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The Razer Blade 15 Advanced in its 2020, Core i7-10875H, RTX 2080 Super Max-Q form really is a well-balanced, well-built powerhouse laptop. Proficient in games and impressive for productivity usage, I feel that Razer has struck a superb balance between performance, cooling, and a sleek design.
Speaking of that sleek design, cramming the level of hardware that Razer provides into a chassis that weighs around 2.2kg and is less than an inch thick is highly impressive. Plus, the aluminium unibody shell is rugged, stiff, and aids cooling capacity.
Cooling is another area where Razer does well. This is not just because of the use of a dual fan vapor chamber cooling system. But the smart decision to run sensible TDP and TGP limits for the Core i7-10875H CPU and RTX 2080 Super Max-Q GPU, respectively, help. Plus, the noise output is tolerable and is better than many other high-end gaming laptops that I have used. It's just a shame that Razer does not offer better user control for fan speed curve behaviour.
Of course, there are areas of disappointment. The 80Whr battery struggles to push past an hour of runtime for heavy gaming usage. The LiteOn SSD feels undeniably basic compared to Samsung alternatives and there is no room for a second drive.
Plus, 16GB of RAM, with no higher capacity options available, is not great for a £3K+ laptop. Thankfully, the SODIMM modules are easy to switch out and Razer excellent build quality makes removing the bottom panel and dealing with internal hardware a straightforward task.
Versus the competition from the likes of ASUS, Gigabyte/Aorus, and MSI, the Razer Blade 15 Advanced has many positives going for it. Gigabyte's competing solution is the toughest candidate for Razer to take on, especially with that model offering better memory and SSD options.
However, Razer fights back aggressively with the stunning 4K OLED touch display on the Blade 15 Advanced, market-leading build quality and design, and a superb set of connectivity options especially for multi-display usage.
At around £3200 typical availability, or currently on sale for £2900 at Scan, I feel that the Razer Blade 15 Advanced in this form is an excellent option for users who need competent productivity performance from their multi-monitor workstation by day and then want to kick back and play AAA titles at appealing settings by night. The Blade 15 Advanced performs that blend of usage very well and does so without looking out-of-place or offering up significant weakness in either usage scenario.
It really is impressive to see a high-end laptop that is equally as appealing to gaming users as it is to those who yearn a productivity powerhouse that can quickly be shoved into a backpack. Good job, Razer, now please give me a second SSD slot, bigger battery, and higher memory options on the next version. Until then, I am very impressed by the Razer Blade 15 Advanced and consider it to be a strong candidate on anybody's high-end laptop shortlist.
We found the laptop priced at £3199.99 at Overclockers UK HERE.
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Pros:
- Stunning 4K60 OLED touch display.
- Superb build quality, chassis design, and aesthetic appearance.
- Slim, compact, and lightweight for excellent portability.
- True desktop replacement calibre hardware – Core i7-10875H and RTX 2080 Super Max-Q.
- Good cooling performance thanks to sensible CPU/GPU operating powers.
- Perfectly tolerable noise output.
- Excellent connectivity options, especially with regard to demanding multi-monitor setups.
Cons:
- No secondary M.2 SSD slot.
- The LiteOn SSD is not great for such a high-end laptop.
- Only 16GB of memory, though this can be upgraded manually.
- 80Whr battery delivers disappointing runtimes.
KitGuru says: A stunning and stunningly powerful laptop that would certainly be at position one or position two in my list of go-to high-end mobile powerhouses.
