Razer Blade 15 (base model, i7-8750H, GTX 1060) review: the gaming laptop with decent power

Razer is known for its gaming accessories. But that's not all - the US company also has laptops on offer. Your own laptops are called "blades". I tested the basic model of the Razer Blade 15 for a few weeks for you.

Gaming on the go is becoming increasingly popular. Not everyone wants to buy a PC for the exclusive use of their own four walls. For this reason, various manufacturers have discovered the need for gaming notebooks - many now also offer such a model. The Razer model also caught our eye, especially because of its more inconspicuous nature and thinner construction. Other gaming laptops usually have a very thick case and a striking "gaming design". We took the chance, and after that Razer Blade Stealth (2019) now also tested the Razer Blade 15.

The Razer Blade 15 in review. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

There are several models of the Razer Blade 15. My test is specifically about the cheapest basic model with i7-8750H, GTX 1060, 128 GB SSD and 1 TB HDD. Other models may differ from the test results here.

It's in the pack

The packaging is divided into two packs. In the black box there is another box that contains the laptop itself. The power supply comes in an extra box, which is also in the first pack. In the box with the Razer Blade 15 there are a few Razer stickers in addition to a few usual pieces of paper. There are no more accessories, but there are simply no more with a laptop.

The power supply is just as good, but the plug could have been removed via USB-C by now. This is when Razer Blade Stealth (2019) about already the case. But otherwise not tragic.

Look & Feel

The Razer Blade 15 definitely stands out. The reason for this is not just the RGB keyboard, but the two large speakers on the left and right. We'll get to the sound quality later. The keyboard has a good pressure point and the touchpad responds well. You can't complain about the workmanship, the “lid” of the laptop doesn't wobble and it also holds up well. Unfortunately, a fingerprint sensor could have been integrated into the power button on the right. After all, you save the password when logging in to Windows 10.

A fingerprint sensor in the power button would be really great. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

The connections also sit well and integrate well into the case of the Razer Blade 15. A good build quality can also be expected for this price - exactly these expectations were definitely met here. Unfortunately, at 2,03kg, the laptop is significantly heavier than other laptops. The dimensions are also 19,9 mm x 235 mm x 355 mm.

Equipment & display

The Razer gaming laptop is also convincing in terms of equipment. You have to like a somewhat thicker laptop for this, but the graphics card already makes it. This means that there is also space for some connections directly on the housing. On the right side there are 1x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB-A), 1x HDMI 2.0b and 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4. There is also a Kensington lock on this side, which can be used to secure the laptop. On the left side there is a connection for the charger (laptop cannot be charged via the Thunderbolt port), 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (USB-A) and a 3,5 mm combo Audio connection.

In addition to the generous connections, the display is also impressive. In my model, it is 15,6 inches and has a Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080, 60 Hz). If you want to upgrade to 4K, you have to choose the professional model and spend a little more money. But the image is also razor-sharp and covers a decent color space. Contrast and brightness are displayed well, as are the colors, which are very strong. Working in the sun is also possible, as the display can be set to very bright and the laptop does not have a touchscreen, so it is anti-reflective.

Inside my model is an 7th generation i8750-8H processor, along with 16 gigabytes of RAM and 128 GB SSD (SATA-III) + 1 TB HDD. If you prefer NVMe SSDs, you'll have to upgrade to the next model.

Performance & gaming

The Razer Blade 15 can be equipped with up to a 7th generation i9750-9H processor. For the graphics card, you can choose up to a GeForce RTX 2080 from Nvidia. I was only able to test the model with the Intel Core i7-8750H processor with GeForce GTX 1060 (MAX-Q, 6GB). The base clock speed is 2,2 GHz, Turbo Boost is possible up to a clock speed of 4,1 GHz. The six-core processor always ran smoothly in everyday use - no application posed a problem. The 16 GB RAM is also integrated - also a must for a gaming laptop.

The fan can get quite loud while gaming, but you can also regulate it yourself. For this purpose, Razer provides the so-called "Razer Synapse", where you can also adjust the keyboard lighting, among other things. Unfortunately, you have to register yourself for the software, which means one point is deducted here. Supplied software should be usable without registration.

To show the performance in more detail, I ran some benchmarks. Even if these do not always reflect the performance in everyday life - but still helpful for comparing the various laptop models. All benchmarks were carried out in "balanced" mode on the standard settings - voilà:

Battery life

You don't have to expect a long battery life when gaming. You lose in demanding games pro The battery is often down to 2 percent in a minute. But that's no surprise when the fan is running and the graphics card still needs power. In addition, the CPU clock speed is turned down when running on battery power - the graphics card also switches to low power mode when running on battery power. That's why you should always have a power source when gaming.

Battery operation is no problem for surfing. However, the battery runs out quicker than the competition. But it is still a gaming laptop and not an office laptop - so that is understandable.

Keyboard, webcam, microphone and speakers

I liked the keyboard a lot. In particular, I found the option of RGB color lighting really cool - but it is generally common at Razer. At Razer everything glows in all sorts of colors, including their keyboards. The microphone and webcam are okay. Sufficient for video conferences, but the microphone is usually not really reasonable for others. You can hear a clear clatter when typing on the keyboard on the opposite side. The fan is also clearly audible.

Not every laptop has an RGB keyboard - it can also be individually adapted. (Image: © 2019 TechnikNews)

The loudspeaker, on the other hand, produces decent sound - even with Dolby Atmos. So really great for films or games. This can also be made surprisingly loud.

Conclusion

With the Razer Blade 15 all gaming fans will get their money's worth. Nevertheless, you should consider beforehand whether you really want to use the laptop for work on the go. Criticisms are the weight and the handiness - it is actually quite big. The battery life is also limited, but at least we have installed a graphics card here that needs to be supplied. But if these points are important to you, you should think about it, perhaps for the Blade Stealth (2019) to grab if you want to stay with Razer.

If you don't mind, you can proreach for the Razer laptop without hesitation. In addition to numerous connections, it also offers decent performance. In addition, the Razer Blade 15 not only looks good, but is also at the front in terms of speakers. Not a bargain for the price of just under 1600 euros (RRP) for the entry-level version, but you get a good overall package here.

Suggestions for improvement for the next generation would be a fingerprint sensor and Razer software, for which you don't have to register. Gaming laptops are far from extinct - things are only really getting started now.

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