Razer’s Blade range of gaming laptops continues to grow, now encompassing the 14-inch version reviewed here, as well as a 15-inch option, the Razer Blade 16, a 17-incher and even a colossal 18-inch model. However, most of these laptops are essentially intended as desktop replacement systems, and put their main emphasis on performance with portability and battery life being secondary considerations.

In contrast, the Blade 14 focuses on portability, providing a compact and lightweight gaming laptop with a 14-inch display, and something that actually comes close to ‘all-day’ battery life.

That emphasis on portability means that this updated 2023 edition of the Blade 14 doesn’t provide the power-hungry, top-of-the-range CPU and GPU options found in larger Blade models. Instead, it opts for an 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 processor, rather than the 24-core Intel processors used in other Blade models and rival laptops.

The model reviewed here was also equipped with a mid-range GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card rather than the RTX 4080 and 4090 options found in larger, heavier gaming laptops. Even so, that combination still provides a very strong gaming performance that should satisfy all but the most demanding users, while still maintaining an admirably slim and light 14-inch design, and far better battery life than most gaming laptops.

Price and options

• Display: 14.0-inch @ 2560×1440, 165Hz refresh/14.0-inch @ 2560×1600, 240Hz refresh
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 9-6900HX @ 3.3GHz (with 4.9GHz max.boost)/Ryzen 9-7940HS @ 4.0GHz (with 5.2GHz max.boost)
• Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080/4060/4070
• Memory: 16GB/32GB DDR5
• Storage: 512GB /1TB SSD

There are currently two main options for the 2023 edition of the Blade 14 – although it’s worth noting that last year’s model is still available from a number of online retailers – so make sure you buy the 2023 models with Ryzen 9 processors if you like what you read here.

Pricing starts at $2299.99/£2399.99 with a Ryzen 9 6900HX, running Windows 11 Home, with 16GB memory and 1TB solid-state storage. That model has also a 14-inch display with 2560×1440 @ 165Hz, which is driven by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card.

However, I reviewed the second model, which costs only slightly more at $2399.99/£2499.99, but steps up to an 8-core Ryzen 9 7940HS running at 4.0GHz (with 5.2GHz boost), with 16GB memory and 1TB solid-state storage. That price also includes some graphics upgrades too, with a more powerful RTX 4060 graphics card with 8GB VRAM, while the 14-inch display provides 2560×1600 resolution and a higher 240Hz refresh rate. It’s also possible to opt for an RTX 4070 graphics card for an extra $300/£300.

Both models are all wrapped in sombre black chassis, but there’s also a special ‘Mercury’ edition, with a brighter silver-grey finish, which has both the RTX 4070 graphics and 32GB of memory for a total price of $2799.99/£2899.99. Finally, Razer’s website states that additional user upgrades are also possible, allowing you to install up to 64GB memory and 4TB of storage – but you’ll need to be pretty handy with a screwdriver to tackle that yourself, as the base of the laptop is tightly sealed with several tiny torx screws.

Design

• Dimensions: 18 x 310 x 228mm
• Weight: 1.8kg
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB-A (3.2), 2x USB4, 1x 3.5mm audio In/Out
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2

Like its 14-inch rival, the Asus Zephyrus G14, the Blade 14 opts for a sombre and unassuming black chassis that bears no eye-catching features whatsoever – apart from the fact that it is a mere 18mm thick (compared to 19.5mm for the Zephyrus G14). That makes it one of the slimmest high-end gaming laptops I’ve ever come across, and a weight of 1.8kg means that it’s easy to pick it up and slip it into a backpack or bag when you’re ready to go out and about. Our only nitpicking complaint is that the matte finish is a real magnet for fingerprints, and seems to pick up smudges whenever you’re within about 10ft of the laptop.

The case feels solid enough to survive the occasional bump when you’re travelling, and the keyboard also feels firm and responsive – although the small ‘Enter’ key can be a bit annoying at times. We did like the large glass-topped trackpad, though, which is 147mm wide and 85mm deep, and has a silky smooth action that feels very responsive.

The slimline design does mean there are a few compromises, though. There’s no ethernet for wired networks, and no slot for memory cards, but the Blade does cover the main options that you’re likely to need, with HDMI for an external display and two USB4 ports that also provide video output. There are also two additional USB-A (3.2) ports, and a combo audio input/output, with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 available for wireless connectivity.

• Display: 14.0-inch, 2560×1600, 16:10 aspect ratio, 240Hz refresh
• Webcam – 1080p
• Audio – stereo speakers, with THX Spatial Audio, 7.1 surroundsound (via HDMI)

The display of the Blade 14 has a fairly conventional 2560×1600 resolution, but that’s fine for a compact 14-inch screen such as this. It doesn’t support HDR as some of its rivals do – such as the more expensive Asus Zephyrus G14 – but it does provide 500nits brightness level, which ensures bold colours that work well for gaming, films and video. The display also supports 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour standard, so it can be used for professional work such as video editing and design, as well as gaming.

The display is backed up by a very bright, sharp 1080p webcam, and my only complaint is that the built-in stereo speakers sound a little thin. They’re fine for watching YouTube videos, but you’ll probably want to use one of the best gaming headsets or external speakers for gaming or listening to music. Support for THX Spatial Audio and 7.1 surround sound will also come in handy if you’re using external speakers.

Performance and battery (as reviewed):

• Ryzen 9-7940HS @ 4.0GHz (Max Boost 5.2GHz)
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB VRAM)
• Power – 230W adaptor, with 68.1Whr Li-Ion battery

The Blade 14 uses the same Ryzen 9 processor as the Asus Zephyrus G14, and the two laptops are neck and neck on single-core performance when running GeekBench 6. However, the Blade does fall a fraction behind on multi-core performance, scoring 11,955 with the Zephyrus edging ahead to 13,000.

The Blade 14 also opts for a less powerful RTX 4060 graphics card, which obviously can’t match the performance of the RTX 4090 used by the Zephyrus G14. Even so, it still manages a respectable 113fps when running the Unigine Valley benchmark for 3D graphics. Gaming performance in Rise Of The Tomb Raider is also very strong, hitting 145fps when running the game with its highest graphics settings at 1920×1080 resolution, and still holding steady at 120fps when I step up to the laptop’s maximum 2560×1600 resolution.

The Asus Zephyrus tops 200fps for the same tests in Rise Of The Tomb Raider, but it is almost $1000/£1000 more expensive, so the Blade 14 is arguably better value for money – especially with that smooth 240Hz refresh to give you an edge for competitive gaming.

Those scores did require the use of Razer’s Synapse app to ramp the twin-fan cooling system to its highest level. The fan noise was certainly noticeable, but still less obtrusive than that of many gaming laptops that I’ve tested, so Razer’s engineers have done a good job of coaxing the maximum performance from the Blade’s slimline design.

And, in addition, the Blade 14 achieves an even more difficult feat by managing to provide better battery life than most gaming laptops. Razer quotes battery life at ‘upto 10 hours’, which seems a little optimistic, but I did still get exactly seven hours out of the Blade when streaming full-screen video, using its integrated Radeon graphics with the brightness set at 50 per cent. If you’re not using the Wi-Fi all day long then you should be able to get a full eight-hour working day out of the Blade 14 – which is no mean feat for any gaming laptop.

Verdict

If you’re looking for raw gaming power above all else then you might be better off looking at one of the larger Blade models, or one of its many rivals. However, Razer has done an admirable job of squeezing very solid mid-range performance into a compact 14-inch laptop that you can easily carry with you when you need to leave home. And, along with its strong gaming performance the Blade 14 also does well to provide respectable battery life that few of its gaming rivals can match.