Razer Blade Stealth Review: At First Glance
Razer, an all-time laptop manufacturer, is considered the world’s leading laptop brand for gamers. This is mainly because of their ability to produce laptops with the right balance between performance and build.
So, in order to add to its collection of outstanding gaming laptops, Razer released the Blade Stealth in 2020. Impressively, this laptop packs a lot of excellent specs with amazing performance in a slim, compact body.
However, it is no news that laptops of this sort don’t come cheap, and this Razer laptop isn’t an exception. Specifically, in May 2022, when this review article was published, the Razer Blade Stealth had a starting price of $1,325.
With that being said, I know you must be wondering if this laptop offers enough performance that is worth its expensive price tag. Well, there’s only one way to find out – read on!
Razer Blade Stealth: Design, Dimension, and Weight
Design-wise, the Razer Blade Stealth appears very solid and smooth. To be more specific, the body of the laptop is made of anodized aluminum that is coated in charcoal black.
Due to its aluminum body, this laptop is quite durable and should be able to withstand rough handling. As a matter of fact, you will barely notice any flex or creaking sound around the laptop.
Besides, the Razer Blade Stealth features a sturdy aluminum bar hinge that holds its base and lid tightly together. Thus, when opened, the laptop’s lid will hardly wobble even when nudged with force.
Speaking of the lid, you will see a Razer logo (triple-headed snake trademark of Razer) placed in the center of the laptop’s lid. The black highlight and finish of this logo completely blend with the lid’s surface.
As a result, you will hardly notice the logo from a distance. Having said all that about the laptop’s exterior, let us proceed to discuss what the interior has to offer.
To start with, on the interior of the Razer Blade Stealth, you will come across a gorgeous 13.3-inch OLED display. Impressively, this display supports two resolution options which are FHD (1920 x 1080) and 4K UHD (3840 x 2160).
With either of these resolutions, the Razer Blade Stealth’s display should be able to deliver remarkable picture quality. However, with the 4K UHD resolution, the display’s picture quality will be more colorful and realistic.
This is because 4K UHD resolution features about two times the number of pixels that the FHD resolution has. Nevertheless, with either resolution, the Razer Blade Stealth’s 13.3-inch display features an IPS (In-Plane Switching) panel.
Hence, the display offers wide viewing angles. Thus, you will be able to watch the laptop’s display off-center without noticing any reduction in picture quality or color distortion.
To make things even better, you can also purchase the Razer Blade Stealth with a 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen display. Just like the non-touchscreen display, this laptop’s touchscreen display also supports FHD (1920 x 1080) and 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution.
Also, it has an IPS panel for wide viewing angles. That aside, the Razer Blade Stealth’s display (touchscreen or non-touchscreen) is surrounded by extremely slim bezels.
Amazingly, despite the bezels being so slim, Razer managed to include an HD webcam in the center of the top bezel. In terms of performance, this webcam isn’t good for taking selfies as it produces grainy and blurry images.
However, for video conference calls, the webcam is superb.
Coming down to the base, the Razer Blade Stealth features a backlit chiclet-style keyboard. However, this keyboard’s backlight only offers single RGB lighting, unlike the three RGB lighting we often see on gaming laptops.
Nevertheless, the single RGB lighting facilitates easy and comfortable usage of the laptop’s keyboard in dark areas. Besides, the keys on the keyboard are well-spaced and very responsive with accurate feedback.
Hence, the overall typing experience on the Razer Blade Stealth should not just be comfortable but also pleasing. As for the laptop’s touchpad, it is situated below the keyboard.
Moreover, the touchpad features a set of integrated click buttons that are soft and clicky. Furthermore, the surface of the touchpad is wide and smooth.
Therefore, it should be responsive and allows for seamless cursor movements and navigations. Also, multi-touch gestures should be very easy to perform on the touchpad.
Port-wise, the Razer Blade Stealth falls short. To be more specific, the laptop offers a limited amount of ports.
Specifically, on the right side of the laptop, there is only a USB Type-A port and a Thunderbolt 4 port. However, on the left side, you will find another Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB Type-A port, and a 3.5 mm combo audio port.
In terms of size and weight, despite featuring an aluminum body, the Razer Blade Stealth is quite compact and lightweight. Precisely, the laptop measures 304.6 x 210 x 15.3 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 1480 g.
Due to its lightweight, you should be able to easily carry this laptop around in a backpack. Besides, when compared with most of the laptops in its category, the Razer Blade Stealth weighs less.
For instance, the Schenker Vision 15 measures 355 x 230 x 15 mm (W x D x H) and weighs 1660 g.
In conclusion, the Razer Blade Stealth features a sleek aluminum build that is durable. Furthermore, this laptop is quite light, making it easy to carry around.
