Notebook Review

Razer Blade 15 (2022) review: Expensive HDR gaming laptop with old problems

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  • Specifications of the Razer Blade 15 (2022)
  • Design and connectors
  • Laptop screen 240Hz
  • Keyboard and touchpad
  • Performance and heating
  • Battery Life Razer Blade 15 (2022)
  • Total
  • Should I buy
  • Razer Blade 15 (2022) Gaming Laptop – Video
  • In recent years, many powerful gaminglaptops, and the new Razer Blade 15 (2022) is one of them. Here we get not only a great processor and graphics card, but also a stunning QHD OLED display. However, the main advantage is the screen with a refresh rate of 240 Hz.

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    The combination of OLED and 240Hz is the best possible for gaming devices. I would like to believe that in the near future there will be more such models - but for now, let's take a look at the new Blade 15.

    Read also: ASUS ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE (2022) review of a gaming laptop with high performance and price

    Specifications of the Razer Blade 15 (2022)

    Screen

    15.6" OLED, 2400×1600 pixels (QHD), 240Hz

    CPU

    Intel Core i9-12900H (14 cores)

    Video card

    Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti

    RAM

    16GB DDR5 4800MHz Dual Channel

    Inner memory

    1TB M.2 NVMe SSD

    Connectivity and connections

    Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2

    operating system

    Windows 11 Home

    Webcam

    1080p with Windows Hello

    Connectors

    1×Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 2×USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with Power Delivery 3 (15W), 3×USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, SD card slot

    Battery

    80 Wh

    Dimensions

    35.51×23.5×1.7 cm

    Weight

    2.0 kg

    Colors

    The black

    Price

    360 thousand rubles

    Design and connectors

    Externally, the gaming laptop Razer Blade 15 (2022) is not much different from previous models.

    Yes, there is a powerful RTX 3070 Ti graphics card andThe 14-core Intel Core i9-12900H processor, but the design remains almost the same as before. The keyboard buttons are slightly larger and the sound from the upward-firing speakers comes out through a thin grille, but other than that there's little change.

    This is a large 15.6-inch laptop with pointedsides and a stylish design when the body is made of aluminum. The back has the traditional Razer green backlit logo, although a choice of logo backlight colors could be added for the premium model.

    The body of the Blade 15 is thin and light: its dimensions are 35.51 × 23.5 × 1.7 cm, and its weight is 2 kg.

    There are enough connectors here:Razer has added one USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, three USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, and a full-size SD card slot to the laptop. The 1080p webcam and upward-facing speakers also please. The sound from them is not as high-quality as that of the MacBook Pro, but for a gaming laptop it is quite decent.

    Laptop screen 240Hz

    The Razer Blade 15 (2022) features a 15.6-inch OLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate.

    Switching to OLED panels is painfulslow, especially on gaming laptops, but the process gradually speeds up. It's worth noting that Razer has been releasing gaming laptops with OLED screens for a few years now, when previously they were 4K panels with a 60Hz refresh rate.

    The combination of 240Hz and 2400x1600 resolution looksvery attractive. This OLED screen is designed specifically for gaming, and the Blade 15 was the first such laptop on the market. Razer once again sets trends in the segment. The display itself looks amazing - it has incredibly rich colors and high contrast.

    DeltaE is only 0.52, so there is nocolor accuracy issues. In addition, the screen is glossy, making the image clearer and richer than matte panels. The downside is that you have to deal with glare and reflections, and even the maximum panel brightness of 400 nits does not solve the problem.

    When it's sunny outside, while playing games or watching movies, the Blade 15 (2022) is uncomfortable to use by the window.

    There is also support for HDR, albeit in officialThe specs don't say anything about it. The high contrast of the OLED panel and the peak brightness of 620 nits in HDR mode make for an incredible experience. The saturation of colors in games is noticeably increased, you can see a lot of new details, and the lighting will be more realistic.

