When CES delivered our first style of this new era of gaming laptops the Razer Blade 16 was immediately the one I wished. Now I’ve bought it in hand, this barely chonkier Blade pocket book is delivering beforehand unseen ranges of productiveness and gaming efficiency in a cell platform, shows some spectacular technical chops, and I am slightly bit in love with it. Although solely slightly bit.
I am getting gaming body charges which can be on par with a desktop RTX 3090 (opens in new tab) graphics card, however with close to 70% lower in energy consumption. That is fairly astounding, and means you are truly going to have the ability to correctly drive the attractive new 4K screens the newest gaming laptops have to supply.
With RTX 3090 energy in a laptop computer, what’s to not like? Because it seems, truly rather a lot.
For one factor there’s the worth. You thought graphics card pricing had gotten uncontrolled, simply have a look at what it is completed to laptops. I’ve not seen a single RTX 4090-toting pocket book retailing for underneath 4 grand. Certainly, the MSI Titan GT77 (opens in new tab) I’ve checked out is nicely over the 5 grand mark.
Take a look at that price ticket, mortal, and know concern.
Frankly, the sky-high pricing permeating each single aspect of PC gaming is beginning to completely devalue the technical achievements which might in any other case be entrance and centre in a next-gen overview akin to this. I need to simply discuss topping 60 fps in just about any recreation you possibly can throw at it whereas operating at high 4K settings; to speak about how astounding it’s that we’re getting real workstation-like efficiency from one thing that appears like a MacBook from the darkish aspect.
As an alternative, have a look at that price ticket, mortal, and know concern. I perceive Razer machines typically demand a premium, however this is not a state of affairs singular to its next-gen laptops. Asus’ Zephyrus M16, which I’ve additionally been testing alongside the Blade 16, has a decrease system spec however continues to be $4,000. And yeah, that MSI…
Then there’s the practicality of jamming this form of high-performance {hardware} right into a cell machine. What I’ll say is that in the event you’re intent on shopping for an RTX 4090 gaming laptop computer, with the newest era of Intel processor inside it, then you definately’re additionally going to wish to ensure you’ve bought the very best noise-cancelling headphones available on the market.
They’re hella loud, I assume is what I am attempting to say.
Razer Blade 16 specs
Blade 16 specs
CPU:Â Intel Core i9 13950HX
Cores | Threads:Â 24 | 32
Increase clock:Â 5.5GHz
GPU:Â Nvidia RTX 4090 (175W)
Cores:Â 9728
VRAM:Â 16GB
System Reminiscence:Â Â 32GB DDR5-5600
Storage:Â 2TB NVMe SSD
Display screen:Â 16-inch
Decision:Â Twin-mode UHD+ 120Hz and FHD+ 240Hz
Worth: $4,300 (opens in new tab) | £4,400 (opens in new tab)
There’s a complete suite of recent Blade 16 gaming laptops, and so they’re prone to find yourself solely changing the present Blade 15 lineup. That is been the stalwart system from Razer’s laptop computer lineup for what looks as if a millenia, however its time is up. I imagine there’s going to be a variety of Blade 15s with RTX 40-series innards, however I might be stunned to see new variations coming round within the subsequent refresh.
That is largely as a result of the Blade 16 is successfully the identical measurement because the 15-inch machine. There are a couple of millimetres right here and there, however in any other case it is the identical footprint. Razer has just about completed away with the bezel across the display, which has enabled it to squeeze a full 16-inch 16:10 panel into the house the outdated 15-inch 16:9 shows would sit.
And that makes it soooo significantly better. I will come again to purr concerning the display some extra, however suffice to say for now I’ve by no means felt this manner a few laptop computer panel earlier than.
The GPU
The important thing spec on this overview machine is the RTX 4090 nestled inside that also surprisingly slight Blade chassis. It is the highest 175W GPU behemoth, too. Whereas Nvidia lists the TGP vary as between 80 and 150W, there’s nonetheless a 15W leeway allowed to producers who want to go all out with the GPU energy draw.
It isn’t, nonetheless, a ‘true’ RTX 4090 within the desktop sense of the title. Nvidia, as soon as extra, is utilizing its nomenclature for the cell GPUs to indicate a {hardware} stack reasonably than to adapt to their relative desktop silicon. It is about lining up with the expertise, Nvidia tells me, to which I counter that can be what result in the entire RTX 4080 12GB unlaunching debacle (opens in new tab).Â
It was the identical with the RTX 30-series, nonetheless, so it is no actual shock the RTX 4090 GPU contained in the Blade 16 is definitely the identical chip as contained in the desktop RTX 4080 (opens in new tab). The very same. Cores, cache, reminiscence, the lot. It is simply down-clocked by a full 1GHz so it isn’t chugging down energy on the identical charge as its desk-bound brethren.
