The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is one of the most popular gaming laptops on the market, and for good reasons. It combines a sleek design, powerful performance, and a stunning display in a compact package that can handle any game you throw at it. But is it worth the high price tag? Let's find out in this review.
Design and Build Quality
The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is a beautiful laptop that looks and feels premium. It has a black aluminum chassis with a green Razer logo on the lid, and a thin bezel around the screen. The laptop is surprisingly thin and light for a gaming laptop, measuring only 0.68 inches thick and weighing 4.63 pounds. It's easy to carry around and fit in most backpacks.
The laptop has a solid build quality, with no flex or creaks in the body. The hinges are sturdy and smooth, and the lid can be opened with one hand. The keyboard is comfortable and responsive, with per-key RGB backlighting that can be customized through Razer Synapse software. The touchpad is large and smooth, with Windows Precision drivers for accurate gestures.
The laptop has plenty of ports for connectivity, including a Thunderbolt 3 port, three USB 3.1 ports, a HDMI 2.0 port, a mini DisplayPort 1.4 port, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. There's also a Kensington lock slot for security. The laptop lacks an SD card reader and an Ethernet port, which might be disappointing for some users.
Performance
The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is a beast when it comes to performance. It's powered by an Intel Core i7-8750H processor, which is a hexa-core CPU that can boost up to 4.1 GHz with Turbo Boost. It also has 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, which is enough for multitasking and running multiple programs at once.
The laptop also has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q graphics card, which is a powerful GPU that can handle any game at high settings and smooth frame rates. The Max-Q design means that the GPU is slightly underclocked to reduce heat and noise, but it still delivers impressive performance.
The laptop has a 256 GB SSD for storage, which is fast and reliable, but might not be enough for some users who have a lot of games and files to store. The good news is that the laptop has an empty M.2 slot that can be used to add another SSD up to 2 TB.
The laptop also has excellent cooling system, with dual fans and heat pipes that keep the laptop from overheating or throttling under heavy load. The fans are relatively quiet when idle or doing light tasks, but they can get loud when gaming or running intensive programs. The laptop also gets warm on the bottom and near the keyboard, but not uncomfortably so.
Display Quality
The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 has a stunning display that will make any gamer happy. It has a 15.6-inch IPS panel with a full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The display has a matte finish that reduces glare and reflections, and a high refresh rate of 144 Hz that makes everything look smooth and fluid.
The display also has excellent color accuracy and contrast, with 100% sRGB coverage and wide viewing angles. The display is bright enough for indoor use, but might struggle in direct sunlight or bright environments. The display also supports Nvidia G-Sync technology, which synchronizes the refresh rate of the display with the frame rate of the GPU, eliminating screen tearing and stuttering.
Battery Life
The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 has a decent battery life for a gaming laptop, but don't expect it to last all day without plugging in. The laptop has an 80 Wh battery that can last for about 5 hours of mixed usage, such as web browsing, video streaming, or office work.
However, when gaming or running intensive programs, the battery life drops significantly, to about an hour or less. The laptop also consumes a lot of power when charging, so you'll need to use the included 230 W power adapter to keep it running.
Price and Value
The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is not a cheap laptop by any means. It costs $2,599 (£2,329, AU$4,099) for the configuration we reviewed, which is a lot of money to spend on a laptop. However, considering the features and performance it offers, it's not a bad deal either.
The laptop is comparable to other high-end gaming laptops, such as the MSI GS65 Stealth Thin or the Asus ROG Zephyrus S, which have similar specs and prices. The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 has some advantages over them, such as a better design, a higher refresh rate display, and a larger battery. However, it also has some drawbacks, such as a lower storage capacity, a louder fan noise, and a lack of some ports.
Ultimately, the Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is a great laptop for gamers who want a powerful and portable machine that can handle any game they want. It's also a good laptop for professionals who need a fast and reliable laptop for work and entertainment. However, it's not a laptop for everyone, as it's expensive, heavy, and noisy.
Conclusion
The Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is one of the best gaming laptops on the market, with a sleek design, powerful performance, and a stunning display. It's also a good laptop for professionals who need a fast and reliable laptop for work and entertainment. However, it's not a laptop for everyone, as it's expensive, heavy, and noisy.
If you're looking for a gaming laptop that can handle any game you throw at it, and you don't mind paying a premium price for it, then the Razer Blade 15 2018 H2 is a great choice. However, if you're looking for a more affordable or quieter option, or you need more storage or ports, then you might want to look elsewhere.