Razor Blade 15 Periodical Black Screen

pstallo
Update: I tried the2parker's suggestion to go into Nvidia Control Panel -> Manage 3D Settings -> Preferred Graphics Processor and changed it from Auto-Select to High-Performance NVIDIA Processor My typical 'black screen' scenario would be watching full-screen Youtube videos when the charger is unplugged. Not sure if that's a cause, but that's when it most commonly happens. Anyway, so far, so good. Playing full screen Youtube vids on battery without a black screen today. I'll post back if it occurs again or if I have more info on it.

You can set it to the integrated graphics to save on overall battery usage when watching YouTube vids. If it's also working for you, then again, it points to Nvidia's Optimus (auto-switching technology) most likely being the culprit unless someone else chimes in, who is still having the issue after manually selecting their GPU preference.

Hello everyone! I really appreciate your inputs and collaboration because this can help us derive data and analyze what's causing the issue. I am communicating with the Support Team to get a systematic way of resolving the said concern. Regarding the status of the escalated cases, apologies if I can't provide the exact number that was resolved during the escalation. However, I have escalated cases that are bound for repair. The Escalation Team ensures that this is closely monitored and well isolated before providing any conclusion. Thank you so much for remaining positive. Feel free to communicate with me via PM should you need further assistance.

I'm on my SECOND unit with the same problem. Gonna hold onto it as long as I can (or as long as Amazon will let me keep it while they'll still provide a FULL refund). What a serious waste of time and money. I didn't drop $3500 on a gaming laptop to deal with screen issues. As I'm scrolling through these posts, I'm looking for any quick fixes. Just tried setting my laptop to NEVER sleep or turn the screen off while plugged in. Let's see if that helps.

jamesfox27
While I'm waiting for my replacement, run the Intel UHD Graphics Control Panel App. Under the refresh rate, switch from 240 to 60 Hz. I know it's not the cream of the crop but so far no black screens popping up. Please let me know if anyone else has tried this with success. Then we can narrow the issue down.

So 8 days ago(exactly 8 days as I've been logging this, but waiting to confirm anything until at least a week had passed), I went into Razer Synapse, and turned the refresh rate from 240 down to 60. Ever since, i.e. during a whole week of using this laptop extensively without an external monitor, I can confirm that the random-black-screen-issue DOES NOT HAPPEN. It truly sucks going down to 60 herz when one was getting used to 240, and it obviously sucks even more, when one of the main reasons for buying this machine, was the 240 refresh rate selling point, and then giving into this kind of price tag! Anyway... @Razer.Speedcr0ss thank you for the update earlier, that is exactly the kind of message I've been requesting as well, just to let people know what's happening from Razer's side(even if nothing new has happened yet) - please keep them coming. Also, please pass this information on the the escalation team members working on this case. It seems it's somewhat related to refresh rate. Again, ever since I changed settings to show 60 instead of 240hz(using Razer Synapse to change this setting), the issue stopped happening, while before when on 240, it used to happen anywhere between 10 - 40 times in a day... Can more people please try this approach and let us know whether it changes the situation on your side? NB: I have not tried the steps @SJerc suggests above, yet.

ThomasHedegaard
So 8 days ago(exactly 8 days as I've been logging this, but waiting to confirm anything until at least a week had passed), I went into Razer Synapse, and turned the refresh rate from 240 down to 60. Ever since, i.e. during a whole week of using this laptop extensively without an external monitor, I can confirm that the random-black-screen-issue DOES NOT HAPPEN. It truly sucks going down to 60 herz when one was getting used to 240, and it obviously sucks even more, when one of the main reasons for buying this machine, was the 240 refresh rate selling point, and then giving into this kind of price tag! Anyway... @Razer.Speedcr0ss thank you for the update earlier, that is exactly the kind of message I've been requesting as well, just to let people know what's happening from Razer's side(even if nothing new has happened yet) - please keep them coming. Also, please pass this information on the the escalation team members working on this case. It seems it's somewhat related to refresh rate. Again, ever since I changed settings to show 60 instead of 240hz(using Razer Synapse to change this setting), the issue stopped happening, while before when on 240, it used to happen anywhere between 10 - 40 times in a day... Can more people please try this approach and let us know whether it changes the situation on your side? NB: I have not tried the steps @SJerc suggests above, yet.

You're welcome! Feel free to send me a PM or post your feedback here.

