The Razer Blade has earned a solid reputation among those looking for a lightweight gaming notebook, merely what if your mobile gaming rig as well doubles as your productivity automobile? Certain, a 14-inch system could technically get the job done but a working professional would profoundly benefit from something a flake larger if you plan this to be your desktop replacement. The actress real estate for gaming wouldn't injure either.

If it'south an all-in-ane gaming and productivity auto yous're afterwards, Razer would encourage yous to check out the larger Blade Pro. The 2022 revision features a generous 17.3-inch display which affords the real estate necessary for the highlight of the notebook, Razer's Switchblade UI.

Earlier nosotros go ahead of ourselves, let's outset with the basics. The Blade Pro is powered by Intel's Core i7-4720HQ, a quad-core scrap clocked at 2.6GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz), mated to 16GB of DDR3 RAM alongside a 512GB mSATA SSD and a 1TB difficult drive for storage.

Razer Blade Pro (2015)
Starts at $2,299, $2,799.99 equally tested

  • 17.3" 1920 ten 1080 IPS LCD (127 PPI)
  • 2.6GHz - 3.6GHz Intel Core i7–4720HQ
  • 16GB DDR3L ane,600MHz RAM
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M GPU 4GB GDDR5
  • 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD
  • Backlit anti-ghosting keyboard
  • Razer Switchblade UI
  • three x USB 3.0 , 1 ten HDMI 1.4a
  • 802.11a/b/1000/n/ac + Bluetooth 4.0
  • Windows 8.1 64-bit
  • 6.76 lbs, 16.viii" x ten.nine" ten 0.88" inches

Curiously plenty, Razer has elected to equip the Blade Pro with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M (4GB GDDR5 VRAM) and a 1080p IPS display. Its smaller, more than gaming oriented sibling ships with a GTX 970M and upwardly to a QHD+ (iii,200 x ane,800) console.

Elsewhere, the organisation includes 802.eleven a/b/grand/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, a backlit anti-ghosting keyboard and a 74Wh lithium-ion battery. Our price equally tested today is $2,799.99 due to the actress storage, but information technology'southward worth mentioning that the Blade Pro tin exist had for equally little as $2,299.99 if you opt for the 128GB SSD and a 500GB HDD.

The laptop measures approximately 16.eight" x 0.88" x 10.9" for width, height and depth, respectively, while tipping the scales at a slim (for its size) half-dozen.76 pounds.

The Hardware

Razer used a CNC aluminum chassis to build the Blade Pro rather than stamped aluminum for added rigidity. Information technology's black in color although under bright lighting, information technology takes on more of a grayish tint.

The lid features two subtle ledges at most a quarter and three-fourths across that provide a fleck of depth. Razer's iconic serpent logo is positioned in the centre between the ledges, emitting a light-green glow when the computer is in use.

The front border of the arrangement features a single LED indicator on the left side that lights up light-green so pulses white when the system is on with the hat closed. At that place'south a beveled edge in the center that makes it easier to open the lid and happens to provide a place for your wrists (well, at least the right i) to residuum comfortably during use.

The right side of the Blade Pro is likewise very minimalistic save for the Kensington security slot and cooling vents nearly the back. The rear of the system is devoid of whatever connections or cooling vents which leads usa to the left side where you'll find a headphone jack, 3 USB 3.0 ports with green internals to match Razer'south theme, an HDMI port, Ethernet jack and the ability connector. It's worth highlighting the fact that in that location'south no retention menu slot or DisplayPort connectedness.

A second fix of cooling vents is as well located on the left edge near the back of the system. These vents and the others are aided past 2 bottom vents with fans that draw in absurd air from the bottom and expel information technology out the sides of the system.

Mail service-purchase memory and storage upgrades appear to be possible as there are more than a dozen spiral holes lining the perimeter on the bottom of the system. They've been covered with a small cap for artful purposes but I suspect these could easily be popped off to remove the screws and gain access to the internals.

With 16GB of RAM on tap, upwards to 512GB of speedy solid land storage and 1TB of extra storage space, the just reason yous'd e'er really need to get inside would be to replace dead hardware.

A pair of large rubber feet at the rear and two smaller ones up front end provides enough of top for the cooling system and ensures the calculator stays put during intense gaming sessions. And if it'southward non obvious, the bombardment is non-removable (non easily, at least) every bit it's built into the system.

Lifting the lid reveals a sizable bezel that frames the 1080p matte finish brandish. At the top is a 2-megapixel webcam flanked by microphones on either side. If you lot look closely at the top corners of the bezel, it appears as though there was one time some padding installed for cushioning purposes when the lid is closed but they were nowhere to be institute here (or in whatever press material).

Below the display, you'll encounter that Razer has discreetly printed the "Blade" branding. If y'all're not looking for it, it's hard to come across, especially under standard indoor lighting.

The keyboard deck of the Blade Pro is unlike anything else I've seen. Only above the LED-laden power button are the system's stereo speakers tucked neatly under a minimalistic grill. The keyboard itself and Switchblade UI are slightly inset, over again, with a beveled edge.

There's fiddling to complain about with regard to the keyboard. The backlit keys feel groovy when typing and the overall layout is logical without feeling too cramped. The Switchblade UI is the proper noun Razer has given its multi-touch LCD trackpad and x customizable tactile keys. Each key measures 15mm ten 15mm with a 115 x 115 resolution and a 2mm travel distance.

The trackpad works double-duty both every bit a traditional pointing device with gesture command and a secondary display. The screen measures 4.05 inches with a resolution of 480 10 800 pixels and there are 2 traditional click buttons below it simply every bit you'd discover on most other notebooks.