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Disappeared for a while in favor of larger formats, the Razer Blade 14 is making a notable comeback among fans of dedicated compact laptops to the game.
A format which comes with technical challenges such as heat dissipation on a machine whose configuration has nothing to envy of that of its big brothers . We tested the 14-inch machine in stationary as well as portable use, and here is our opinion on it.
The Blade 14 of 2024 is now available already available on the market. It is possible to choose between the color black or mercury, as well as several configurations.
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Here, the link leads to the exact version we used during of our test, and of which we will detail the technical characteristics just below. It is priced at 2999 euros.
| Razer Blade 14 | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 14 inch IPS QHD+ 240Hz, 2560 x 1600, Anti-glare matte finish, Factory calibrated |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS |
| RAM< /td> | 32 GB DDR5 600 MHz (2 x 16 GB, slotted), Upgradable to 96 GB |
| Graphics card | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) |
| Storage | 1TB SSD (M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4) |
| Connections | 2 USB 3.2 Type A Gen 2 ports 2 USB4 Type C ports with power delivery and Display Port 1.4 via iGPU |
| Network < /td> | Qualcomm® NCM865 Wi-Fi 7, 2×2 Tri-Band WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be, Bluetooth® 5.4 |
| Audio | THX® Spatial Audio Integrated Stereo Speakers |
| Battery | Built-in rechargeable polymer battery 68.1 Wh lithium-ion battery
230W GaN power adapter Supports charges with 20V USB-C chargers with PD 3.0 (100W) |
| Weight/Dimensions (mm) | 1.84 kg/17.99 mm x 228 mm x 310.7 mm |
In recent years, the Razer Blades have seen little evolution in terms of design, this one already being particularly successful. Now in 16:10 format, our test Blade is in its black version knowing that there is also a “mercury” version which looks too much like the Apple laptop PC for our taste.
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To stand out, Razer has added its logo on the hull, this one being luminous at leisure. What we still like about the Razer Blade is the use of a single block of aluminum making it a laptop that is as solid as it is aesthetically pleasing.
We will appreciate new features in this year's edition such as removable RAM, a mechanical lens cover for the webcam, and a larger trackpad.
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The Blade 14 is a pleasure to use on a daily basis, the format being ideal for carrying it around, the trackpad offering excellent glide and the keyboard a good typing experience.
With its weight of 1 .8 kg, it is not the lightest in its category, but that is rather logical given its muscular configuration. It will still be done all the same quickly forgotten in a backpack.
It's when you start to mention the screen that things get bad. At a price starting from 2499 euros, we are entitled to expect an OLED panel not ? Well not for Razer, who preferred choose an IPS panel for the benefit of a higher refresh rate at 240 Hz.
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When we compare the Blade to its main competitor the Asus Zephyrus G14, we regret that unlike the latter, the Blade did not choose the route of the OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. There's probably some room for advantage here in the most competitive games, but that's a regrettable decision when it comes to everything else.
Luckily,the IPS panel here is excellent, and the factory calibration makes this one so flattering to the eyethat the choice is not prohibitive, the screen also benefits from an anti-reflective filter which in no way distorts the finesse of the display. Finesse which is acquired by a QHD+ resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.
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Regarding the speakers of the Razer Blade 14, they are fortunately located on the sides of the keyboard, with grilles on the upper part. Most current laptop PCs, for reasons of space or aesthetics, now place the speakers and their grille on the lower part of the laptops, for a rather hazardous result. Here, the Blade 14 offers more than enough power for the purpose of watching a film accompanied, even if we regret a lack of bass, which is characteristic of this kind of machine.
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We will therefore prefer to use the PC jack or even Bluetooth in order to to enjoy a better sound experience using headphones, which anyway represents the most common use among gamers, for whom the Razer PC is intended.
In terms of performance, the 14” Razer Blade shows that it has it in the stomach< /strong>. Our test version is equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor, a GeForce 4070 as well as 32 GB of RAM< /strong>, making him a real competition machine for his format. Here are the results we obtained with it using a 3D Mark benchmark:
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In game, we wanted to test the Blade's capabilities on a particularly demanding game such as Cyberpunk 2077 with Ray-Tracing activated. On average we get 64 FPS with drops not going below 58 FPS, and peaks at 105 FPS. Quite impressive for a machine of only 14 inches, knowing that we are playing here in the Blade's native resolution in QHD+.
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For the most competitive among us and in order to fully benefit from the refresh rate of 240Hz of the IPS panel, we have tested the Blade on Counter Strike 2. Once again in 1600p, we obtain on average 208 FPS with drops which do not exceed 122 FPS, and peaks at 233 FPS using the NVIDIA app's optimal settings (high presets).
With the NVIDIA Optimus which intelligently alternates between the integrated graphics card and the dedicated one, the Blade maintains its autonomy in lighter use, where it also excels with the help of its AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor.
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Overall , the sound of the fans does not exceed 55 decibels, which remains acceptable given the performance of the machine. The temperature felt in the places where our hands rest while playing is only very smallon the Blade 14, with the heat being directed towards the rear of the chassis.
When a laptop is primarily dedicated to gaming, you should never expect a exceptional autonomy. Here, the Razer Blade 14 is an exception by offering above-average autonomy with excellent battery management.
Thus, when used in office only with the screen brightness at 50% and the keyboard brightness at 100, the Blade 14 lasted 6 hours before running out of steam. An honorable autonomy for a PC which obviously is not really intended to serve as a conventional work computer.
Our tests, on the other hand, revealed < strong>a rather long charging speed of an hour and forty to go from 5 to 100% battery. Let's talk about the power supply, this one is 17 cm long, 7 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick. It is therefore relatively easy to carry it in a backpack, even if an alternative exists for it.
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Indeed, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that it was entirely possible to charge the Blade 14 using the USB-C ports located on either side of the PC. So, if you plan, for example, to keep office or video use without needing all the power of the computer, it is perfectly possible to carry only one charger to charge it as well as your smartphone. , thus reducing the weight and bulk of the whole.
If it is not exactly designed for office use, its compact size and this possibility of 'using a simple USB-C charger still makes it a good work companion.
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With the possibility of changing the RAM, its 16 format screen: 10, and its 4070, Razer's Blade 14 is making a comeback on the 14” market dedicated to gaming.
With its new trackpad, the smallest Blade is particularly pleasant to use, and its surprising autonomy of 6 hours in office as well as its possibility of charging with a USB-C adapter make it a good work companion .
Relatively light with a compact format, it nevertheless remains particularly powerful. On the other hand, we will regret its price of 2999, which once again seems excessive as Razer is all too accustomed to doing concerns its PCs.
It is thus difficult for the Razer Blade 14 to face the Asus Zephyrus G14, certainly having 16 GB of RAM (soldered) less, but an OLED panel and similar characteristics for a price of 300 euros lower.
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