This 2023 the world is going through a complicated economic situation in the form of recession, inflation, wars and supply problems. Yes, this gives a really bad cocktail that affects all sectors… except the hardware one, since no matter how much it rains, releases don’t get wet.
This year the people of Razer, a company famous for making good PC gaming hardware, wanted to renew its line of laptops with the Razer Blade 18 (four different configurations as we’ve already seen with the Razer Blade 17) and I’ve been lucky enough to max it out on my benchmark for three weeks.
The Razer Blade 18 that I have been able to analyze is the model with the RTX 4070 with 8 GB of VRAM and the 24-core i9-13950HX. And along with all this we had 32 GB of DDR5 RAM at 5,600 MHz, which closes a configuration that will take anyone’s breath away.
But without further ado, let’s start with the analysis of the Razer Blade 18 that surely you do not have all day to be reading introductions: what you want is to know how this gaming beast that promises to revolutionize the sector in 2023 performs.
The review of the Razer Blade 18, analysis, test and opinion of Computerhoy:
Features and technical sheet of the Razer Blade 18
Razer Blade 18 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i9-13950HX Processor 5.5 GHz
24 cores/32 threadsNVIDIA® GeForce RTXTM 4070 graphics card (8GB GDDR6 VRAM)32 GB PDDR5 memory at 5,600 MHz18″IPS display size
QHD
240 Hz
16:10Storage1 TB NMVe PCIe Gen4Operating SystemWindows 11 HomeWireless connectivityWi-Fi 6E AX211
Bluetooth 5.3 Physical connections 3 USB 3.2 type A ports
1 puerto Thunderbolt 4
1 puerto USB-C
RJ45
HDMI 2.1
SD readerBattery4 cells
91,7 Wh Cargador 280 W incluidoDimensiones399,9 x 275,4 x 21,9 mm3,10 kgExtrasWebcam de 5 Mpx
6 speakers with THX Spatial AudioPrice3,699 euros
Beautiful aluminum finish and infinite ports
Razer says on its website that The Razer Blade 18’s finish is anodized, black, CNC T6 aluminum with illuminated Razer logo. This is reflected in an 18-inch monster finished in gorgeous (and footprint-loving) aluminum with the company logo centered on the rear.
The laptop is huge, really. Not only because of the size, since they are 18 inches, but also because of the weight: 3.1 kg. It’s the heaviest laptop I’ve ever used and it makes sense given the components inside and the huge vapor chamber that cools it.
The Razer Blade 18 commands right out of the box. As a positive point, Razer has done a good job of keeping the screen bezels to a minimum. (and without light leaks along the way), since the 18 inches stay in size like any current 17 inches.
At the design level, by the way, it is one of the most discreet gaming laptops of this 2023. Which is a success, because if in addition to being giant it was striking, there would be no one to take it to the office / library.
The detail of the rear Razer logo that lights up in green is already a regular at the brand and does not clash. For the less daring, the logo can be turned off so that it is not “breathing” all the time.
And if we have already talked about the aesthetic part, it is time to talk about the practical part: how are we going from ports? It has the ideals to be a gaming computer, where the user will plug in every last USB (that’s how we gamers are).
We have three USB 3.2 2nd generation type A ports, a USB Type-C 3.2, a Thunderbolt 4 that acts as Display Port 1.4 in case your monitor, like mine, only works at 144 Hz with said port and not with the HDMI. Of course an RJ45 input for the internet, an HDMI 2.1 and an SD card reader.
This allows you to connect to a display, to the network via cable (essential if you are a professional player), have the mouse and keyboard connected via USB and a pair of USBs with movies or documents to save while you work. No more is needed, which is why I give it full marks here.
Perfect frequency in a good QHD panel
This is paramount. Lots of feature, lots of dissipation and lots of aluminum. But, all the content goes through the screen and I haven’t talked about it yet: is the screen up to the task of a device that seems to be aimed at the most demanding users? Yes, with a but.
On a technical level we have an 18-inch IPS panel with a QHD+ resolution (which translates into 2,560 x 1,600 px), a refresh rate of 240 images per second, 3 ms of input lag, and an 8-bit color depth that is the one that breaks a dream configuration.
At the level of brightness or resolution, Razer’s 18-inch panel is a real outrage. Both to watch YouTube in 4K with an enviable pixel density and to be playing any Triple A from 2022 or 2023. The screen of the Razer Blade 18 is so good and so big that using a separate monitor is a luxury that you can save.
And the 240 Hz refresh rate is a very rare outrage to see in the gaming market. And this is where I think they could have spun finer by putting a 144 Hz panel (the ideal speed of the professional gamer) and with it afford a 10-bit screen with better color.
If you are an image professional you can be sure that the panel looks great, but you may end up having to buy a specialized monitor for design, which does not happen with the new 10-bit laptop panels that Lenovo mounts , For example.