That also makes it an absolute monster of a cell GPU, so possibly Nvidia’s offset lineup would not appear fairly so disingenuous as it would at first look.Â
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The RTX 4090 sports activities the total Ada Lovelace bundle, which could sound slightly Solely Followers, however principally means you are getting all the facility effectivity of Nvidia’s newest 4nm GPU structure and a superb little bit of the efficiency as well. Which means it isn’t one million miles away from the Ampere structure in precise core design, however comes with larger clock speeds than the earlier era and an enormous uptick in L2 cache reminiscence. And that basically makes the distinction in terms of gaming.
Nevertheless it additionally means you get the wonderful goodness of DLSS 3 and Body Technology. That is what makes it attainable to run probably the most demanding video games at 4K on extremely ray-traced settings and nonetheless come out with a playable body charge.
And, personally, I feel Body Technology goes to be one of many largest issues to occur to subsequent mainstream gaming laptops in years. In case you’re sticking to a 1080p display you are arguably not going to wish to use upscaling while you’re then basing it on such a low enter decision, however Body Technology will nonetheless offer you that smoother efficiency with none hit on the visible constancy of a recreation.
For the RTX 4060 and RTX 4050 laptops, that alone might be a game-changer. Although I am nonetheless not solely satisfied about their precise core configurations.
The CPU
The opposite aspect of this workstation-in-disguise setup is the processor, and the Intel Core i9 13950HX is one other silicon monster. Utilizing the newest Raptor Lake core structure you are getting the total hybrid expertise with eight Efficiency-cores and 16 Environment friendly-cores delivering a complete of 24 cores and 32 threads of uncooked processing grunt.
And its promised 5GHz+ clock speeds aren’t simply beauty, both: you’ll truly see the CPU hit 5.3GHz even within the Blade 16’s comparatively slight chassis. Although we’re speaking a few fashionable Intel chip structure that’s heavy on the facility and aggressively toasty on the thermals.
For all the facility and splendour of the Nvidia GPU, it is the Intel CPU which is extra taxing on the Blade’s vapour chamber cooling. And when the processor’s spooled up that’s what’s going to provide the Harrier bounce jet take-off acoustics I’ve grown to detest when gaming on this machine.
RAM and storage
To again up the core spec, with this top-end Blade 16, you get 2TB of NVMe storage (expandable to 4TB with an open x2 slot accessible for upgrades) and 32GB of DDR5-5600 (expandable to 64GB). Of the 5 completely different Blade 16 SKUs Razer has to supply, the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 variations nonetheless ship with a 1TB SSD and 16GB DDR5-5600, so the spec is comparatively excessive throughout the board.Â
As is the worth. At all times again to the worth. The bottom spec Blade 16, with the RTX 4060, nonetheless is available in at $2,700, and we do not but know the way that decrease class of Ada GPU is definitely going to carry out. At simply 3,072 CUDA cores, the RTX 4060 is considerably beneath the anticipated spec of the desktop RTX 4060 (rumoured to be a 4,608 core chip (opens in new tab), the identical because the cell RTX 4070). With the desktop RTX 4060 recommended to carry out across the identical stage as an RTX 3070 Ti, the lower-caste cell model would possibly simply carry out… like an RTX 3060?
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The show
However then there’s this wonderful, barely flawed display. Sure, I really like the panel, however it’s not with out problem. Mainly is the much-vaunted and hotly anticipated dual-mode design. That is the primary UHD+ native display that may additionally successfully be a local FHD+ one, too.
How is that attainable? Effectively, at its most simple the panel combines 4 pixels as one to make up the secondary mode, which ought to present a clearer image than easy interpolation of a better res panel. It does, however solely barely. And never in a approach that will have me satisfied that I used to be a genuinely native 1920 x 1200 show.
It is also tremendous clunky in that you need to both delve into the BIOS or the mysteries of Razer’s Synapse software program to allow both mode, and switching requires a full reboot. Truly, scratch that, do not use the BIOS as a result of that approach lies confusion. The primary time I attempted to modify to the lower-res show mode I used the BIOS technique (entering into that was a trial unto itself—which required plugging in a USB keyboard to really get the machine to register my intention to enter its BIOS). That might have been effective if it wasn’t for the truth that, after I wished to modify again by way of the BIOS, the choice to take action had mysteriously vanished.
I assumed my traditional expertise bricking aura had boned the world’s first multi-screen and was frankly slightly vexed. Fortunately Synapse would not lose sight of the completely different modes.
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I can fortunately go away this panel operating in HDR mode with out it trashing the look of any SDR content material.
So, why would you need such a function? Effectively, I imply, therein lies the rub. If I am compelled into rebooting to take action I actually can not see anybody utilizing it. If it was merely a case of operating a beautiful UHD+ desktop at 120Hz, after which if I need the upper 240Hz refresh the show dynamically switches to present me the choice for its alt-1200p mode, it could then be a neat choice for aggressive avid gamers.
