The Razer Blade 14 (2023) has simply been revealed. Just like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023), it sports activities AMD’s new Ryzen 7040HS chips. However how do these highly effective but compact 14-inch gaming laptops differ?
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has been among the finest laptops round for the previous a number of years – impressing with its worth and appears that defy a typical gaming machine however don’t utterly shun eye-catching model. By comparability, the Razer Blade 14 has remained sturdy, if usually held again by Razer’s usually excessive worth factors.
This yr, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) has already hit the cabinets, with AMD’s newest chip that’s made for offering high-end efficiency in comparatively thin-and-light chassis – look out for our overview coming quickly. Throughout the aisle on the Razer model, the Blade 14 has simply been introduced, with upgrades aplenty in comparison with the earlier era. Let’s dive in to see how these pocket rockets examine.
Each use the AMD Ryzen 7040HS collection, however Asus another choice too
The operating theme of this comparability is that Asus is providing extra selections than Razer with its 14-inch gaming flagship. And, it begins with the CPU. All fashions of the Blade 14 sport the highest-end 7040HS collection chip, the Ryzen 9 7940HS. Up in opposition to it’s two choices for the G14, there’s the Ryzen 9 7940HS however it’s also possible to go for the much less performant, non 7040HS collection, Ryzen 7 7735HS if you happen to’re trying to spend much less. The G14 is already out there, whereas the Blade 14 can now be pre-ordered and ships from June twentieth.
The 7940HS specs are available in at 8-cores and 16-threads, 16MB L3 cache in addition to as much as 5.2 GHz max increase. By comparability, the 7735HS affords 8-cores and 16-threads, 16MB L3 cache alongside as much as 4.7 GHz max increase.
As a fast apart, you’ll be able to decide up each these gadgets in black or white hues, however the 32GB RAM mannequin is restricted to the Mercury White possibility for the Razer Blade 14, which appears a tad harsh on those that might want the signature stealthy Razer black. However, RAM is user-upgradeable on each of those machines, as much as 32GB RAM for the Asus and 64GB RAM for the Razer.
The G14 has a far decrease beginning worth
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) has a beginning worth of slightly below £1700/$1700, however that’s largely right down to providing a far better alternative of specs than the Razer Blade 14 (2023), as the bottom mannequin Blade 14 affords much more energy. However, that is available in at beneath £2500/$2400.
Issues are on extra of a stage taking part in area if you happen to take a look at a ROG Zephyrus G14 mannequin on par with the bottom Razer Blade 14, with that mannequin coming in at beneath £2300. Each fashions include the Ryzen 9 7940HS, RTX 4070, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage. Razer has a slight edge on show specs, with a QHD+ 240Hz panel versus the QHD+ 165Hz show on the Asus.
On the high-end, the Razer Blade 14 with 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD and RTX 4070 chip will price slightly below £2900/$2800. The highest-spec G14, with its Mini LED panel, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD and RTX 4090 GPU is available in at £3600/$3300.
The ROG Zephyrus G14 can wield an RTX 4080 or an RTX 4090
As with the processor, Asus gives extra choices on the GPU entrance too. The Razer Blade is restricted to providing an RTX 4060 or an RTX 4070 graphics chip, whereas the G14 affords 4 choices, including the extra highly effective RTX 4080 and RTX 4090.
So, if you happen to’re searching for the highest-end 14-inch gaming laptop computer parts out there throughout AMD and Nvidia, you then’ll should go for the G14 and its extra performant choices.
Nonetheless, there’s greater than meets the attention with these GPU choices and we’ll should discover efficiency variations in our testing. A key distinction is the wattage, with the Blade 14 laptops’ Nvidia chips operating at the next 140W, in contrast with 125W on all the G14 gadgets. So we’d count on a distinction in comparatively specced fashions however additional investigation is required.
240Hz vs Mini LED
There are totally different methods on the show entrance in 2023 too. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2023) affords a 165Hz refresh charge throughout the board however you’ll be able to go for a less expensive IPS show or fork out for a lavish Mini LED panel.
Razer, by comparability, has shunned Mini LED for the Blade 14, regardless of providing the know-how on its bigger Razer Blade 16 (2023). As a substitute, no matter Razer Blade 14 (2023) you purchase, you’ll be getting an IPS QHD+ 240Hz panel.
If you happen to’re somebody who loves first-person shooter and craves refresh charges larger than 165Hz then the Blade 14 would be the gadget that appeals to you. However, these searching for a extra hybrid possibility, that being a decently excessive refresh charge and the fantastic distinction of a Mini LED panel, can look to Asus this time round.