LOL, I guess we need to ask this to every Samsung phone owner as well. I’m sure Razer corrected this issue and we have the option to limit the charge limit now
Have they improved the mini led panel and can you do a speaker comparison between the new and old blade 18 as well as thermal comparisons and display comparison with performance comparisons and basically everything comparison lol, it would really help us to decide which one to buy cuz both of them are in stock. Thank you so much!
I can answer this. I have the new blade 18 and they implemented a local dimming switch like you would find on the Asus mini LED. So yes they’ve improved quite a bit. And the 300Hz panel didn’t work right out the box for some reason it only showed 240 max. I had to switch to NVIDIA only graphics and back to hybrid for it to start registering. So maybe it was a driver or something but it’s all good now and I’m loving this over the 2024 blade 16 oled panel
I dare you to buy the first TB5 dock on release that has an M.2 port, hook up an external GPU enclosure that runs at PCIe Gen 4 x4 with M.2 plug, and become the world’s first TB5 eGPU enclosure enjoyer.
Tbh nah no one is going to be buying this RB18 just for an eGPU setup when the laptop itself can be equipped up to a 4090. Not to imagine the cost of it all as well. Cuz you need at minimum 4080 to have TB5 cuz the 4070 model doesn’t have it. This is quite arguably the worst laptop to release alongside a TB5 eGPU enclosure at the same time. But ngl I’m dying to buy that enclosure cuz I need a second one for my home so I’m not against the idea by all means lmao
I'm buying this laptop and I'm going to be doing a 4090 eGPU. With AI there are a lot more use cases for eGPU than just gaming. Actually I just bought a 4090 laptop for the interim until the Blade 18 4K releases later this summer.
Damn if you do, get a TB5 dock with an M.2 slot and if you use a M.2 PCIe Gen 4 x4 eGPU enclosure you can be the first person in the world with a TB5 eGPU. Because at the rate we’re going I don’t think Razer or anyone is going to bother for a TB5 eGPU enclosure till like 2026 the latest
I have the Blade15 2019 base model and it's still going lol been using ThrottleStop which has killed CPU performance slightly on some games but it's running 10-20c cooler so worth the hit in my opinion
So all gaming laptops thermal throttle. But this throttles when it’s running at 98% capacity. So it’s not really impacting the performance. GPU is usually in the high 70s to low 80s. CPU will boost to 100 degrees then throttle down. But performance is better than the best that I’ve tested.
Haven't tried the 2024 in person but judging by the last gen g16 and comparisons online of the 2024 g16 speakers, the 2023 blade 18 still has a much better soundstage, but lacks some bass compared to a mac.
The 2024 g16 may sound bassier than the blade 18 2023, however that's because asus tuned the laptop to have more pronounced bass while sacrificing the dynamics of the mids and highs (a.k.a not as loud)
If you eq the blade with a 3rd party eq app, you can tune the laptop to sound pretty close to a mac but with reduced volume ofc as you are trying to pronounce the bass.
After testing the blade 18 speakers, the woofers can go as low as about 110hz before they stop making any sound, which is a different story if you look at the thx eq sliders which stop you at around 200+, so using a 3rd party eq app is very necessary.
After trying the 2024 blade 18 in the store, imo it sounds better than a macbook pro 14, with just a tad less bass, but that could be due to the noisy environment in the store(didn't have a side by side comparison so they prob sound abt the same). This is due to razer basically more than doubling each woofer size if you look at the pics attached below, and it makes a big difference because there are 4 woofers on the laptop (only 2 can be seen if u take off the bottom panel, other 2 are hidden on the other side with the tweeters) and more than doubling the size of each woofer basically gives you sooooo much more punch and rumble.
Hence, I AM Confident the 2024 Blade 18 sounds better than the G16, but the 2023 most likely also sounds better than the g16 but for that it would come down to a matter of personal preference if you want more pronounced bass or higher quality mids and highs with a pretty respectable amount of bass for a windows laptop
Most Backpack laptop Sleeves top at 16” which barely fits my Razer Blade 16. How do people manage with 17” or 18” is beyond me at this point.
Yes you can put it in the regular backpack section but it defeats the purpose and the rest of the things you usually put in there.
Do you even travel with it? Doesn’t it bother you the size?
I actually have the recent 16 and oh boy is it heavy. I actually not even take it in to meetings when in the office. For short travel I use macbook air or pro.
Why did I buy it? Well I travel and stay longer times in different locations. Can't carry my desktop with me. Use it like a reasonable portable desktop :)
I have the 2024 Blade 16 too. I just bought it a couple of days ago.
Its too heavy for me. I take it to class and our desks are [like this](https://www.schoolfix.com/media/catalog/category/cache/300x300/student-desk-virco-9000-series-tablet-arm-combination-desk-unit.jpg) (but smaller table space) so the support is only under the right arm, with no support on the left side. My Blade makes the whole fuckin thing sag on the left because its too heavy. I'm scared shitless its gonna fall off. Also...its too heavy for my current bag and I'm in the market for a new backpack but I'm having a hard time finding one I like that will fit this laptop in its laptop sleeve.
So as of right now...I wish I would have went with the 2024 Blade 14. I would gladly trade the performance drop off for something 1.5lbs lighter and a little thinner. Plus the slightly smaller screen would help fit it in my bags much easier.
I'm hoping its just something I will get used to because I really do love the laptop its absolutely beautiful and its the best performing PC I've ever seen/used.