As it’s you have to do a complete lot of handbook work to get to the place you would possibly wish to use the function in a recreation.Â
If it genuinely seemed like a local 1920 x 1200 panel then I might be extra forgiving, however there’s additionally an apparent aliasing and additional fuzziness in contrast with the pin-sharp native 360Hz 1080p panel on the Blade 15 I am testing this next-gen laptop computer towards.
Which is a large disgrace, as a result of that detracts from simply how nice a laptop computer display this 16-inch 3840 x 2400 Mini LED show truly is in its true native mode. It’s simply stunningly good. The 120Hz refresh makes it really feel slick, the additional peak from the 16:10 facet ratio actually provides to the sense of house the skinny bezels and 16-inch of display actual property ship, and it is tremendous brilliant.
It is capable of hit 1,000cd/m² by way of peak luminance and that Mini LED backlight makes all the colors actually pop on this panel. I spent some time delving round in The Witcher 3 once more, with all the brand new pretties enabled, and it seems to be nice on this display. Fairly except for how nicely it performs by way of body charges, it is the element the UHD+ res affords mixed with simply how vibrant these colors look that makes it such an consideration grabbing show.
And that is solely enhanced by the way it seems to be in HDR mode. I do not know why it really works this manner, however I’ve checked out a bunch of Mini LED gaming displays now and so they all appear to have evident native dimming points, that are most prevalent on the desktop, however it’s barely noticeable on the Mini LED laptops I’ve examined. I may fortunately go away this panel operating in HDR mode with out it trashing the look of any SDR content material, and even making the Home windows desktop look an absolute state.
I can simply go away it on and never give it some thought till I boot a recreation which utilises a excessive dynamic vary, and pumps up the vibrancy one other notch or three. That is how I need PC HDR to be, and this display nails it.
Razer Blade 16 benchmarks
In uncooked efficiency phrases this top-end cell configuration is excellent. The body charges we have seen out of the cell RTX 4090 are on par with, and even barely forward of a desktop RTX 3090 graphics card. And that was absolutely the flagship Nvidia GPU when it first launched in 2020.Â
And it was a large graphics card with an enormous cooler, although admittedly not fairly as large because the desktop RTX 4080 this cell chip relies on. The actual fact it is operating a full 1GHz slower on this slim Razer chassis does imply you are not going to match the desktop GPU for body charges, however it’s nonetheless comfortably sooner than something we have seen on the laptop computer aspect earlier than.
1080p gaming efficiency
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Nevertheless it’s attention-grabbing simply what distinction the chassis could make. Each this Blade 16 and the MSI Titan GT77 use the identical 175W configuration of the cell RTX 4090, but the huge MSI laptop computer pulls forward in virtually each benchmark. The bigger laptop computer design and the extra aggressive cooling array (critically, the Titan will get tremendous loud) means the GPU is operating over 200MHz faster on common within the MSI machine.
As with the desktop playing cards within the new RTX 40-series, nonetheless, it is clear that gaming at 1080p isn’t its forté. The cardboard merely will get too bottlenecked by the processor in too many video games for it to be an efficient choice at this decision, and this can be a high CPU, too. You are not all the time going to abruptly bag stellar body charges simply since you’ve dropped down the decision ladder a pair rungs.
Which is simply as nicely it is paired with such an impressive UHD+ panel, as a result of that is what is going to make the GPU sing.Â
1440p gaming efficiency
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4K gaming efficiency
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Though the chassis’ cooling holds the {hardware} again in contrast with the insanely loud MSI Titan, you might be nonetheless getting workstation-class efficiency. The 24-core Intel processor is a gem and posts larger productiveness numbers than both the Zen 4 AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and the Alder Lake Core i9 12900K (opens in new tab)—each severe desktop processors. Then you definitely have a look at the Blender outcomes and the RTX 4090 once more reveals it may bury the desktop RTX 3090 in rendering duties, too.
System efficiency
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However yeah, the Blade 16 does get scorching, and loud. I’ve seen the CPU temps go off the chart (actually on this case) the place it is bouncing off the 100°C limits and throttling again. It is not so dangerous on the GPU aspect, the place it runs at an 82°C max. And in video games I used to be measuring a median temp with the RTX 4090 sitting across the 74°C mark.
Razer Blade 16 evaluation
An uber-powerful gaming laptop computer isn’t a price proposition, however I nonetheless do not wish to really feel like somebody’s taking the piss.
I’m torn over this machine. The model nonetheless actually works for me, even whether it is most positively thicker than its Blade 15 predecessor. I really like the Blade’s unashamed darkish aspect MacBook aesthetic, and I can even admit to being very into that completely big trackpad. Except for the precise feeling of miserable the trackpad’s ‘buttons’ that’s—it simply feels slightly too spongy for my tastes. I need one thing with extra of an outlined click on.
