Carlsbad, Calif. – Razer introduced Wednesday a pair of its latest Razer Blade high-performance gaming laptops with improved speed and resolution.
The new Razer Blade T14 iteration is said to have “the highest resolution 14-inch display available in a laptop” – a 3,200 by 1,800 (5.76 megapixels) touchscreen LCD display.
At the same time, the new Razer Blade Pro laptop with a 17-inch display is said to offer next-generation graphics capabilities and updated applications targeting professionals and gamers.
The Blade Pro features a FullHD 17-inch LED main display with Razer’s Switchblade User Interface (SBUI) providing one-click access to program tools, macros, key binds and other customizable functions.
The Razer SBUI includes 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys, a cellphone-grade LCD display that doubles as a trackpad and associated proprietary software.
Key included apps include Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro, Maya and GIMP. Six new Razer SBUI programs will launch with the updated Razer Blade Pro, including a Windows 8 Charms app that simplifies interface access to Windows Desktop functions, and a Twitch app that unlocks the streaming service’s broadcasting and commenting features.
Additionally, Razer is unveiling its first electronic dance music initiative in the form of an app co-developed with producer and performer Afrojack.
The Razer Blade Pro is powered by a Maxwell Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M graphics processor with ShadowPlay and GameStream for seamless gaming video capture and streaming utilities, and GeForce Battery Boost, which works in conjunction with Nvidia Optimus technology for longer battery life while gaming, the company said.
The Blade Pro’s standard RAM has increased to 16GB, joining a fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processor and solid-state storage.
The unit measures 0.88 inches thin and weighs 6.5 pounds.
Sound is enhanced with Dolby Digital Plus Home Theatre Edition, and built-in gaming-grade peripherals include a fully programmable anti-ghosting keyboard with adjustable backlighting, ultra-sensitive trackpad, and Razer Synapse 2.0 customizable settings and configuration storage in the Cloud.
The Razer Blade Pro is now available for pre-order starting at $2,299 at Razerzone.com/BladePro. Shipping will begin in late March.
Meanwhile, the Razer Blade T14 laptop’s IGZO/IPS (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide/In-Plane Switching) display panel technology is said to offer a 250 percent increase in contrast ratio over its predecessor, with high brightness LED backlighting optimized for outdoor use, wide viewing angles, and improved video propagation and response.
The display was designed to minimize color shift while maximizing uniformity.
The 10-point capacitive multitouch screen is optimized for the touch interface in Windows 8.
“The Razer Blade sets the benchmark by which all laptops should be measured,” said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, CEO and creative director. “The Razer Blade, the world’s thinnest and most powerful gaming laptop, now comes with the best 14-inch notebook display on the planet.”
The new Razer Blade measures 0.7 inches thin, offers frame rates up to 70 percent better than the previous iteration, includes the latest Nvidia GeForce GTX 870M GPU, and is powered by a fourth-generation Intel Core i7 processor.
It includes 128GB of total solid-state storage (with options for 256GB or 512GB) for faster boot-up speeds, and includes a rugged all-aluminum chassis, with custom-designed trackpad and backlit gaming-grade keyboard with programmable keys powered by Synapse 2.0 software.
Other features include 8GB of 1,600 MHz DDR3L memory, and it comes standard with 128GB of total solid-state storage with options for a 256GB or 512GB SSD.
Audio is supported by Dolby Home Theatre v4, featuring immersive audio-quality output.
Battery life is listed at six hours per charge, and Wi-Fi 802.11ac connectivity is supported.
The Razer Blade is now available for pre-order at a suggested retail starting at $2,199 from Razerzone.com/Blade.
Shipments will start in early April, the company said.