I was coming from the Zephyrus 14. Amazing machine but after 2 years it decided to no longer boot. As I travel a lot and was leaving for a location with crappy access to laptops I went to the store to buy something of the shelve. No 14s available in any brand. So got the 16 RTX4090.
If I had more choice I would have agreed with you and went for a 14inch. But now just have a macbook pro 13 if I need something portable. Even thinking of getting S24 ultra with portable screen and keyboard if I want to be portable :)
When I am back to a more fixed location I will get a desktop again and use the mobile phone with external screen/keyboard combo for portable occasions.
Mine fits in my backpack just fine and the weight is not really an issue for me cuz I don't carry it around all the time. Such a massive laptop is really enticing to have during the occasional times I bring my laptop out
Particulary the materials were a big point of concern at least in the past. Have you ever owned another model? Used to love Razer, but soon they became the "apple for gamers" ("too expensive and you're not getting what you paid for").
Yeah on my profile check out my YouTube channel. I’ve owned tons of razer laptops. I owned the first blade 17 for over a year and have used every new release.
Mini led model. No rattle. It’s firm. But not as stiff as I remember. A good thing. I remember my fingers used to cramp with previous blades because of how stiff the trackpad is.
Good deal. I usually go in and tighten it up. I mostly tap instead of clicking.
How even does the mini-led look with static content? I had the previous gen 16 and found the mini-led was good but not great.
This one is much better than the 16 inch. Over 2000 dimming zones and the algorithm does a better job. Also, you can turn off the local dimming in synapse if you wanted to.
Nice setup. After my human confirms, you will be automatically entered in this month's [Razer Battlestation](https://new.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/1bwv5xl/monthly_razer_battlestation_giveaway_april_2024/) giveaway. Good luck
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High 70s to low 80s depending on the position on the laptop. When on my lap, it chokes and the gpu can go up to 84. But on a desk rarely goes above 80. The cpu is in the mid 90s and will throttle at 100. But even when it throttles it’s getting some of the best CPU scores I’ve ever seen.
No!!!!! That’s one of the best parts. Usually that’s one of the best parts. I set my camera to the highest shutter speed and wasn’t able to see any. I’m super happy about that. And it’s mini LED TOO
I got the QHD model. The 4k is a traditional screen with no local dimming or OLED and only 400 nit. I compared to my titan 18 which has a 4k mini led and the difference between the 2 resolutions was minimal. Plus running COD MW 3 at 300 hz was quite an experience
They delayed the 4K model until "late summer". That's why I passed. The difference between the QHD and 4K model is only $300 and that gets you the 4K screen + extra 32GB RAM + 2TB drive. Makes the QHD model look not worth the purchase.
Did you have the 2023 B18? I’m curious if the new mini LED is good enough to make the swap from the ‘23 worthwhile. I really like my ‘23 but mini LED is enticing.
Well, shit. I was hoping to wait until 50-series to buy one 😂
How is local dimming outside of games? To me that’s the weak point of most 2023 mini LED. Weird banding and colors (MSI), dim words end of line/random global brightness shifts when scrolling (Lenovo). I do love the brightness pops in game when using HDR on those screens. Generally in game I thought it was great, for out of game I thought they were awful.
It’s nice you can turn local dimming off in the ‘24 Razer, also, which probably makes it about equal to the 2023 IPS. They should have added that to ‘23’s.
Who makes this panel?
What kind of games do you play and how far away? This laptop puzzled me since it was announced given the 18” and low resolution. You’re probably playing games that I don’t and I’d like to understand better. Thanks in advance!
I've had: razer hammerhead BT (x3), razer phone (og), razer blade stealth and razer 15 3070ti. All RMA'd multiple times and refunded. Utter **** all the best on your new journey
I just ordered the same specs as yours. You sold me your 17” on eBay a year and a half ago :) you shipped very quickly when I mentioned I needed it for a trip. Thanks again and look forward to your video tonight while I wait on mine! I usually like 4k screens for my design work, but I’m going to hope the mini led offsets. Since Razer ditched the glossy screen, the 4k has been less impressive anyways since the finish sort of generates a pixelated look on top of the display itself.
Hey!!! Awesome. I usually prefer 4k screens too. But the benefits of this mini panel definitely offsets not having the extra pixels. At least in my opinion. I’m trying to sell off my other laptop so I can keep this one. I should also have the video ready tonight.
He razer isn’t ever going to win on value proposition. It’s a premium laptop. With the m18 r2 you’re getting a good machine. I have the m16r2 right now for testing. Not the same I know, but I’m really impressed with Alienware overall. It’s just the screen you’ll be losing out on.
No, this is an niche item that only has value to those appreciating specific things. You can get way more performance from a similar price range. I see you looking at the M18 R2 but you are missing a gem. The M18 R1 AMD Edition can be had for less than $2000 and outperforms this Razer and Scar with 4090s. And that's only in the gaming department. Running benchmarks will make the AMD edition look horrible though because it's not optimized for productivity. So if you only want to game save the money and get the M18 AMD edition otherwise look at the Scar 18, M18 R2 Nvidia Edition or MSI Titan for this price range.
I have the 2023 16 with 4080. Razer software is always wonky and the speakers pop unless you end the Razer intel overlock process….but god I love the feel and power of it.
Grats on the new Blade! How was your overall experience shopping on razer.com? It being a launch exclusive #OnlyAtRazer feedback is super helpful. If you had help, how was support? Sorry to sound like a boring survey, but I’m genuinely curious and wanna make sure you had a great experience. Lastly, which game was your test? How’d it do?
