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Razer Blade receives better webcam, 4K 144Hz screens, and bigger batteries

Luke Larsen
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The Razer Blade is constantly receiving iterative updates, and this year at CES 2022, it’s getting a few more.

The 15-inch and 17-inch models are being loaded up with the latest Intel CPUs, while the Razer Blade 14 will get the latest Ryzen upgrade. All three models will get the latest bump by Nvidia, too, of course.

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But those are no-brainers. For everything else, the devil’s in the details.

The Razer Blade 15 and 17 have always had an option for a 4K screen, but now that 4K screen goes up to a 144Hz refresh rate. That matches what some of the most high-end gaming laptops offer and matches how powerful the latest graphics cards are.

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The Razer Blade 17, though, has a few more upgrades this year that are exclusive to the larger model. It comes with a larger 82-watt-hour battery, up from 70.5. The 17-inch Razer Blade also has more intake vents this time around, combined with a completely redesigned fan system internally that includes a slightly larger fan directly under the keyboard.

The Razer Blade 17 also received a boost to its audio solution. It now comes with eight speakers, all of which are located under the speaker grills. Between the improved audio and the 1080p webcam, the Razer Blade 17 should now feel like a proper videoconferencing laptop.

A top-down view of the Razer Blade 17.

The Razer Blade 14 has also been updated with some exclusive improvements this year to catch it up to the other models. It now comes with the same fingerprint-resistive coating that debuted on the Razer Blade 15 in 2021 for a less messy finish.

The Razer Blade 14 also now has a MUX switch, which allows for a better handoff between the integrated and discrete graphics.

But don’t worry — there are a few smaller changes that affect the Razer Blade 15, too. For example, all three models now have a larger keyboard with wider individual keycaps, a new laser-cut up-firing speaker grill, and ship with Windows 11 out of the box.

The Razer Blade 15 has also received a simplified set of configurations that are being sold. The Base Model is no longer available, and the Advanced Model is now known simply as the Razer Blade 15.

Razer has not announced pricing or availability info for these new gaming laptops. But Razer’s CEO tweeted in November that pricing would increase on Blade laptops in 2022 because of the rising costs of PC components.

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