Therefore, I believe a rating of nine out of ten is ideal for the Razer Blade Stealth in this design review section.
Razer Blade Stealth: Processor (CPU) Performance
When it comes to the processor, Razer does not offer anything slow. This is because they mostly produce gaming laptops, and one of the major pointers for a high-performing gaming laptop is its processor.
On that note, the Razer Blade Stealth offers two powerful Intel processor options. The first option is a quad-core Intel Core i7-1065G7 processor that has an 8 MB cache memory.
Moreover, this CPU has a base frequency of 1.30 GHz and a maximum frequency of 3.90 GHz. Meanwhile, the second option is a quad-core Intel Core i7-1165G processor with 12 MB cache memory.
For processing speed, this CPU features a base and maximum frequency of 2.80 GHz and 4.70 GHz, respectively. As stated earlier, both processors are powerful Intel CPUs.
Hence, with either processor option, the Razer Blade Stealth should do well in handling simple and heavy computing operations. In actual fact, with either processor, this laptop should be able to seamlessly handle title AAA games.
However, with the Intel Core i7-1165G processor, the Razer Blade Stealth will be faster and more powerful. This is because the processor features a higher cache memory and a faster processing speed.
Gladly, this review is based on the Razer Blade Stealth with the Intel Core i7-1165G processor. So, to further prove this laptop’s performance with this processor, we will briefly discuss its result on the Cinebench R20 test.
For clarity, the Cinebench R20 is a benchmark test that evaluates the processing abilities of a computer by putting its CPU’s cores to work. Therefore, the Cinebench R20 test involves two tests – the single-core test and the multi-core test.
To further clarify, the single-core test assesses the processor’s performance when one of its cores is in use. Meanwhile, the multi-core test gauges the CPU’s performance when all its cores are in use.
Moreover, a high score on both Cinebench R20 tests means a good processor performance. Hence, based on the test results, the Razer Blade Stealth scored 569 points on the single-core test and 2025 points on the multi-core test.
Comparatively, the Schenker Vision 15, which uses the same CPU (Intel Core i7-1165G) performed less. To be more specific, the Schenker Vision 15 scored 539 points on the Cinebench R20 single-core test.
Meanwhile, on the multi-core test, the laptop was only able to score 1999 points.
In summary, the Razer Blade Stealth offers two powerful processor options that are capable of handling almost any computing task. Furthermore, this laptop outperformed most of its rivals on a processor benchmark test.
Therefore, the Razer Blade Stealth deserves a nine out of ten rating in this CPU review section.
Razer Blade Stealth: Memory (RAM) Performance
Coming down to the memory, the Razer Blade Stealth offers two memory slots and a DDR4 (Dual-Channel) memory type. Furthermore, the laptop offers a standard memory of 16 GB.
Sadly, 16 GB is also the maximum memory that it supports. As a result, even with the multiple memory slots, you will not be able to upgrade the laptop’s memory to more than 16 GB.
Nevertheless, I believe 16 GB of RAM should be enough for the laptop to handle most computing tasks. As a matter of fact, the laptop will be able to effectively play most high-end games with 16 GB RAM.
That’s not all; the Razer Blade Stealth should also be able to multitask seamlessly with that amount of memory. Speaking of multitasking, with 18 Chrome tabs running and two YouTube videos streaming simultaneously, this laptop shouldn’t lag or slow down.
In fact, transitioning between the tabs and videos should be hitch-free for the laptop. To further prove the memory performance of this laptop, we will now consider its PCMark 10 test result.
In brief, PCMark 10 is an app-based benchmark test that examines the RAM performance of a computer by simulating everyday tasks. Furthermore, a high score on this test signifies good memory performance.
So, based on the test results, the Razer Blade Stealth was able to deliver an outstanding score of 5549 points. When compared with some of its major opponents, this Razer laptop performed significantly better.
For example, the Dell XPS 13 9310 was only able to score 4914 points on the PCMark 10 test.
Therefore, to wrap up this memory review section, I will rate the Razer Blade Stealth a nine out of ten.
Razer Blade Stealth: Storage Options and Performance
In terms of storage, the Razer Blade Stealth features a PCIe NVMe SSD (Solid State Drive). This laptop’s storage drive supports a maximum storage capacity of 512 GB.
Technically speaking, 512 GB of storage space is barely enough for regular users to store files and applications. Therefore, bearing in mind that the Razer Blade Stealth is a gaming laptop, I doubt if this amount of maximum storage space will suffice.
This is because most modern games require a large amount of storage space before installation. For example, the popular Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War requires 175 GB of storage space before installation.
Therefore, if you have to install about three of such games, you will definitely run out of storage space. To make things even worse, the Razer Blade Stealth does not feature an SD card reader for storage expansion.