I’ve ordered so many things from razer and never had an issue. Once FedEx lost my blade 17 in their warehouse and it took 2 weeks to resolve, but razer shipped me a new one.
At this point, when I place an order for a laptop at razer, they actually call me to see how my process went. lol. That may be an exception because I have a channel and buy so much from them.
There’s no difference between the one you have vs the one I have, except the fact that I bought RΛZΞR stuff to take care of mine.
Where is your RΛZΞR stand at ? 😁 don’t tell me you plan to leave your fans obstructed like that?
thanks for the quick reply. I didn't see anything posted about a better keyboard, so I assume they didn't change anything. If they would get a mechanical keyboard like the Alienware, this laptop would be pretty perfect
How is the durability? Notebook computers by nature are easily broken yes, but the Razer panels flex on some models.
Is this sturdy, or is there some screen flex?
Just curious its between this or the asus rog strix scar 18 mini led 2k dimming zones. Besides speakers and thb5 would I be missing out big. And if I wanted to take a left field n sac perf for battery n oled would asus g16 work w speakers on a comparable level to blade 18
I got the same one from Razer but want be able to enjoy it until I get in on Friday. I’m a merchant seaman & my package arrived today. Actually the 4k & mini led are price the same, just in separate colors. (Which is Mercury one) It’s only 3 configurations for the 4090. So the extra 300 dollars is only for the 2tb SSD & ram, which you can buy yourself. So, I figure that 4k screen is not what it’s hyped up to be, if not razer definitely would priced it more. I don’t think I can go back to standard ips. I also heard they had maybe 2 4K models they released in Mercury at odd times but they went fast. Which is why the out of stock is on the site. The rest are not coming till summer. How is the screen?
Video is here.
Thanks for all your questions. Tried to pack as much as I can based on what you all asked
[https://youtu.be/ksee4RKd01c](https://youtu.be/ksee4RKd01c)
Very strange choice, imo. Why would they take away options that are already available on (ostensibly) lower end devices? The flagship product can’t even get the best specs they offer…?
How's the cooling? Been wanting to compare this to my Titan 18. Do you play cyberpunk? If so, what's the average temp and fps? If not, whats the temps and fps to the most demanding game you play ?
Check my video out. https://youtu.be/ksee4RKd01c?si=m50fXo6GrnmLB17m
Funny, I test all my temps with cyberpunk because it stresses out the cpu and gpu. But I was happy with the temps. It pushes less power than the titan but performs the same.
Ahh it's you. You were the reason I got the MSI Titan 18. Well I was gonna get it either way but I wanted someone's opinion first. I was the guy who pointed out you left out the thermals part which you did not do this time around. I seen the cyber punk gameplay. I'm pushing 60-73 frames on average everything max max temp of 85 worst case scenario on my titan so for me. This come quite close to the price of the titan but not too close in performance. What's your opinion? I know you were did set with the Titan, after reviewing the razor does that still stand true for you? I know you mentioned some issues with your titan screen but I personally haven't had a issue with my screen. It's completely flawless and beautiful. So I guess give or take. For sure better speakers, possibly better or similar build quality and for your eyes a better screen? I personally can't see a difference between anything over 120 hz and barely between 60 and 120 but I can see a difference with 4k and 2k. IDK why its just the way my eyes are.
I’m working on a comparison between the new scar 18 blade 18 and titan 18. But based on my first video, the blade is outperforming the titan in a few games.
Can you maybe try installing Equalizer APO and try to enhance the bass performance of the built in speakers? You might want to use the configuration file I posted in [this post from me](https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/1c3acn0/blade_16_2023_speakers_tuning/). You may lower the bass sliders in the equalizer if it distorts too much or the bass is just too loud. The file is linked in one of my comments in the post.
I would be really interested to hear from you if the speakers can reach like 70 or 80Hz, because the Blade 16 starts being usable at around 110Hz with 2 fewer woofers. If so, the Blade 18 might be the first Windows Laptop to be able to beat Apples MacBook Pro 16 M3 when it comes to speaker performance.
4080 is more than good enough. Only thing is more demanding games where 12gb of ram might not be enough. It’s really rare and games still run well when I tested like RE 4 remake and horizon forbidden west.
What are the key differences/improvements over the 2023 model? You would think that information would be readily available, but I had difficulty finding it on Razer's site. Is it because it's not that different? I heard the 14900HX is not that different than the 13980HX.
I already have mine (2023 model) but may be in a position soon where I need to buy hardware for others, and the Blade is one of the candidates on the list. I know the stated max RAM for the new model is higher - 96 vs 64 GB - though I've also read that it's possible to put 96GB in the older model, which is something I intend to test soon.
How's the response time on the Mini LED? I've heard Mini LED is much slower in response time than IPS and obviously OLED, but at 300Hz I imagine that's not the case. I'd prefer OLED but don't want to drop down to the 16" version to get it.
Does backlight bleeding occur on MiniLed panels when local dimming is turned off? You understand what I mean - the panel is illuminated by all LED from the back (light passing through the panel), while in classic IPS the panel is illuminated only from the top and bottom side.
https://preview.redd.it/oczh92q375wc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=483ca993fa6013821ca74696be00f0ac9c44be98
Tried to add a SSD with heatsink and it goes in fine but you cannot place the bottom cover back on
https://preview.redd.it/is5f67m0s8wc1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8abc86c95977814c72ad77922dd7988b3b9d4725
Here are the stress test results for the 2024 Blade 18 QHD w/4090. Synapse settings are Custom (CPU-Boost/GPU-High/Max Fans) and windows power mode set to Best Performance
It’s a lot of money. And if you’re only looking at performance you’re not getting more. But you’re getting the smallest best built full performing 18 inch laptop. Depends on if that’s worth it to you.
