A gaming computer that’s both slim and powerful? Colour us intrigued, and do it with a light-up colourful keyboard, because Razer is back.
Big laptops aren’t quite the big deal they used to be, and with technology getting smaller, that is the size we’re all going for, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Laptops that need a bit of oomph are rarely small and light, but a new model from Razer appears to show that gaming machines can be slim and powerful.
The new machine continues Razer’s “Blade” series of laptops, updating the model for 2018 with Intel’s eighth-generation Core i7 processors delivering six cores of power working in tandem with either 16 or 32GB of RAM.
Storage is all solid-state, and that’ll be configurable at the time of ordering, with Windows 10 arriving on the laptop out of the box.
Most interestingly, however, is the graphics with options for either the GeForce GTX 1060 or 1070 graphics chips, making the machines VR friendly and responsive for modern games, and Razer has built it in a computer that measures at most 17.3mm thick (16.8mm for the GeForce 1060, 17.3mm for the GeForce 1070).
That’s technically a little thicker than Apple’s 15 inch MacBook Pro, but thinner than the previous winner for world’s thinnest 15 inch gaming laptop in the Asus ROG Zephyrus, making it a very thin and powerful machine, though one that still comes with a fair degree of weight at around two kilograms.
Razer is also supplying a 15.6 inch screen with either Full HD’s 1920×1080 or 4K’s 3840×2160 resolution, though there are differences between.
Gamers will find the Full HD option sports a fast 144Hz display, while the 4K option seems like it was built for other uses, with multi-touch and 100% Adobe RGB colour support.
Ports on the new Razer Blade for 2018 are also quite varied, with something for everyone, including three USB 3.1 standard ports, one HDMI 2.0 ports, one Mini DisplayPort, and one USB Type C Thunderbolt 3 port, which essentially means every major connection.
While wired is strongly supported, wireless is there too, catered for with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac WiFi and Bluetooth 5.
“We are proud to have again stepped-up as an industry leader, taking laptop engineering to the next level to give gamers the performance they require and the mobility they desire,” said Min-Liang Tan, Co-Founder and CEO of Razer.
“We upgraded to Intel’s latest six core processor, used a fast 144Hz display driven by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 Series graphics, and set a new standard for power in the world’s smallest 15-inch gaming laptop,” he said.
The system also features a colourful light-up keyboard, Dolby Atmos sound, and a cooling system to dissipate the video chip’s heat, all inside a black aluminium chassis.
About the only thing Razer’s 2018 Blade doesn’t have is a local price tag, with an overseas price of $1899.99 and a release date of June, but no price in Australia as of yet.
We’re checking into when that will change, but right now, just expect you’ll need a good two to three grand if you feel like taking this laptop for a spin.