It is not probably the most fantastic typing expertise both. I’ve no problem with the chiclet keys, it is simply I really feel like that further chassis peak feels noticeable in how a lot further strain it appears to placed on the underside of my wrists as I am typing this overview. These sharp edges create a clear look however I additionally actually really feel them digging into my smooth man-flesh.
However the total efficiency, both when gaming or doing one thing extra severe together with your $4,000+ toy, is really spectacular. Sadly that price ticket overshadows the intense generational efficiency leap on provide right here.
There simply is not any a part of me that looks like I might be capable to recover from that preliminary outlay, and get to some extent I felt I might truly bought worth for cash. I do know that an uber-powerful gaming laptop computer isn’t a price proposition within the regular sense of it, however I nonetheless do not wish to really feel like somebody’s taking the piss. And despite the fact that that display can be value the very best a part of a grand as a standalone monitor, and the GPU comes from a nominally $1,200 card, that also leaves me with an additional two grand to justify the remainder of the spec, and that is not figuring out in my head.
And there are components of the expertise which do not feel as premium as the worth suggests. Although that is arguably extra about Intel, Microsoft, and Nvidia than Razer. The switching between built-in graphics and discrete GPU feels janky as all hell. With dynamic switching in play because of the Optimus tech, Home windows can flick between discrete and built-in graphics silicon at will… all it takes is a few clean display intervals, some annoying resizing of home windows, and the occasional time the place one thing resets your decision scaling settings. My eyes are simply not adequate to deal with 100% scaling on a 16-inch UHD+ panel.
And this occurs each time it switches. And each time it looks like one thing’s going to interrupt.Â
Jacob can even need me to say his personal private bugbear; the best way the facility connector would not sit flush with the chassis. It has been the identical in earlier Blades, and I get why it annoys him. However I am keen to present Razer a go right here because it does make it simpler to get buy on the plug when detaching it.
However then there’s the noise. If you wish to hit the benchmark figures posted above you might want to run the Blade 16 in a customized balls-to-the-wall energy mode, which actually spins up these followers. Even in the event you’re simply searching the desktop. Truthfully, I do not suppose I might ever put it in that mode once more whereas gaming, I simply felt a bit embarrassed for it contemplating the noise it was making.Â
That customized mode holds the promise of CPU overclocking sooner or later, nonetheless, and may in flip permit for undervolting of the chip. That might make a large distinction for the noise ranges, and I am trying ahead to testing that sooner or later.
The balanced mode, nonetheless, nonetheless lets you nonetheless hit some spectacular body charges, however holds again the CPU to cease issues going completely jet-turbine loud. Then there’s silent mode which fits additional nonetheless, hobbling the CPU to the purpose the place while you’re gaming it actually does negate a constant gaming expertise. Nevertheless it’s definitely been a extra merciful mode whereas I have been typing away at nighttime, else I may need woken your entire family.
There is a easy key combo to modify between the facility modes, and it’s immediate, which allays a few of my issues about whether or not I may actually use this laptop computer on a day-to-day foundation. Balanced for gaming and silent for the whole lot else, and keep the hell away from monster mode for the sake of your ears and sanity.Â
Fairly easy actually.
Razer Blade 16 verdict
My checking account is empty and my children are asking why daddy’s dancing for pennies behind the Roman Baths.
I feel the RTX 4090 / Core i9 13950HX combo is an excessive amount of for this machine. And I really feel like I’ve mentioned that for each Blade I’ve examined with the very highest spec {hardware} inside it. You can discover GPU options within the Blade 16 lineup, however sadly that CPU is the one alternative you will have. Which is an issue for me contemplating that is what actually will get the followers spinning.
So possibly this is not the Blade 16 for me. However, trying down the stack, I am involved concerning the potential efficiency of the RTX 4060, particularly at nigh-on three grand. So the RTX 4070 model, dead-on $3,000 stands out. The twin-mode display is dropped in favour of a resolutely single-mode 16:10 QHD+ panel at 240Hz. It is not Mini LED although, so possibly I do need the $3,300 model with the identical RTX 4070 GPU however with this gorgeous panel. Can it drive 4K fortunately? I do not know, so ought to I get the RTX 4080 setup? But when I am already spending that a lot, what’s one other couple hundred clams for the top-spec choice?
And on up the vary till my checking account is empty and my children are asking why daddy’s dancing for pennies behind the Roman Baths once more.Â
As a lot as I do charge this machine—and I do have loads of love for big components of it—I could not suggest this model. And till I’ve examined the decrease spec configs, I am unsure I might suggest these both. The shortage of CPU options, the uncertainty concerning the efficiency of mainstream cell Ada chips, and the tremendous excessive price ticket makes me actually really feel reasonably hesitant concerning the vanguard of this new era of gaming laptops.
