Razer Blade 15 (2021) in review: one step ahead
A TEST REPORT from Nils Ahrensmeier 
on March 09, 2021, 13:03 pm | Write a comment
With the Razer Blade 15 (2021), Razer wants to eliminate the errors of the last generation and bring the ultimate gaming notebook to the market. We tested the laptop for you.
The design of the 2021 version has not really changed. It is a "normal notebook" with a completely black frame. Only the green Razer logo on the back and the green USB-C ports are nice accents in the design.
Like the 2020 version, the laptop is made of high-quality aluminum and therefore feels very high-quality. The speakers are on the edge of the keyboard, and the power button is almost inconspicuous in the right speaker.
The workmanship is very successful, the notebook looks very minimalist and feels flawless. With a weight of two kilograms, the laptop is not light, but considering the hardware used, it is almost unbelievable. As I write this article, I keep looking at my large desktop computer, which is a lot bigger and still has poorer components.
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- The design of the Razer Blade 15 2021 is very classic and minimalistic. (Image: TechnikNews)
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- The back of the Razer Blade 15 2021 is also very classic. (Image: TechnikNews)
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Razer Blade 15 display
The "basic model" we tested has a 15,6 inch (hence the name Blade 15) display, which in our configuration has a Full HD resolution of 144 Hz. This was particularly helpful for fast computer games such as Overwatch, CSGO or PUBG, as the games could be displayed much more smoothly in order to react quickly. Ghosting is therefore not a problem, but even outside of computer games, content such as films or websites ran smoothly on the display. Professional video editing or Photoshop are also possible, but if you want to do this in 4K, you have to go for a different version with a 4K or QHD display.
The display of the Razer Blade 15 varies from version to version. (Image: TechnikNews)
Games look very good despite "only" full HD resolution. Sure, gaming is a different experience on a large 27-inch display with 4K, but Full HD is also sufficient on a smaller display. Together with the new one RTX 30s Series (in my test device the RTX 3060 Mobile), new blockbusters like Cyberpunk 2077 are no longer a problem and look very good on the display.
Specs
The basic version of the Razer Blade 15 uses a 6-core processor from Intel's 10th generation, specifically the "i7-10750H". We would have been happy to have an option with an AMD CPU, as these are also popular with gamers and would currently also offer advantages such as Thunderbolt 4, even if they are currently very available. But Razer missed this opportunity.
A 512 GB M.2 SSD is preinstalled as storage, another slot can expand the SSD up to 4 TB. Also with the 16 GB DDR4 RAM, this can be increased to 64 GB. If you prefer to work with external storage, you can connect it via Thunderbolt 3 via USB-C, or via USB-A to one of the three USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports. Another USB-C port supports the currently second fastest standard USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB 3.2 Gen 2 × 1).
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- The power button sits in the speakers, almost invisible. (Image: TechnikNews)
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- On the right side there is an HDMI, two USB-A and a USB-C port. (Image: TechnikNews)
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- On the left side there is a Gigabit Ethernet, a USB-A and a USB-C port. (Image: TechnikNews)
Economical performance
We were not allowed to perform exact benchmarks because our test device still has a PVT (Production Verification Testing) model. This means that the device is not yet a finished production model and therefore the benchmarks do not reflect the finalproduct would correspond.
What I can say, however, is that the notebook had no problems with 4K video editing, complex games such as Cyberpunk 2077 or with ultra details in “Overwatch”. The device finally reached its limits with 4K resolution in Cyberpunk and an external monitor. I was able to measure times during my video editing: 4K video with 30 frames pro Second, video length is 8:34. The notebook needed 12 minutes 45 seconds of rendering time for this. Even more complex Photoshop projects were no problem for the laptop. With Cyberpunk, however, the device became louder and warmer even with the fan. Here, I would use an external keyboard for stationary gaming so that I don't have to endure the heat all the time. But that could also be due to the PVT model.
The basic version also has a Gigabit Ethernet connection as additional connections (in addition to the USB ports), and an HDMI 2.1 connection has also been installed. A 3,5 mm jack connection is also available for headsets.
Keyboard and touchpad
Nothing has changed on the keyboard and the touchpad compared to the last basic model, but in the "Advanced model" that was tested last year, every single key could be illuminated with RGB, with the basic version it is only one area. Otherwise, the keyboard is very high quality, it is very easy to type with and the RGB lighting also helps when typing in the dark.
The keyboard feels very high quality, the touchpad reacts quickly. (Image: TechnikNews)
The touchpad is still very large and precise. I also caught myself several times that I preferred to use the touchpad rather than my mouse, as some inputs just went better with the touchpad.
Razer Blade 15 webcam
Since last October, the external circumstances have changed again to the extent that I sat in many video conferences during my test period and accordingly the webcam in the laptop became more important again. This has a resolution of 1MP and can display a maximum of 720p. I expected more here. You can expect a full HD webcam in a notebook that is almost 2.000 euros, and that will also be one of my main points of criticism. But despite the 720p webcam, the other participants in the conversation could see me well. It's just not in line with the price.
The webcam is one of the bigger criticisms. Here is a picture with the camera. (Image: TechnikNews)
Battery and speaker
In terms of battery life, I was able to measure around 5 hours of pure office use and around 2 hours of intensive gaming. However, the included mains plug with 230 watts fully charges the laptop in about 2 hours. The speaker is loud and can also be used to listen to music. Also movies and YouTube videos are fun for musicproNevertheless, loudspeakers or headphones should be used for production.
The speakers on the Razer Blade 15 2021 are very good. (Image: TechnikNews)
Razer Blade 15 (2021) conclusion
The Razer Blade 15 base model in 2021 takes the Razer Blade series one step further. It simply shows what computing power is already possible in a notebook. But this also has its price. If you just look at the hardware and then let the price of 2.000 euros melt on your tongue, you think you're making a bad deal. But with the Blade 15, you mainly pay for portability and then the suggested RRP is a fair price. You can start at 1.799 euros. You don't get that much computing power in a comparatively light and thin device. If you are more interested in a 4K model, you can take a look at the Blade from last year, I will have the Advanced Edition in October tested.