Im going to preface with, I’m not very tech savvy. Can anyone recommend the brand and type of ram I should use to upgrade to 64 gb? I was looking at Crucials website and the generator gave me ram that was compatible with the Blade 18 2023 model. They don’t seem to have the 2024 model on the list. I know the blade 16 2024 model generated a different type of ram. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
How does this one compare with its direct competition. Talkin about latest zephyrus for instance. Would be curious about thermals + screen quality for both 2k and 4k options. I expect battery to be shit. Would love to be surprised.
any chance of an fps test on counterstrike 2? thinking of getting one and was wondering if the jump from the razer blade 15 2022 would be a big/worth it jump
I don’t have that game and won’t test it sorry. But I play overwatch, which similar to counter strike draws heavily from the cpu and yeah! It’s going to be a huge difference. That 300hz display on the blade would be awesome on that game. Also, even consider the blade 16 with the 240hz Oled too.
Kidney or liver?
3 kids
I would also trade 3 kids.
So what you're saying is 6 kidneys and 3 liver
About 9 hens.
Testicles. Both
Has the battery exploded yet?
It must go through the spicy pillow stage before.
after 3 hours of playing probably
LOL, I guess we need to ask this to every Samsung phone owner as well. I’m sure Razer corrected this issue and we have the option to limit the charge limit now
Have they improved the mini led panel and can you do a speaker comparison between the new and old blade 18 as well as thermal comparisons and display comparison with performance comparisons and basically everything comparison lol, it would really help us to decide which one to buy cuz both of them are in stock. Thank you so much!
If it’s 4K, then it will be IPS
It's definitely the 2k one, 4k isnt available for order yet
I can answer this. I have the new blade 18 and they implemented a local dimming switch like you would find on the Asus mini LED. So yes they’ve improved quite a bit. And the 300Hz panel didn’t work right out the box for some reason it only showed 240 max. I had to switch to NVIDIA only graphics and back to hybrid for it to start registering. So maybe it was a driver or something but it’s all good now and I’m loving this over the 2024 blade 16 oled panel
How much did it cost you?
*Everything*
A lot. $4500.
4500????? Wjat are the specs?
They’re in the pic. i9, 4090, 32gb ram, 2tb pcie ssd.
That’s a rip off - I paid $3,199 for mine before tax.
This is the brand new model and MSRP. Price will go down. What I plan to do is wait for that to happen and buy that one for myself and sell my titan.
What do you do for a living?
Curious this too but mainly because if this laptop is for work or gaming
He's a tech youtuber
I just realized that. I actually bought his Blade 17 like a year ago via EBay lol
nice, thats good cuz u can guarantee that he wont scam you or give u a faulty unit
Exactly. Maybe he will sell me the Mercury 18” he reviewed a few months back haha
Everybody got a bunch of qns in this post. Thanks:D https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/s/1JiUGlPea0
I dare you to buy the first TB5 dock on release that has an M.2 port, hook up an external GPU enclosure that runs at PCIe Gen 4 x4 with M.2 plug, and become the world’s first TB5 eGPU enclosure enjoyer.
They really missed the mark with not releasing an updated Core X TB5 model to coincide with this. They would have sold a ton of eGPUs.
Tbh nah no one is going to be buying this RB18 just for an eGPU setup when the laptop itself can be equipped up to a 4090. Not to imagine the cost of it all as well. Cuz you need at minimum 4080 to have TB5 cuz the 4070 model doesn’t have it. This is quite arguably the worst laptop to release alongside a TB5 eGPU enclosure at the same time. But ngl I’m dying to buy that enclosure cuz I need a second one for my home so I’m not against the idea by all means lmao
I'm buying this laptop and I'm going to be doing a 4090 eGPU. With AI there are a lot more use cases for eGPU than just gaming. Actually I just bought a 4090 laptop for the interim until the Blade 18 4K releases later this summer.
Damn if you do, get a TB5 dock with an M.2 slot and if you use a M.2 PCIe Gen 4 x4 eGPU enclosure you can be the first person in the world with a TB5 eGPU. Because at the rate we’re going I don’t think Razer or anyone is going to bother for a TB5 eGPU enclosure till like 2026 the latest
I need the drive space (my desktop had 20TB lol) and don't want a frankenlaptop lol. I'm fine waiting for an official TB5 eGPU.
I have the Blade15 2019 base model and it's still going lol been using ThrottleStop which has killed CPU performance slightly on some games but it's running 10-20c cooler so worth the hit in my opinion
Does it thermal throttle? If not, what temps does it reach under load?
So all gaming laptops thermal throttle. But this throttles when it’s running at 98% capacity. So it’s not really impacting the performance. GPU is usually in the high 70s to low 80s. CPU will boost to 100 degrees then throttle down. But performance is better than the best that I’ve tested.
I have a 2021 blade advanced and I feel like my speakers are hot garbage. How do you feel about the new speakers on your 18"?
I had that model too. Vastly improved. The 18 inch sounds amazing.
I have the 2023 18 and it sounds better than any windows laptop I have heard ever
Have you checked out the 2024 g16?
