TechRadar Verdict
The Razer Blade 15 (2022) is the latest refresh of the iconic gaming laptop, chock full of high-powered hardware that offers fantastic gaming performance. But all that kit will cost you – and don't even think about trying to take this one too far from a power outlet.
Pros
- +
Cutting-edge hardware
- +
Fantastic gaming performance
- +
Classic Razer Styling
Cons
- -
Expensive
- -
Dreadful battery life
- -
Lower-spec models not great value
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Razer Blade 15 (2022): Two minute review
The Razer Blade 15 (2022) is the latest refresh of Razer's iconic gaming laptop and is unquestionably one of the best gaming laptops released this year, though the price tag remains as steep as ever.
To start, the refresh comes with all-new Intel Alder Lake mobile processors, Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti and Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti GPUs, and DDR5 RAM, so this is a big step up from the Razer Blade 15 (2021) in terms of performance. That performance comes at the price of battery life, though, which is all but non-existent thanks to that voracious Alder Lake processor and 105W TGP GPU.
The price is as eye-watering as ever. While there are cheaper gaming laptops in this class, the Blade 15 is a premium piece of kit for anyone looking for some gamer eye-candy to go along with that best-in-class performance. Even with all that power and sleek design, it's really stretching the bounds of reason to charge as much as a high-end gaming desktop for the privilege, especially on the lower end of the configuration spectrum.
Still, if you have the money to spend and don't mind your gaming-on-the-go being shackled like Margott to a power outlet, you should definitely give the Razer Blade 15 (2022) a look – and you may agree with us that it's one of the best 15-inch laptops money can buy.
Razer Blade 15 (2022): Price and availability
- How much does it cost? Starting at $2,499 (£2,599/AU$4,549)
- When is it out? The Blade 15 (2022) is available now
- Where is it available? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia
Here is the Razer Blade 15 (2022) configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
CPU: Intel Core i7-12800H
Graphics: Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti
RAM: 16GB DDR5-4800
Screen: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080p, 360Hz, 2ms, 100% sRGB, IPS
Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe
Ports: 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x power port, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x SD Card Reader, 1x Combo Jack, 1x Kensington Slot
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Camera: Full HD IR (1080p)
Weight: 4.40lbs | 2.01kg
Size (W x H x D): 13.98 x 9.25 x 0.67 ins. | 355 x 235 x 16.9 mm
Battery: 80WHr
The Razer Blade 15 (2022) is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, among other regions globally.
The starting configuration comes with an Intel Core i7-12800H, Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, 240Hz-refresh QHD (1440p) display, 16GB DDR5-4800 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. It sells for $2,499/£2,599/AU$4,549.
The configuration that TechRadar reviewed (listed on the right) is available for $2,999/£3,299/AU$5,799. The most powerful configuration, with a Core i9-12900H, Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti, 144Hz 4K display, and 32GB DDR5-4800 RAM with 1TB SSD, is available for $3,999/£4.199/AU$7,199.
This is an expensive laptop no matter what configuration you go with and it's genuinely difficult to argue that the lower-end configurations are worth these prices. You have to really want a Razer Blade 15 to pay $2,500 for a laptop whose configuration is more or less in the midrange category.
The higher-end configurations – especially with the RTX 3080 Ti and UHD 144Hz display – are at least more justifiable in terms of hardware, but understand that you're paying a premium for the Razer branding no matter which you go for.
Razer Blade 15 (2022): Design
- Classic Razer style
- Still remarkably thin
- Plenty of ports
The one thing you can say about the Razer Blade 15 (2022) is that it's the MacBook of gaming laptops.
The design of the Blade 15 has always been superb and that hasn't changed. The form factor is as tight and compact as ever – an impressive feat given the hardware that it's packing under the lid.
The all-black anodized CNC Aluminum finish is still gorgeous, and the keyboard is comfortable. The (blessedly) up-firing speakers with THX Spatial Audio sound great and the RGB on the keys of the Blade 15 is more subdued than with many other gaming laptops, which is a plus in our book. There are also a good number of ports on the Blade 15, so all those Razer peripherals you've been picking up over the years won't go to waste.
The display looks sharp and the slight bezels on the top and size offer ample screen space. Unfortunately, only the QHD displays have Nvidia G-Sync, which is another knock against the lower-end configurations.
Fortunately, the Windows Hello-compatible IR webcam is a full 1080p. Unfortunately, there's no physical privacy switch, which should be standard on any webcam at this point.
Razer Blade 15 (2022): Performance
- Outstanding performance
- Runs hot
Here is how the Razer Blade 15 (2022) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark Night Raid: 52,393 | Firestrike: 24,150 | Time Spy: 10,526
CineBench23 (Multi Core): 15,244
GeekBench 5 (Single Core): 1,749 | (Multi Core): 11,705
PCMark10 Home: 7,681
Battery Life (PCMark10 test): 2 hours 49 minutes
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 2 hours 43 minutes
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Low Quality): 215 fps | (1080p, Ultra Quality): 73 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Low Quality): 131 fps | (1080p, Ultra Quality): 58 fps | (1080p, Ultra Quality, RTX): 35 fps
Blender Monster: 1,427 | Junkshop: 835 | Classroom: 738
HandBrake (1080p30 Encode from 4K): 55 fps
The raw gaming performance of the Razer Blade 15 (2022) can't be denied. Thanks to the 12th-generation Intel Alder Lake processor, the Blade 15 (2022) nearly laps the model in our Razer Blade 15 (2021) review in multi-core performance in Cinebench R23 and comes out a whopping 62% ahead of its predecessor.
Even in our 3DMark tests, the Blade 15 (2022) outpaced its predecessor by a huge margin, doubling its 3DMark Night Raid score – 52,393 to the 2021 Blade 15's 26,303. The gains in Firestrike (to 24,150 from 19,188) and Time Spy (to 10,526 from 8,666) are more modest but still impressive given that the 2021 model we reviewed was packing an RTX 3080 while the 2022 model we tested was running an RTX 3070 Ti.
Granted, that RTX 3070 Ti was also running on 105W of TGP, making it more than a match for the RTX 3080 mobile GPU in last year's model.
All that power and the slim form factor also mean that this laptop runs pretty damn hot, so make sure there's plenty of ventilation while gaming and set it up on a table or desk while using it rather than your lap.
Razer Blade 15 (2022): Battery life
- Dismal battery life
- Fast-ish charging
So, the Razer Blade 15 (2022) is certainly powerful, we'll give it that – along with all of our battery power, apparently. Gaming laptops aren't exactly known for being long-lasting, but boy, it's been a minute since we saw a sub-three-hour battery life on a laptop.
In our PCMark 10 battery life test, the Blade 15 (2022) lasted a measly two hours 49 minutes, and it did slightly worse in the FHD movie battery test, lasting just two hours 43 minutes. This is compared to the comparatively impressive six hours 16 minutes and five hours 31 minutes, respectively, achieved by the Razer Blade 15 (2021).
It's too soon to tell if this is due to the power-hungry 12th-gen Intel chips, but we suspect this is the case. Several other laptops we've seen with the new hardware have seen a serious drop in battery life in exchange for a huge bump up in performance. So it's hard to blame Razer for the poor battery life here, but it's definitely something to be aware of if you're looking to buy the Razer Blade 15 (2022).
Should I buy a Razer Blade 15 (2022)?
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- First reviewed May 2022
