Razer's little Blade has been my ride-or-die all year long and is my absolute favorite gaming laptop computer of 2025
I am fortunate sufficient to have performed with a ton of thrilling {hardware} this 12 months, from the most recent graphics playing cards to attention-grabbing new handhelds, PCs, and laptops. And whereas that is meant I have been capable of frequently sport on an RTX 5090 Founders Ed. (nonetheless a very beautiful trying pixel pusher) and play AI overlord with the endlessly endearing Framework Desktop, there actually is just one piece of {hardware} that is captured my coronary heart this 12 months, and it is Razer’s new-for-2025 Blade 14.
I’ve no enterprise body-shaming something, however Blade 14s of 2023 and 2024 have been reasonably portly gents, and much too thick to be a genuinely pleasing compact gaming laptop computer.
Asus noticed this, too, and swooped in final 12 months with a elaborate new ROG Zephyrus G14 design that matched Razer’s unibody design and managed to create a extra slimline gaming machine that turned the moment object of gaming need for anybody fortunate sufficient to have one of their palms. It was thinner, more practical, and a laptop computer you’d fortunately take anyplace.
That can have rankled Razer CEO, Min-Liang Tan, for positive, and the brand new design is testomony to that. The main focus was clearly on shrinking down that chassis, and it’s a lot thinner than the earlier technology, recapturing the matte black MacBook Professional aesthetic the unique Blade 14 evoked so nicely.
Positive, its food plan means it does not have the identical stage of cooling, and subsequently barely decrease efficiency than a giant 16-inch machine sporting the identical 115 W RTX 5070 GPU, however when there’s only some proportion factors in it, that is a worthy compromise I would be prepared to make.
And it has been my fixed companion ever because it landed on my desk in the summertime.
Picture 1 of 2
There are a number of causes, and I get that largely they’re private to me, which is why it isn’t bought even a point out within the Finest Gaming Laptop computer 2025 {Hardware} Awards nominations. However for somebody with a good desktop PC, who simply desires a machine that may be each a each day driver laptop computer and a gaming companion away from the desk, the Blade 14 ticks all of the bins. For one, the 14-inch type issue is completely my favorite gaming laptop computer setup, largely as a result of it isn’t my one and solely gaming system.
I do know that for lots of people the 14-inch display is simply too small to take pleasure in large cinematic adventures on, and I’d agree—if I wish to immerse myself in a brand new journey, then I am going to take to my desktop and that RTX 5090 to splash the sport throughout a bigger monitor. However for me, this Soccer Supervisor obsessive, I like having a system that may quietly purr away on my lap once I’m second-screening in the lounge and breeze via most video games with out pause.
And it is compact sufficient that it is my normal work laptop computer, and comes in all places with me, so even on my travels I all the time have one thing that may capably sport, whether or not I’ve bought the RTX 5070 on rendering duties or am counting on the 880M iGPU baked into the Ryzen cell chip at its coronary heart.
Which means it really works fantastically away from the plug socket and, with the RTX Blackwell GPU’s up to date Battery Enhance function, that is true even if you’re placing that discrete GPU to work. I’ve fortunately had Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 enjoying in power-sipping mode for a fast blast when my desktop machine’s not been out there.
The machine has downsides, although, and I’m not unaware of them. The Razer Synapse app itself appears to tax the battery life unduly and, being a Home windows machine, is as inconsistent as another x86 Home windows laptop computer in the case of sleep. Earlier than the Blade 14, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge was my go-to pocket book, and that Snapdragon X Elite system completely nails the entire shut-the-lid-and-come-back-4-days-later-and-it-instantly-opens-again factor MacBooks have, however normal x86 Home windows machines nonetheless can not reliably handle.
It is also a classically costly Razer product. Granted, the corporate has been extra aggressive on pricing this 12 months, but it surely’s nonetheless one of many dearer RTX 5070 laptop computer choices round. Although I used to be shocked to see some nice reductions on this actual mannequin over Black Friday this 12 months, suggesting that it’d change into a extra common phenomenon.
Through the 12 months, I’ve additionally spent a very long time with the most recent Zephyrus G14, however even it failed to show my head. Principally as a result of when it did flip my head, it was solely due to the weirdly pitchy fan noise it generates even when doing one thing fundamental. It is nonetheless a classy machine, for positive, however the Blade 14 actually does have the sting (sorry) this go round.
Picture 1 of 2
There are different laptops I’ve liked this 12 months, although. The truth is, its larger sibling, the Blade 16, actually impressed with its personal fashionable new chassis and unprecedented gaming efficiency away from a plug socket. I’ve additionally been severely impressed with Lenovo’s Legion Professional 7i, and extra particularly, the LegionSpace app, which presents the consumer a stage of belief no different laptop computer maker appears prepared to present.
However none of that may change the truth that the Blade 14 has been extremely dependable in each different side in my each day utilization, from gaming, to writing, to PhotoShop edits, it is managed all of it with aplomb. And I am greater than a little bit bit in love. I most likely ought to give this assessment pattern again to Razer sooner or later, however so far as they know, my canine ate it, so I believe I am good.
Properly, as long as they do not learn this. Or realise I haven’t got a canine. Or that canines are incapable of digesting unibody aluminum chassis. Nah, nah, I am good.
If you wish to discover out who wins within the PC Gamer {Hardware} Awards, we’ll be publishing all of the winners on New 12 months’s Eve.
Finest gaming rigs 2025