    Of course, 620 nits falls short of brightness ata quality TV or gaming monitor like the Alienware 34 QD-OLED. However, for a gaming laptop, this is enough, so the image is striking. In addition, you can enjoy HDR not only in games, but also when watching movies or YouTube videos.

    Keyboard and touchpad

    As usual with Razer, the keyboard is one of the main advantages of the company's laptops.

    With the Razer Blade 15, we get the usualoptical-mechanical switches, so the keyboard is incredibly comfortable to play and type. Click feedback is excellent, and the "clicky" sound is pleasant, although it sounds a bit unnatural.

    The touchpad is still large and comfortable, howeverthe problem with accidental touches with the palms has not been solved that way. It's been haunting Razer Blade models for years now, and accidental taps on the touchpad while typing are really annoying.

    Performance and heating

    There are several configurations of the Razer Blade 15 (2022) on sale, but only one with an OLED display and a frequency of 240 Hz.

    If you select this option, you will have a video cardRTX 3070 Ti, although other builds have the more powerful RTX 3080 Ti. Unfortunately, this will require you to slightly lower your graphics settings in games to get frame rates above 200 fps - especially at 1600p.

    However, there are no problems with performance in games, although it is better not to set the maximum settings in the most demanding ones.

    For example, in Red Dead Redemption 2 with permission1600p and "Ultra" settings, the average frame rate reaches only 53 fps. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla on "Ultra-high" settings, the figure is 70 fps, but when you lower the resolution to 1080p, you can count on 80 fps.

    You'll get higher frame rates in simpler games like Fortnite and Civilization VI, where you'll get the most out of 240Hz refresh rates.

    The Blade 15 has the same heat issues,that of previous models of the line. The case during games becomes very hot - so much so that it is better not to touch it. Especially in the areas between the hinge and the keyboard. The keyboard itself and palm rests are not as hot, but gaming sessions will sometimes have to be limited in time.

    Battery Life Razer Blade 15 (2022)

    Another major downside of the Blade 15 is that it doesn't have the longest battery life, especially with such a power-hungry display.

    When watching a video, you can count on just 5 hours of using a laptop, and when surfing the web and performing work tasks, you can count on 4 hours at all.

    About long games without charger hereand out of the question, even to work you have to take an adapter with you. In this regard, the more compact Blade 14 performs much better.

    Total

    The new 2022 Razer Blade 15 is arguably the best in the lineup's history, but that doesn't mean it at all.

    Gaming laptop boasts amazing15.6-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2400×1600 pixels, and its refresh rate reaches an incredible 240Hz. However, many old problems remain, and Razer still hasn't solved them.

    The case gets very hot under load,the battery drains quickly, and the touchpad still has no protection against accidental touches. In addition, the price is inappropriately high, even with the ability to play in HDR.

    Should I buy

    The Blade 15 from Razer with its 240Hz OLED display will appeal to any gamer, but it's very expensive, and you can easily find an equally good gaming laptop for a lot less.

    Yandex Market Gaming laptop Razer Blade 15 (2022) – video

    Alexander Shaman Alexander has been writing foralmost two decades. Initially, he collected technology news for local media. His love of science fiction awakened a huge thirst for knowledge. Trying to understand how it works and if it could work better, he becomes so carried away, as if he is immersed in a trance. For this, among colleagues in TehnObzor, he received the nickname - Shaman. Razer's Best Display Gaming Laptop Design & Ergonomics 95/100 Display & Media 98/100 Keyboard & Input Devices 90/100 Connectors & Ports 90/100 Performance 90/100 Connectivity & Connectivity 90/100 Battery Life 85/100 Total 91.1 Razer Blade 15 (2022) has the best gaming laptop screen I've ever tested. But, the high price and old problems do not allow recommending the model for purchase. Advantages and disadvantagesOLED screen 240Hz with HDRLarge set of connectorsWebcam 1080pPerforming processor and graphicsComfortable optical-mechanical keyboardHigh price Battery lifeThe case gets very hotThe touchpad is not protected from accidental touches 5/5 (1 review)