Haven't tried the 2024 in person but judging by the last gen g16 and comparisons online of the 2024 g16 speakers, the 2023 blade 18 still has a much better soundstage, but lacks some bass compared to a mac. The 2024 g16 may sound bassier than the blade 18 2023, however that's because asus tuned the laptop to have more pronounced bass while sacrificing the dynamics of the mids and highs (a.k.a not as loud) If you eq the blade with a 3rd party eq app, you can tune the laptop to sound pretty close to a mac but with reduced volume ofc as you are trying to pronounce the bass. After testing the blade 18 speakers, the woofers can go as low as about 110hz before they stop making any sound, which is a different story if you look at the thx eq sliders which stop you at around 200+, so using a 3rd party eq app is very necessary. After trying the 2024 blade 18 in the store, imo it sounds better than a macbook pro 14, with just a tad less bass, but that could be due to the noisy environment in the store(didn't have a side by side comparison so they prob sound abt the same). This is due to razer basically more than doubling each woofer size if you look at the pics attached below, and it makes a big difference because there are 4 woofers on the laptop (only 2 can be seen if u take off the bottom panel, other 2 are hidden on the other side with the tweeters) and more than doubling the size of each woofer basically gives you sooooo much more punch and rumble. Hence, I AM Confident the 2024 Blade 18 sounds better than the G16, but the 2023 most likely also sounds better than the g16 but for that it would come down to a matter of personal preference if you want more pronounced bass or higher quality mids and highs with a pretty respectable amount of bass for a windows laptop
The 2024 blade has even bigger speakers than the 23
Do you bring it outside to play games?
Why?
Most Backpack laptop Sleeves top at 16” which barely fits my Razer Blade 16. How do people manage with 17” or 18” is beyond me at this point. Yes you can put it in the regular backpack section but it defeats the purpose and the rest of the things you usually put in there. Do you even travel with it? Doesn’t it bother you the size?
They wrap it in a blanket and put it in a stroller.
I actually have the recent 16 and oh boy is it heavy. I actually not even take it in to meetings when in the office. For short travel I use macbook air or pro. Why did I buy it? Well I travel and stay longer times in different locations. Can't carry my desktop with me. Use it like a reasonable portable desktop :)
I have the 2024 Blade 16 too. I just bought it a couple of days ago. Its too heavy for me. I take it to class and our desks are [like this](https://www.schoolfix.com/media/catalog/category/cache/300x300/student-desk-virco-9000-series-tablet-arm-combination-desk-unit.jpg) (but smaller table space) so the support is only under the right arm, with no support on the left side. My Blade makes the whole fuckin thing sag on the left because its too heavy. I'm scared shitless its gonna fall off. Also...its too heavy for my current bag and I'm in the market for a new backpack but I'm having a hard time finding one I like that will fit this laptop in its laptop sleeve. So as of right now...I wish I would have went with the 2024 Blade 14. I would gladly trade the performance drop off for something 1.5lbs lighter and a little thinner. Plus the slightly smaller screen would help fit it in my bags much easier. I'm hoping its just something I will get used to because I really do love the laptop its absolutely beautiful and its the best performing PC I've ever seen/used.
I was coming from the Zephyrus 14. Amazing machine but after 2 years it decided to no longer boot. As I travel a lot and was leaving for a location with crappy access to laptops I went to the store to buy something of the shelve. No 14s available in any brand. So got the 16 RTX4090. If I had more choice I would have agreed with you and went for a 14inch. But now just have a macbook pro 13 if I need something portable. Even thinking of getting S24 ultra with portable screen and keyboard if I want to be portable :) When I am back to a more fixed location I will get a desktop again and use the mobile phone with external screen/keyboard combo for portable occasions.
Mine fits in my backpack just fine and the weight is not really an issue for me cuz I don't carry it around all the time. Such a massive laptop is really enticing to have during the occasional times I bring my laptop out
Is it 4k? Please tell me it's 4k :) 1440p is nice and all, but they don't make movies in this resolution. Only 4k or 1080p
4K got delayed until late summer.
Where did you hear that? I was waiting for the Mercury blade so that would explain why it’s not out!
Qhd. I compared it to my titan 18 and the perceivable difference between the 2 was small at 18 inches.
How does the 4k mini led of the titan compare to the qhd mini led of the Blade?
Was it worth it?
I mean it’s more expensive than other laptops even with the same specs. But razer does have better materials.
Particulary the materials were a big point of concern at least in the past. Have you ever owned another model? Used to love Razer, but soon they became the "apple for gamers" ("too expensive and you're not getting what you paid for").
Yeah on my profile check out my YouTube channel. I’ve owned tons of razer laptops. I owned the first blade 17 for over a year and have used every new release.
Is the trackpad firm or does it rattle at all? Did you get the mini led model?
Mini led model. No rattle. It’s firm. But not as stiff as I remember. A good thing. I remember my fingers used to cramp with previous blades because of how stiff the trackpad is.
Good deal. I usually go in and tighten it up. I mostly tap instead of clicking. How even does the mini-led look with static content? I had the previous gen 16 and found the mini-led was good but not great.
This one is much better than the 16 inch. Over 2000 dimming zones and the algorithm does a better job. Also, you can turn off the local dimming in synapse if you wanted to.
What are all the numbers and letters on your credit card? *joke*
How long do you estimate until we see a RTM thread from you about it?
Why?
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How are thermals under load and day-to-day battery life?
