Razer Blade vs. Blade Stealth vs. Blade Pro: Which Blade is best for you?

Razer Blade 17
Razer Blade 17 (Image credit: Windows Central)

Razer Blade Pro

Razer makes three very good laptops, all called Blade. There's the Blade Stealth at the lower end, the Blade in the middle and the ridiculous Blade Pro at the very top end.

You know you want a Razer laptop, but you don't know which one is for you. Let's break it down and explain the differences, as well as which Blade suits which type of buyer.

See all three PCs at Razer

Razer tech specs

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CategoryRazer BladeBlade ProBlade Stealth
OSWindows 10Windows 10Windows 10
Display size14 inches17.3 inches13.3 inches
Display resolution1920 x 1080
or
3200 x 1800
4K3200 x 1800
ProcessorIntel Core i7 7700HQOverclocked Intel Core i7 7820HKIntel Core i7-7500U
CPU CoresFourFourTwo
GraphicsNVIDIA GTX 1060NVIDIA GTX 1080Intel HD Graphics 620
StorageUp to 1TB PCIe m.2 SSDUp to 2TB PCIe m.2 SSD Raid 0Up to 1TB PCIe m.2 SSD
RAM16GB 2400MHz DDR432GB 2667MHz DDR416GB 1866MHz DDR3
Battery70 Wh99 Wh53.6 Wh
Dimensions345 mm x 235 mm x 17.9 mm
(13.6 in x 9.3 in x 0.7 in)
424 mm x 281 mm x 22.5 mm
(16.7 in x 11 in x 0.88 in)
13.1 mm x 321 mm x 20 6mm
(12.6 in x 8.1 in x 0.52 in)
Weight4.1 lbs (1.86 kg)7.69 lbs (3.49 kg)2.93 lbs (1.33 kg)
Wi-Fi802.11ac802.11ac802.11ac
Bluetooth4.14.14.1
PortsUSB 3.0, USB-C Thunderbolt 3, HDMIUSB 3.0, USB-C Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card slotUSB-C Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0, HDMI
Optical driveNoNoNo
KeyboardMembraneMechanicalMembrane
PriceFrom $1,899From $3,999From $1,399

While Razer is a brand that targets gamers, not all of these PCs are gaming laptops. If that's what you want, the Blade Stealth should be discounted immediately.

The Blade Stealth is an excellent Utrabook with superb hardware, but to properly game you'll need to be hooked up to the additional Razer Core over Thunderbolt 3. This laptop is aimed at those who want to game at home but take a sleek, lightweight Ultrabook out to work with them. And the new gray color scheme is perfect for those who want to look discreet in the meeting room.

The lack of dedicated graphics in the Stealth is where the Blade and Blade Pro come in, not just for gamers, but also for content creators who want some additional power.

Razer Blade

Razer Blade 14 (Image credit: Windows Central)

From here on out there are a number of factors to consider, including price and portability. The Blade is 14 inches and the Blade Pro is 17 inches, and even though it's very slim for a big laptop, it's still pretty hefty. It also costs well over $3,000.

You get a lot more PC, though. The Blade Pro is billed as the desktop in your laptop, and that's no lie. This is a high-end gaming PC inside a 17-inch laptop. Quad-core i7 processor, GTX 1080 GPU, RAID 0 storage, 32GB of RAM, it's all here. As is a glorious 4K touch display.

With a GTX 1060 inside, though, when it comes to gaming, the 14-inch Blade is no slouch, either. Especially for something you can slip in your regular bag and take everywhere you go. You still get a quad-core i7 processor, as well as 16GB of RAM and a high-resolution display.

Razer Blade Pro

Razer Blade Pro (Image credit: Windows Central)

The Blade is the best all-arounder. It's small enough to be portable while powerful enough to be a solid gaming rig. It's more expensive than a Blade Stealth and a Razer Core, but it doesn't need that eGPU to take on the latest games. It'll work with it, but it's not necessary.

If you want something that's good for work but you'll only ever game on at home, the Blade Stealth plus Core option is best for you. If you want one beastly machine that does it all at home or on the road, and you can stretch to it, the Blade Pro is your choice.

But for most of the people, most of the time, the 14-inch Blade is the one to choose.

See all three PCs at Razer

Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine