Razer’s ’Blade’ Gaming Laptop Receives Faster Processor, 16GB, GTX 970M
It may look pretty much unchanged on the outside, but there are plenty of changes under the hood with the 4.47-pound, 14-inch Razer Blade gaming notebook. For starters, the amount of standard RAM has been doubled from 8GB to 16GB. In addition, the 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 4720HQ (3.6GHz with Turbo Boost) is a noticeable step up from the 2.2GHz Core i7 4702HQ that was in last year’s model. Unfortunately, fifth generation Intel Core processors aren’t in the cards this time around.
When it comes to graphics, Razer ditched the “old and tired” GeForce GTX 870M for the “new hotness”: a Maxwell-based GeForce GTX 970M with 3GB of RAM. When you aren’t gaming, and find yourself working on more sedate applications, an Intel HD Graphics 4600 IGP takes over graphics duties.
Everything else that you loved about last year’s Razer Blade (and some of thing you may not, like the hideous font on the keys) remain including the 14” IGZO QHD+ display (3200x1800), CNC aluminum chassis, three USB 3.0 ports, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and support for up to 512GB SSDs.
“When we debuted the Razer Blade in 2013, we set the benchmark for gaming laptops – and other companies worldwide have followed in our footsteps,” said Razer co-founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. “We continue to listen as gamer needs evolve and the new Razer Blade again sets the industry standard by which gaming laptops are measured.”
The new Razer Blade will be available starting February 14 from Razer’s online store or from Microsoft Stores. The starting price for the QHD+ Razer Blade is a hefty $2,199, which is the same as last year’s model.