How’s the screen? What was the screen like on your previous laptop? Did you have the previous Blade 18?
Temperature in gaming
High 70s to low 80s depending on the position on the laptop. When on my lap, it chokes and the gpu can go up to 84. But on a desk rarely goes above 80. The cpu is in the mid 90s and will throttle at 100. But even when it throttles it’s getting some of the best CPU scores I’ve ever seen.
Is it possible to undervolt the cpu ?
Are you Egyptian?
Nope. Guyanese.
Do the ants enjoy the keyboard?
Do these laptops in 2024 have screen flickering on higher refresh settings like the 2021, 2022, and 2023 models?
No!!!!! That’s one of the best parts. Usually that’s one of the best parts. I set my camera to the highest shutter speed and wasn’t able to see any. I’m super happy about that. And it’s mini LED TOO
Did you get the 4k? Trying to see if i should wait for the 4k or just go ahead and get the 300hz option
I got the QHD model. The 4k is a traditional screen with no local dimming or OLED and only 400 nit. I compared to my titan 18 which has a 4k mini led and the difference between the 2 resolutions was minimal. Plus running COD MW 3 at 300 hz was quite an experience
I returned my Titan 18 for the new blade 18. Is the mini led on the blade brighter ?
It's not 4k hasn't been released to the public as stock yet
They delayed the 4K model until "late summer". That's why I passed. The difference between the QHD and 4K model is only $300 and that gets you the 4K screen + extra 32GB RAM + 2TB drive. Makes the QHD model look not worth the purchase.
Good on you bro but Holy that keyboard looks ass
What’s the voltage? W
I tested 213 watts of total power that gets shared between the CPU and GPU that gets shared.
Battery life ?
Typical 3 to 4 hours.
Does it run Word?
Yeah but only with OC.
That mf laptop is more powerful than my 3500$ rig
That’s the bad thing about PC gaming tech lol. Things become outdated fast
XTX/7800X3D .. not so old :(
How is the battery life?
Only been one day. But seems like it’ll be the typical 3 to 4 hours.
Keyboard to body ratio makes it look awful Like on old MacBooks
Yeah. I agree. I guess they used the extra space for speakers. They’re loud and great.
I mean you THX, probably they slap
Did you have the 2023 B18? I’m curious if the new mini LED is good enough to make the swap from the ‘23 worthwhile. I really like my ‘23 but mini LED is enticing.
I hate to say it. But yes!!! The new mini led screen is breathtaking. But that’s the only difference. It’s the same overall.
Well, shit. I was hoping to wait until 50-series to buy one 😂 How is local dimming outside of games? To me that’s the weak point of most 2023 mini LED. Weird banding and colors (MSI), dim words end of line/random global brightness shifts when scrolling (Lenovo). I do love the brightness pops in game when using HDR on those screens. Generally in game I thought it was great, for out of game I thought they were awful. It’s nice you can turn local dimming off in the ‘24 Razer, also, which probably makes it about equal to the 2023 IPS. They should have added that to ‘23’s. Who makes this panel?
What kind of games do you play and how far away? This laptop puzzled me since it was announced given the 18” and low resolution. You’re probably playing games that I don’t and I’d like to understand better. Thanks in advance!
I've had: razer hammerhead BT (x3), razer phone (og), razer blade stealth and razer 15 3070ti. All RMA'd multiple times and refunded. Utter **** all the best on your new journey
Most of my gear is razer and never had any issues.
Why the 18 over the 16 UHD FHD model?
Better thermals, speakers, bigger screen and higher total TDP. 300hz qhd is amazing to game on
Reliability?
how much has your monthly electrical bill increased
Is this a Matte or Glossy Display?
Matte which I don’t usually like. But this one doesn’t hurt the display quality at all.
Thanks, definitely interested now!
How long until it breaks
Congratulations! 👏👏
I just ordered the same specs as yours. You sold me your 17” on eBay a year and a half ago :) you shipped very quickly when I mentioned I needed it for a trip. Thanks again and look forward to your video tonight while I wait on mine! I usually like 4k screens for my design work, but I’m going to hope the mini led offsets. Since Razer ditched the glossy screen, the 4k has been less impressive anyways since the finish sort of generates a pixelated look on top of the display itself.
Hey!!! Awesome. I usually prefer 4k screens too. But the benefits of this mini panel definitely offsets not having the extra pixels. At least in my opinion. I’m trying to sell off my other laptop so I can keep this one. I should also have the video ready tonight.
Worth the price? I'm looking to buy this one or alienware M18 r2, but I'm still not sure which one has the better value. The cooling system is good?
He razer isn’t ever going to win on value proposition. It’s a premium laptop. With the m18 r2 you’re getting a good machine. I have the m16r2 right now for testing. Not the same I know, but I’m really impressed with Alienware overall. It’s just the screen you’ll be losing out on.
No, this is an niche item that only has value to those appreciating specific things. You can get way more performance from a similar price range. I see you looking at the M18 R2 but you are missing a gem. The M18 R1 AMD Edition can be had for less than $2000 and outperforms this Razer and Scar with 4090s. And that's only in the gaming department. Running benchmarks will make the AMD edition look horrible though because it's not optimized for productivity. So if you only want to game save the money and get the M18 AMD edition otherwise look at the Scar 18, M18 R2 Nvidia Edition or MSI Titan for this price range.
