graphics performance is not enough. Special problems with the number of frames per second were not only in the “undemanding” games: BioShock Infinitu and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim showed about 30 frames per second (fps). Battlefield 4 and Crysis 3 with these settings barely approached the threshold to 15-18 fps. In multiplayer Guild Wars 2 Planetside 2 and the situation was even more pitiable – a large number of dynamic objects in sight turned the game into a slideshow. But with the decline in the quality of graphics, or with reduced resolution up to Full-HD, most of the problems with low frame rate disappear as if by magic – the frame counter even in difficult games passes for 30-40 fps.
In its basic configuration it comes with one SSD-drive capacity from 128 to 512 GB, while most competitors offer solutions SSD + HDD with much more free space.
As for battery life Razer Blade, it is, so to say, was quite unexpected. It would not have wanted to get a gaming laptop with good autonomy – still slim body and light weight portability suggest – charging will carry forever. Even without games Blade on a single charge lasted just over four hours, minimal setup and shaded screen allows you to stretch them to 5-6, but this is the maximum for which he is capable. In gaming mode, the laptop is running, in the best case, one hour.
Operating System and Software
Razer Blade is running the operating system Windows 8.1 and is not burdened with additional software that must be attributed to its positive aspects. Company predustanovit it only program Razer Synapse 2.0, which allows you to save certain settings proprietary technology in the cloud and ready to load the configuration options. On the laptop, it allows you to configure keyboard macros for games, and for the system functions. With the Razer website and can be downloaded free software for VoIP, sound emulation for 7.1 stereo headphones and speed up computer games.
Total
Undoubtedly, Razer Blade – one of the best laptops available on the market today. It has everything: high power full game station, portable Ultrabook (except battery life), the screen with stunning image quality and good design.
Test gaming laptop Razer Blade 14
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