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Razer was the subject of one of my numerous meetings during GDC 2024 in San Francisco. Since I’ve worked with Razer extensively in the past,I reviewed a ton of its goods while I was at Factic, the firm wanted to have a one-on-one meeting to showcase a number of their upcoming releases. I had the opportunity to use these things firsthand and compile my initial thoughts. I’m limited to discussing one today the Razer Blade 18 2024.
The largest and most powerful gaming laptop from Razer appears to have not altered all that much. Anyone familiar with a Blade from the past will still recognize the design instantly, as the underlying formula remains the same. The Blade 18 has a few tricks up its sleeve to help it stand out from the other top gaming laptops, but the internals and displays are brand-new. To be precise, it’s the first laptop available on the market with complete compatibility for Thunderbolt 5.
Key Takeaways
- Beautiful 18-inch QHD 240Hz display
- Latest parts inside
- Thin all-metal design retains premium feel
- Robust port offering
RAZER BLADE 18 2024 OVERVIEW
This time, a brand-new Razer Blade 18 gaming laptop has forced its way onto our testing grounds; nevertheless, its dimensions have changed significantly. The newest Intel 13th Gen Core i9 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics processor are paired with the Blade 18’s 18-inch QHD 240Hz display.
That inevitably results in lightning-fast gameplay. In the few demanding titles that support it, DLSS 3 in particular enables high-frame-rate gaming at QHD, all wrapped up in the luxury Blade construction we’ve grown accustomed to.
Description
A costly high-end gaming laptop that follows the 18-inch screen trend is the Razer Blade 18 2024. Although it has an excellent build and powerful performance, you can find better value elsewhere.Positives
- Stunning 18-inch QHD 240Hz display
- Contains the most recent components
- Thin all-metal design maintains premium feel
- Strong port offering
Negatives
- Competitors are superior performers at the same price
- Battery life is mediocre
- Despite its tiny frame, it is heavy
- Condensed keyboard for the chassis size, despite lack of a numpad
Still, it’s expensive even in this category: It is somewhat more expensive than the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, which has an RTX 4090 and performs better, so you really need to want the best-in-class Blade design to make the purchase.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
| Class | Gaming |
| Processor | Intel Core i9-13950HX |
| RAM | 32 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity | 1 TB |
| Screen Size | 18 inches |
| Native Display Resolution | 2560 by 1600 |
| Touch Screen | No |
| Panel Technology | IPS |
| Variable Refresh Support | G-Sync |
| Screen Refresh Rate | 240 Hz |
| Graphics Processor | Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU |
| Graphics Memory | 12 GB |
| Wireless Networking | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth |
| Dimensions (HWD) | 0.86 by 15.74 by 10.83 inches |
| Weight | 6.8 lbs |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Tested Battery Life (Hours:Minutes) | 6:34 |
However, at 6.8 pounds, it is rather heavy. The few 18-inch laptops that we have seen thus far are undoubtedly intended to be desktop substitutes, primarily designed to remain stationary on your desk and mobile when required. This applies to the Blade 18, which ups the power by one pound over the Blade 17. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 weighs 6.7 pounds and is 1.2 by 15.7 by 11.5 inches, making it substantially larger and thicker overall.
DESIGN AND KEYBOARD
The Razer Blade 18 is recognizable to everyone who has seen a Razer Blade laptop in the past several years. The aluminum unibody is sand-blasted, anodized, matte black (a silver colorway is also available), and has laser-cut grilles, an RGB-lit keyboard with individual keys, a sizable glass touchpad, and Razer’s recognizable green accents. It’s a sleeker laptop than many 18-inch models with comparable power, and its build quality is far above average for large, robust gaming laptops.
But there’s a certain antiquated sense to this style now. The coating isn’t nearly as effective at preventing smudges and fingerprints as Razer would have you believe, and the same unpleasant and sharp edges return. All the hardware and features one would expect from a laptop with such a high price tag are still present, and it is unquestionably a premium notebook with excellent craftsmanship.
What is the same as the Razer Blade 18 from the previous year, then? The Razer Chroma keyboard, which is good but not particularly fancy (especially for a gaming laptop), is what you’re getting. This is one area where I hope Razer makes some significant adjustments. However, the superb Microsoft Precision touchpad returns and takes center stage in the lowest portion of the keyboard deck. With one notable variation, the general port location and selection are also almost the same. Razer’s beautiful 330W GaN charger and its corresponding proprietary port are back.
- 18" QHD+ 300 Hz MINI LED DISPLAY — Get the smoothest visuals for creative work and games with...
- INTEL CORE I9-14900HX PROCESSOR — Game and create flawlessly with the most powerful mobile...
- NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 40 SERIES GRAPHICS — Built with ultra efficient NVIDIA Ada Lovelace...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
HARDWARE AND DISPLAYS
The inclusion of an Intel 14th Gen CPU is one of the main upgrades in the new Razer Blade 18. The short version is that you can really only anticipate a slight increase in overall performance. You may read our article on everything you need to know about Intel 14th Gen CPUs. Intel 14th Gen opens up some new possibilities for future-proofed connectivity, albeit it’s not that interesting; these CPUs enable Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7.
Even with Intel 14th Gen technology, the majority of manufacturers have chosen not to include these technologies in their most recent laptops; nevertheless, Razer checked all the boxes to guarantee that the Blade 18 will remain competitive for years to come. But I’ll explain what Thunderbolt 5 support entails in the following section. Let’s discuss the further adjustments Razer has made.