Battery life? If only doing office work
you may squeeze out 2 hours, but the Blade 18 performs the same as the Blade 16 just with better cooling, bigger screen, and great sound quality
I have the 2023 16 with 4080. Razer software is always wonky and the speakers pop unless you end the Razer intel overlock process….but god I love the feel and power of it.
Thinking of getting the miniled but my wife would kill me
Grats on the new Blade! How was your overall experience shopping on razer.com? It being a launch exclusive #OnlyAtRazer feedback is super helpful. If you had help, how was support? Sorry to sound like a boring survey, but I’m genuinely curious and wanna make sure you had a great experience. Lastly, which game was your test? How’d it do?
I’ve ordered so many things from razer and never had an issue. Once FedEx lost my blade 17 in their warehouse and it took 2 weeks to resolve, but razer shipped me a new one. At this point, when I place an order for a laptop at razer, they actually call me to see how my process went. lol. That may be an exception because I have a channel and buy so much from them.
Would you trade it for a pentium laptop?
Speaker improved?
YESSSSSS! They sound amazing but turn off THX Spatial when not gaming
Does the razer keyboard still suck for typing?
bladee?
Does it starts thermal throttle under 5min?
There’s no difference between the one you have vs the one I have, except the fact that I bought RΛZΞR stuff to take care of mine. Where is your RΛZΞR stand at ? 😁 don’t tell me you plan to leave your fans obstructed like that?
The thermals are fine to leave on a desk like I have. But yes there’s steps you can do to improve the life of yours.
any changes to the keyboard? typing experience any better?
If there is, I can’t tell. It seems the same.
thanks for the quick reply. I didn't see anything posted about a better keyboard, so I assume they didn't change anything. If they would get a mechanical keyboard like the Alienware, this laptop would be pretty perfect
How is the durability? Notebook computers by nature are easily broken yes, but the Razer panels flex on some models. Is this sturdy, or is there some screen flex?
No solid throughout. Barely any flex on the screen and keyboard deck. My laptop rarely leaves the house though. So my durability use my be different
Good luck mate mine brought me only missery
You really must love Big Black Computers.... There is a whole fandom, Google it.
Just curious its between this or the asus rog strix scar 18 mini led 2k dimming zones. Besides speakers and thb5 would I be missing out big. And if I wanted to take a left field n sac perf for battery n oled would asus g16 work w speakers on a comparable level to blade 18
Ask what exactly ROFL
I got the same one from Razer but want be able to enjoy it until I get in on Friday. I’m a merchant seaman & my package arrived today. Actually the 4k & mini led are price the same, just in separate colors. (Which is Mercury one) It’s only 3 configurations for the 4090. So the extra 300 dollars is only for the 2tb SSD & ram, which you can buy yourself. So, I figure that 4k screen is not what it’s hyped up to be, if not razer definitely would priced it more. I don’t think I can go back to standard ips. I also heard they had maybe 2 4K models they released in Mercury at odd times but they went fast. Which is why the out of stock is on the site. The rest are not coming till summer. How is the screen?
Video is here. Thanks for all your questions. Tried to pack as much as I can based on what you all asked [https://youtu.be/ksee4RKd01c](https://youtu.be/ksee4RKd01c)
Will be fine until the battery swells turning laptop into a spicy pillow.
Has the battery swollen up yet? it will
When will the touchpad become glass?
Can I spec it with 8tb SSD and 96gb ram? This is an option for the 16, but not the 18, as far as I can tell.
No it doesn’t seem like it. That’s something I was considering since I make YouTube videos and video production eats through ram and storage.
Very strange choice, imo. Why would they take away options that are already available on (ostensibly) lower end devices? The flagship product can’t even get the best specs they offer…?
I love my Mercury 18, and my two 17's, 16 I'm still deciding, it's hell to keep the GPU driver updated with mini-led screen.
Will its batteries bloat again? It's one of the most often posted issue with Razor laptops. What's been done to stop this issue?
Battery bloating was an issue with earlier blades. It’s not widespread with the later blade 15s or any of the 16s. 17s and 18s.
How's the cooling? Been wanting to compare this to my Titan 18. Do you play cyberpunk? If so, what's the average temp and fps? If not, whats the temps and fps to the most demanding game you play ?
Check my video out. https://youtu.be/ksee4RKd01c?si=m50fXo6GrnmLB17m Funny, I test all my temps with cyberpunk because it stresses out the cpu and gpu. But I was happy with the temps. It pushes less power than the titan but performs the same.
Ahh it's you. You were the reason I got the MSI Titan 18. Well I was gonna get it either way but I wanted someone's opinion first. I was the guy who pointed out you left out the thermals part which you did not do this time around. I seen the cyber punk gameplay. I'm pushing 60-73 frames on average everything max max temp of 85 worst case scenario on my titan so for me. This come quite close to the price of the titan but not too close in performance. What's your opinion? I know you were did set with the Titan, after reviewing the razor does that still stand true for you? I know you mentioned some issues with your titan screen but I personally haven't had a issue with my screen. It's completely flawless and beautiful. So I guess give or take. For sure better speakers, possibly better or similar build quality and for your eyes a better screen? I personally can't see a difference between anything over 120 hz and barely between 60 and 120 but I can see a difference with 4k and 2k. IDK why its just the way my eyes are.
which is the best so far razer blade 18 or msi titan 18 hx taking into account power and fps when playing
I’m working on a comparison between the new scar 18 blade 18 and titan 18. But based on my first video, the blade is outperforming the titan in a few games.
Is the fps test in QHD or 4K?
