Razer updates the Blade with Maxwell and more RAM

[AlexGoesHigh]

Razer Blade laptop is getting some minor updates mainly with the gpu being upgraded from a 870M to a 970M, also razer is adding 16GB of ram as a option now, which is a nice improvement for a laptop that can also work as media workstation,

 

Razer is also upgrading the cpu from a i7-4702HQ to a Intel Core i7-4720HQ main difference being that the newer chip has higher clock speed and a higher TDP going from 37W to 47W with the new chip, everything else is the same, a haswell based quad core with intel HD4600 graphics, the much more efficient 970M allows for the higher TDP CPU, 

 

lastly there's a new sku that sells lower that the old default price, comes only with a 1080p IPS display non touch and anti glare coating with a 256GB SSD for 1999$

 

other that that everything else is the same, options for a IGZO 3200x1800 panel, 128/256/512GB SSD, same 14" size, keyboard, CNC aluminum body, ports, etc

 

 

Source: AnandTech

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imo that's a nice upgrade, the previous model was already pretty badass, though if i was razer i would have holded for the broadwell quadcores to be released

[Enderman]

omg this is what ive been waiting for

longer battery life with more power savings and better performance!

Now I just need them to update the blade pro too and  will buy one.

[theodoro]

The Razer blade and the orbweaver are the only two Razer products that i like. It's nice to see this updated version of the Blade.

[GoodBytes]

It must be noted that the GPU doesn't suffer the same problem as the GTX 970 on the desktop with its memory, as it has only 3GB of memory, for those that wonder, as per Anandtech article.

[EpicAdom]

That's awesome

[GodSpoon]

[Toddwjp]

i actually consider the razer blade to be the best laptop on the market

[Brainless906]

If only money was of no concern...

[Victorious Secret]

Definitely a contender for new laptop 

[Pomfinator]

Pretty damn awesome, love the 1080p option.

[razor767]

Yes to the 1080p IPS matte version. 

[Kherm]

I'm disappointed that they kept the HQ processor. This means that it isn't upgradeable because it's soldered. Remember, every mobile Intel CPU with the suffix M is socketed, and every CPU ending in L or H is soldered

[ForsakenLive]

Now Linus can't complain it's not perfect!

[Dabombinable]

So another company that's seen the light. I've had friends that have gone from being unable to game on their 870M based laptops, to playing Crysis 3 on high whilst running on battery so that's a hell of an improvement.

[Tonylu1595]

Lol I feel bad for the people who got the blade during the 30 percent off sale. This must be why. 

[Pomfinator]

Lol I feel bad for the people who got the blade during the 30 percent off sale. This must be why. 

No, feel bad with the early adopters like me, who are stuck with this garbage 900p TN panel.

[Inkz]

@LinusTech   ...

[Guest Kloaked]

omg this is what ive been waiting for

longer battery life with more power savings and better performance!

Now I just need them to update the blade pro too and  will buy one.

They have a weird philosophy when it comes to that. When they first announced the Blade, Min-Liang said that if gamers wanted to game on a laptop, the baseline of how big the screen should be is 17" so it can be portable but still have a large enough screen (or something along those lines) and it must have a powerful CPU and GPU with some fast storage.

When they released the 14" Blade with the 800-series GPU's, they put the more powerful model GPU in the 14" and not the 17" for reasons. It makes no sense - if anything it should be the other way around.

 

I don't know what they're smoking.

[Hawx]

No, feel bad with the early adopters like me, who are stuck with this garbage 900p TN panel.

The default colour settings are bloody awful. It isn't too bad once you do a calibration though.

[Kyuubixchidori]

damn. would love 30% off on that

[Enderman]

They have a weird philosophy when it comes to that. When they first announced the Blade, Min-Liang said that if gamers wanted to game on a laptop, the baseline of how big the screen should be is 17" so it can be portable but still have a large enough screen (or something along those lines) and it must have a powerful CPU and GPU with some fast storage.

When they released the 14" Blade with the 800-series GPU's, they put the more powerful model GPU in the 14" and not the 17" for reasons. It makes no sense - if anything it should be the other way around.

 

I don't know what they're smoking.

The 14" has a much higher resolution screen, because more people like 14" laptops than 17" laptops (but i like 17 or even 18 better)

i actually dont care about the GPU as long as it runs the display fine. Since the 17 only has a 1080p display, the GPU is more than enough

[Guest Kloaked]

Since the 17 only has a 1080p display, the GPU is more than enough

 

I don't know about that. Seems pretty sub-par even for 1080p. 

[Biased Opinion]

I'm disappointed that they kept the HQ processor. This means that it isn't upgradeable because it's soldered. Remember, every mobile Intel CPU with the suffix M is socketed, and every CPU ending in L or H is soldered

You can't really put a socketed chip in a form factor like that and all the socketed chips have higher TDPs anyway. Plus what could you possibly upgrade on something like that other than move to broardwell maybe. Everything is soldered to the board so it can be as thin as possible.

[Syfes]

Everything is soldered to the board so it can be as thin as possible.

 

This. Can't imagine them fitting a socketed CPU in an enclosure this small.

 

Now if only they would release this in Europe then I'd be able to get this as my company laptop

[Nineshadow]

Is it still US only?