Thus, for additional and adequate storage space, you will have to purchase an external hard drive which will attract extra cost. Nevertheless, considering that it uses an SSD, the Razer Blade Stealth should be able to deliver fast storage performance and speed.
To ascertain the storage performance of this laptop, let us proceed to discuss its CrystalDiskMark 5.2 test results. Briefly, CrystalDiskMark 5.2 is a benchmarking tool that estimates the read and writes speed of a computer’s storage drive.
For clarity, the read and the write speed are the total time it takes a storage drive to open and save files respectively. Thus, the higher the “MBps” value on this benchmark test, the faster the read and write speed of the computer’s storage drive.
So, according to the CrystalDiskMark 5.2 test results, the Razer Blade Stealth delivered a sequential read speed of 2403 MBps. Also, the laptop delivered a write speed of 2122 MBps.
Comparatively, the Dell XPS 13 9310, which also employs an SSD, offers slower read and write speed. Specifically, this Dell laptop delivered a sequential read and write speed of 1836 MBps and 1811 MBps, respectively.
In conclusion, although the Razer Blade Stealth’s SSD is quite fast, it offers limited maximum storage space. Also, the laptop lacks an SD card reader for storage expansion.
Hence, I will rate the Razer Blade Stealth a seven out of ten in this storage review section.
Razer Blade Stealth: Graphics Card Performance
For the graphics card, the Razer Blade Stealth employs a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q GPU. As a dedicated GPU, this laptop’s graphics card offers a dedicated VRAM of 4 GB GDDR5/GDDR6.
Furthermore, the graphics card offers a base frequency of 930 MHz and a boost frequency of 1125 MHz. Hence, with this GPU, the Razer Blade Stealth should be able to easily handle graphics-intensive tasks like video and photo editing.
Also, the laptop should be able to handle most high-end games. Speaking of games, this laptop delivered an impressive frame rate of 105.1 fps while playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
That said, to better understand the graphics performance of this laptop, I will now share its 3DMark 11 test result. On a quick note, 3DMark 11 is a benchmark test that examines the graphics rendering and gaming abilities of a computer’s GPU.
Moreover, similar to other benchmark tests in this article, a high score on this test means better GPU performance. Therefore, based on the test results, the Razer Blade Stealth scored 12199 points.
In comparison, the HP Envy 14, which also employs an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q GPU, performed less. Specifically, on the 3DMark 11 test, the HP Envy 14 delivered a score of 10940 points.
In summary, the Razer Blade Stealth features a high-performing GPU that delivers excellent gaming performance. Furthermore, this laptop performed better than one of its major competitors on a benchmark test.
For these reasons, I will rate the Razer Blade Stealth a nine out of ten in this graphics card review section.
Razer Blade Stealth: Battery Life and Performance
Concerning the battery, the Razer Blade Stealth comes with a 53.1 WHr battery. According to Razer, this laptop should be able to deliver a battery life of 10 hours.
To validate Razer’s claim, I will briefly highlight the battery rundown test result of the laptop. However, before mentioning the laptop’s result, I would love to briefly discuss what this battery rundown test entails.
In short, the battery rundown test involves continuous web surfing via a Wi-Fi network until the laptop’s battery dies. Therefore, at the conclusion of the test, the Razer Blade Stealth delivered a battery life of 9 hours and 1 minute.
Although this battery life isn’t on par with the 10 hours that Razer claimed, it is still good and should last almost a full day. Besides, when compared with its competitors, the Razer Blade Stealth’s battery life surpassed most of them.
For example, the ASUS Zenbook S UX393JA delivered a battery life of 8 hours and 15 minutes on the same battery rundown test.
Therefore, to bring this battery review section to a close, I will rate the Razer Blade Stealth an eight out of ten.
Frequently Asked Questions
Razer promised a battery life of 10 hours for the Blade Stealth. However, after a battery rundown test, the laptop delivered a battery life of 9 hours and 1 minute.
The Razer Blade Stealth was released in 2020.
Yes, the Razer Blade Stealth offers an HD webcam at the center of its top bezel.
The Razer Blade Stealth weighs 1480 g.
In May 2022 (when I published this review article), the Razer Blade Stealth had a starting price of $1,325.
Conclusion
The Razer Blade Stealth is considered one of the world’s top lightweight ultrabooks for gaming. This is because the laptop features incredible specifications inside a lightweight aluminum body.
However, like every other laptop, the Razer Blade Stealth comes with a few flaws. Specifically, the storage space of this laptop is quite limited, and it does not feature an SD card for storage expansion.
Also, this laptop is quite expensive. Nevertheless, the laptop delivers great gaming and overall performance thanks to its high-end CPU and dedicated GPU.
So, if you need a mobile gaming laptop that offers spectacular performance, the Razer Blade Stealth is worth considering.
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