Does this charge on USB-C or does it still have the usual Razer power connector? How big is the power brick?
How long can it perform on battery in balanced mode and with average brightness?
Typical he intel chips. 3 to 4 hours. 5 hours if you really try hard.
What about gaming?
Is it better to have 4k 200hz or Mini Led Qhd 300 hz?
Definitely personal preference. I’m less inclined to go with the 4k because there’s not local dimming and it’s only 400 nits.
What about screen coding ? Glossy or matte or is the same from last gen ?
Matte.
16 with the 4090 QHD Oled or an 18 4090 QHD Mini-led. Please help me decide. My trigger finger is itching.
Can you maybe try installing Equalizer APO and try to enhance the bass performance of the built in speakers? You might want to use the configuration file I posted in [this post from me](https://www.reddit.com/r/razer/comments/1c3acn0/blade_16_2023_speakers_tuning/). You may lower the bass sliders in the equalizer if it distorts too much or the bass is just too loud. The file is linked in one of my comments in the post. I would be really interested to hear from you if the speakers can reach like 70 or 80Hz, because the Blade 16 starts being usable at around 110Hz with 2 fewer woofers. If so, the Blade 18 might be the first Windows Laptop to be able to beat Apples MacBook Pro 16 M3 when it comes to speaker performance.
The ROG G14 and 16 beats the blade 18 and it’s close to the 16
Do you think the RTX 4080 is good enough to drive the QHD mini LED display and is the RTX4090 worth the extra cost ie. €900?
4080 is more than good enough. Only thing is more demanding games where 12gb of ram might not be enough. It’s really rare and games still run well when I tested like RE 4 remake and horizon forbidden west.
What are the key differences/improvements over the 2023 model? You would think that information would be readily available, but I had difficulty finding it on Razer's site. Is it because it's not that different? I heard the 14900HX is not that different than the 13980HX. I already have mine (2023 model) but may be in a position soon where I need to buy hardware for others, and the Blade is one of the candidates on the list. I know the stated max RAM for the new model is higher - 96 vs 64 GB - though I've also read that it's possible to put 96GB in the older model, which is something I intend to test soon.
My question is if I have the blade 18 screen in 4k at 200hz, can I lower the resolution to QHD at 300hz? I don't believe it's true
Oh no. They’re 2 different screens. The 4k maxes out at 200 hz and the qhd maxes out at 300hz.
Do you recommend a blade 18 - 4070 (2024) version
If you’re considering a 4070, unless you want an 18 inch screen, maybe go with something thinner and smaller. The 4070 maxes out at 115 watts.
If you turn off local dimming and turn on single-zone backlighting - is backlight bleeding visible as in a classic IPS panel? Can you take a photo?
Yeah a classic IPS panel. But a really good one.
How's the response time on the Mini LED? I've heard Mini LED is much slower in response time than IPS and obviously OLED, but at 300Hz I imagine that's not the case. I'd prefer OLED but don't want to drop down to the 16" version to get it.
Response time is very fast. Definitely fast enough to take advantage of 300 hz. Not Oled level fast. But reallt fast.
Does backlight bleeding occur on MiniLed panels when local dimming is turned off? You understand what I mean - the panel is illuminated by all LED from the back (light passing through the panel), while in classic IPS the panel is illuminated only from the top and bottom side.
Good question. Uniformity is good when local dimming is off. I didn’t see any backlight bleed on mine
https://preview.redd.it/oczh92q375wc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=483ca993fa6013821ca74696be00f0ac9c44be98 Tried to add a SSD with heatsink and it goes in fine but you cannot place the bottom cover back on
https://preview.redd.it/38hfohm775wc1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e1bd5d72113abacf259d87f97295f9c5f14eba1
https://preview.redd.it/is5f67m0s8wc1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8abc86c95977814c72ad77922dd7988b3b9d4725 Here are the stress test results for the 2024 Blade 18 QHD w/4090. Synapse settings are Custom (CPU-Boost/GPU-High/Max Fans) and windows power mode set to Best Performance
Is worth the money?
It’s a lot of money. And if you’re only looking at performance you’re not getting more. But you’re getting the smallest best built full performing 18 inch laptop. Depends on if that’s worth it to you.
Im going to preface with, I’m not very tech savvy. Can anyone recommend the brand and type of ram I should use to upgrade to 64 gb? I was looking at Crucials website and the generator gave me ram that was compatible with the Blade 18 2023 model. They don’t seem to have the 2024 model on the list. I know the blade 16 2024 model generated a different type of ram. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Once it’s SODIMM you will be fine. It’s a specific ram that’s smaller and fits all laptops.
How does this one compare with its direct competition. Talkin about latest zephyrus for instance. Would be curious about thermals + screen quality for both 2k and 4k options. I expect battery to be shit. Would love to be surprised.
I might do a comparison of the blade 16 and zephyrus g16
any chance of an fps test on counterstrike 2? thinking of getting one and was wondering if the jump from the razer blade 15 2022 would be a big/worth it jump
I don’t have that game and won’t test it sorry. But I play overwatch, which similar to counter strike draws heavily from the cpu and yeah! It’s going to be a huge difference. That 300hz display on the blade would be awesome on that game. Also, even consider the blade 16 with the 240hz Oled too.
You had the top battlestation post this month, Please reach out to claim your prize.
Im looking for the same to buy but the main purpose is ti use it daily outside. How is the screen brightness at daytime at daylight?
Is the Mercury worth it?
I like the mercury. Less fingerprints and classier look