It’s mostly the displays! The typical QHD+, 240Hz display found on many laptops is no longer in use. The Blade 18 now comes with two display options: a very outstanding QHD+, 300Hz Mini LED panel with 1,000 nits of peak brightness and over 2,000 local dimming zones for contrast levels approaching OLED screens, or a true 4K (2400p), 200Hz IPS LCD display for those who prioritize resolution above all else. A new feature for 2024 is the ability to turn on and off local dimming. It truly comes down to resolution vs. refresh rate, contrast, and brightness because both display options are independently calibrated to meet 100% of the cinematic DCI-P3 color gamut.
In terms of sound quality, Razer has enhanced the bass and loudness of its THX-tuned six-speaker system and added fresh cutouts to the Blade 18’s side to provide the woofer more space to breathe. Although I was unable to demonstrate the Blade 18 speaker systems to their full potential, it’s encouraging to see businesses making this kind of investment. Sharp-eyed observers won’t find many internal differences between the Blade 18 models from 2024 and 2023; the same large vapor cooling chamber and tri-fan thermal system are present, which should enable better and longer-lasting performance than the more thermally constrained Blade 16 (which has a smaller vapor chamber, a more compact chassis, and the elimination of one fan).
LAPTOP WITH THUNDERBOLT 5
With almost the same design, most of the same GPUs (Razer dropped the lowest RTX 4060, as most customers buying a premium 18-inch laptop are ready to spend more for greater power), and many of the same features, the most recent Razer Blade 18 doesn’t really differ all that much from its predecessor. While the improved displays and slight performance gains are fantastic, the new Blade 18 really shines in I/O.
Thunderbolt 5 is here with much more capability, and the Razer Blade 18 2024 is the first to take advantage of it just as Thunderbolt 4 is finally reaching market saturation (being accessible on about 90% of new Intel Core-powered Windows laptops). A USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2, two USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1, 2.5 Gbit Ethernet, UHS-II SD, and 3.5mm audio are just a few of the many ports that are still available. However, the second USB Type-C port is now a full-featured Thunderbolt 5 connector with all of its associated features.
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Then, what does that signify? Because Thunderbolt 5 is more flexible than earlier Thunderbolt versions and can better balance transmitting and receiving data, it doubles the data bandwidth from 40GB/s with T4 to 80GB/s and can even boost to 120GB/s when needed. Additionally, the PCIe bandwidth is doubled. All of this translates to nearly any combination you may require without sacrificing resolution or refresh rate, such as up to three 4K monitors at 144Hz, up to two 8K displays (as opposed to two 4K with T4), or up to 540Hz refresh rate. It also makes way for much more sophisticated docking stations, faster external SSDs, the resurgence of external GPU bays, and other things.
While hardly many devices or accessories are compatible with Thunderbolt 5, it is fully backward compatible with all prior USB Type-C and Thunderbolt generations, including full USB4 certification. As a result, Thunderbolt 5 isn’t very helpful right now. With Thunderbolt 5 Power Delivery, many laptops will only need a single connection for data and charging up to 240W of power. This is in addition to the previous minimum of 140W provided via Thunderbolt 4 Power Delivery. Even the Blade 18 may function flawlessly with just one Thunderbolt 5 connection if you’re not overloading the machine with taxing activities like gaming.
IMPRESSIVE AND EXPENSIVE LAPTOP
The Razer Blade 18, the largest and most powerful model, is possibly the most opulent, expensive, high-end gaming laptop available. In contrast to the lightweight Razer Blade 14 and the well-balanced Razer Blade 16, the Blade 18 is made to be a real desktop replacement without compromising. Without a doubt, its hardware is outstanding and has plenty of power. There isn’t much of a reason to upgrade for Blade 18 users as of now.
However, the Blade 18 presents a strong case for those seeking a powerful 18-inch gaming laptop and aren’t hesitant to shell out a significant amount of money. When you’re spending so much on a laptop that you’ll probably use for years to come, futureproofing features like Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7 are extremely valuable commodities. The new screens also seem much more premium. You’re getting the best internals you can jam into a laptop.
But getting this laptop on your desk will cost you a lot of money. With a QHD+ Mini LED display, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, an Intel Core i9, an RTX 4070 GPU, and no Thunderbolt 5, the Razer Blade 18 2024 is available from Razer. All you have to do is upgrade to an RTX 4080 with Thunderbolt 5. Do you want the best RTX 4090 GPU, 4K screen, 64GB RAM, and 4TB SSD storage? That setup comes at an exorbitant cost. Probably one of the greatest Thunderbolt docks should be paired with it as well.
I’m sure that customers will find the Razer Blade 18 to be quite useful. Except for a few minor issues, the hardware is flawless, and the larger chassis and more thermal headroom should result in even greater performance than the potent Blade 16. Not that Razer rewrote the book in any manner, but Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, more high-end displays, and better audio are all welcome enhancements. In short, it has all it needs to be among the finest, the Razer Blade 18 2024.
- 18" QHD+ 300 Hz MINI LED DISPLAY — Get the smoothest visuals for creative work and games with...
- INTEL CORE I9-14900HX PROCESSOR — Game and create flawlessly with the most powerful mobile...
- NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 40 SERIES GRAPHICS — Built with ultra efficient NVIDIA Ada Lovelace...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
Why Trust Factic
Berry Alex has been evaluating, testing, and reviewing tech, Household and travel items for several decades. He compiled all of the testers’ input, conducted extra research to assess each phone mount’s essential features and overall functioning, and reviewed professional profiles and verified customer reviews for each product.