Pretty on the outside, a beast on the inside… and have a plug nearby
What there is no doubt about the Razer Blade 18 is that it is a team made to perform at the highest level regardless of the load we put on it. It is valid to work with a design program, video editing, engineering, video games, etc. And the merit belongs to its components.
I start by naming your processor, the 5.5GHz 13th generation Intel Core i9-13950HX. This monster has 24 cores and 32 threads. A few years ago it was unthinkable that a laptop could house that SoC inside and Intel has achieved it with its 13th Gen.
MSI Raider GE 76 con RTYX 3080 TiRazer Blade 17 con RTX 3080 TiRazer Blade 15 con RTX 3070 TiRazer Blade 18 con RTX 4070Geekbench 5 mono1.8521.4381.7041.885Geekbench 5 multi12.8239.9169.29114.210Cinebench R15 OpenGL207,39 fps161,22 fps186,27 fps208,37 fpsCinebench R15 CPU2.7251.9861.7632.774Cinebench R206.4514.4453.7076.335
This chip is built on Intel’s 7nm lithography (they promise that it is better than the 7 nm of the competition) and is made up of 8 high-performance cores and 16 efficient coresthis gives the sum of 24 cores and 32 threads.
Honestly, this laptop has been able to with everything in gaming sessions and benchmarks. Although its performance in synthetic tests is very close to the top of the range of 2022. And there is a moment where the bottleneck appears.
And if you add 32 GB of DDR5 RAM at 5,600 MHz to this SoC (one of the fastest that can be ridden today), a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD and an RTX 4070 8GB GDDR6 VRAM the result is almost unbeatable. Right now only its big brothers with the 4080 and 4090 can beat it.
Test on prototype unitMedia FPSCPU temperatureGPU temperatureControl5576º65ºDeath Stranding8575º65ºCyberpunk 20773375º67ºQuake 2 RTX2972º64ºGod of War7574º65ºOverwatch14875º66º
Although you have the table of benchmarks that I have done these weeks, there is one thing that I want to tell you and that is not measured in cold figures or tables: It endured a two-hour Lan Party where the laptop spent up to 15 hours straight running video games without a break. And it never faltered.
And yes, as for The autonomy does not exceed 3 hours with normal use, no matter how much we have a 91.7 Wh battery. And it is that if the charger is 280 W you can get an idea of what this equipment consumes in the middle of the game. Of course, in efficient mode everything that stretches the battery is admirable (the trick is to disconnect the RTX 4070 and pull the Intel integrated graphics card).
No numeric keypad and brutal sound
Here I will be brief. The Razer Blade 18 has room to equip a huge and functional keyboard, but they’ve decided not to. In this way we only have a keyboard with the alphabetical part, but not the numerical part. Again, you have to pull the FN to be able to do things with the keyboard.
then we have a touchpad like I have never seen in my life, an adult hand can literally fit inside it (not mine, but my hands aren’t usual either). It is pleasant to use and has a fairly high touch and precision. If you are one of those who does not use a mouse, this touchpad is for you.
And as for the sound… what an outrage. We have six speakers and are THX Spatial Audio certified. Two huge outputs are located on the sides of the keyboard and are responsible for not having the number lock. And they sound so good that I almost forgive that painful mistake.
With the speakers of the Razer Blade 18 you are not going to want to use headphones or external speakers. Watching movies is a joy and playing I don’t even tell you: you perfectly locate where the enemies are coming from. Is awesome.
Versions, offers and price of the Razer Blade 18
In Spain, the only way to buy the Razer Blade 18 is by going to the official Razer website where they have the model in four different configurations. Where the biggest change is the graphics card.
We are going to see them in an orderly way and so you can check the prices yourself, which is not exactly a bargain.
Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240 Hz y GeForce RTX 4090: 5.199 euros. Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240 Hz y GeForce RTX 4080: 4.399 euros. Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240 Hz y GeForce RTX 4070: 3.699 euros. Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240 Hz y GeForce RTX 4060: 3.399 euros.
Razer Blade 18, Computerhoy’s opinion: is it worth it?
This question is the hardest to answer, but I’m going to try. The Razer Blade 18 is the best laptop I’ve ever reviewed. But, also, it is the most expensive I have ever analyzed. And that makes things very complicated.
If you are a user who wants the best on the market regardless of price, this laptop is the one you are looking for. by materials, components, refrigeration and screen. He can handle everything for endless days and he looks like he can fight for the next four years without going down a single step in performance.
If you can’t spend almost 4,000 euros on a laptop, The reality is that the gaming market has very interesting options for less than half, as long as you accept to lose a little performance along the way. It is a difficult decision and here money is who rules. You, better than anyone, know when you can leave your next computer.
Yes indeed, if you decide on the Razer Blade 18 you can be sure that no one in the world is going to have a better laptop than you. At most the same and because he will have bought the same one as you.