ThomasHedegaard
So 8 days ago(exactly 8 days as I've been logging this, but waiting to confirm anything until at least a week had passed), I went into Razer Synapse, and turned the refresh rate from 240 down to 60. Ever since, i.e. during a whole week of using this laptop extensively without an external monitor, I can confirm that the random-black-screen-issue DOES NOT HAPPEN. It truly sucks going down to 60 herz when one was getting used to 240, and it obviously sucks even more, when one of the main reasons for buying this machine, was the 240 refresh rate selling point, and then giving into this kind of price tag! Anyway... @Razer.Speedcr0ss thank you for the update earlier, that is exactly the kind of message I've been requesting as well, just to let people know what's happening from Razer's side(even if nothing new has happened yet) - please keep them coming. Also, please pass this information on the the escalation team members working on this case. It seems it's somewhat related to refresh rate. Again, ever since I changed settings to show 60 instead of 240hz(using Razer Synapse to change this setting), the issue stopped happening, while before when on 240, it used to happen anywhere between 10 - 40 times in a day... Can more people please try this approach and let us know whether it changes the situation on your side? NB: I have not tried the steps @SJerc suggests above, yet.

You should try it to see if it'll work in place of suffering with 60 Hz. lol

@SJerc sure, but trying to narrow down the issue I kinda had to go this 60hz for at least a week to be sure. Is your approach still working for you? I.e. have you had any black-screens yet after your suggested steps?

ThomasHedegaard
@SJerc sure, but trying to narrow down the issue I kinda had to go this 60hz for at least a week to be sure. Is your approach still working for you? I.e. have you had any black-screens yet after your suggested steps?

To be clear, I'm only suggesting to manually select your GPU via the Nvidia Control Panel instead of letting it automatically do it as I've noted other manufacturers having the same issue in the past due to the autoswitch acting up. As for me, I've been running problem free without needing to do anything for a week, but this was after a full factory restore when I was very close to returning the unit. Since then Windows 1903 seems to have settled down from issues. After the factory restore, I actually was forced to update from 18** to 1903 from a installer on Microsoft.com versus the usual Windows Updater. Then I went to the mid-2019 Blade 15 support page to make sure everything was up to date before using Nvidia's GeForce Experience to update me to the current available non-studio version as well as using Razer Central to update Synapse. I've not installed Cortex like in the past. My hunch is it's a problem with the autoswitching that might have somehow been exacerbated with all those frequent and bad Windows updates before 1903 settled a bit more. The reason why I believe it to be so is that during all the software updates and tests I've been running when trying to decide between the XPS and Blade, this issue has gone from randomly blanking with image and no backlight with the only resolution to close the lid and open it back up to wake it from sleep to transforming into the issue of randomly blanking and quickly coming back on it's own, but doing so a lot more frequently.

***FIXED (for me anyways)*** Right click on the battery icon in the system tray. Click on "Power Options". I am on the "Balanced (recommended)" plan. Click on "Change Plan Settings". When Plugged in, select Turn off the display: Never and Put the Computer to sleep: Never. So far... this has worked for me. Not a single black screen. Fingers crossed. Still a stupid problem. But... it'll do for now. Lemme know if this works for you guys... JF

ThomasHedegaard
So 8 days ago(exactly 8 days as I've been logging this, but waiting to confirm anything until at least a week had passed), I went into Razer Synapse, and turned the refresh rate from 240 down to 60. Ever since, i.e. during a whole week of using this laptop extensively without an external monitor, I can confirm that the random-black-screen-issue DOES NOT HAPPEN. It truly sucks going down to 60 herz when one was getting used to 240, and it obviously sucks even more, when one of the main reasons for buying this machine, was the 240 refresh rate selling point, and then giving into this kind of price tag! Anyway... @Razer.Speedcr0ss thank you for the update earlier, that is exactly the kind of message I've been requesting as well, just to let people know what's happening from Razer's side(even if nothing new has happened yet) - please keep them coming. Also, please pass this information on the the escalation team members working on this case. It seems it's somewhat related to refresh rate. Again, ever since I changed settings to show 60 instead of 240hz(using Razer Synapse to change this setting), the issue stopped happening, while before when on 240, it used to happen anywhere between 10 - 40 times in a day... Can more people please try this approach and let us know whether it changes the situation on your side? NB: I have not tried the steps @SJerc suggests above, yet.

--- I can confirm going down to 60 worked for me as well. Might as well buy a HP then... Try changing your power settings to never letting the computer sleep or letting the screen turn off while plugged in. Tried it and so far no issues. And I get to keep my 240 =P JF

@jamesfox27 I tried the same, i.e. changing the power settings. I also tried the approach from @SJerc - I still experience black screens though. Still, for me the only thing to do is to bump it down to 60hz to avoid black screens... Sad times... Fyi @Razer.Speedcr0ss

ThomasHedegaard
@jamesfox27 I tried the same, i.e. changing the power settings. I also tried the approach from @SJerc - I still experience black screens though. Still, for me the only thing to do is to bump it down to 60hz to avoid black screens... Sad times... Fyi @Razer.Speedcr0ss

I’d be looking for a refund. We didn’t pay $$$ to use a gaming computer at 25% of its refresh capacity.

When my screen goes black, I can click Ctrl+Alt+Delete, the task Mgr screen comes up, I click Cancel, and the screen is back to normal. I had tried the power settings recommendation, but the issue still occurred, both when the laptop is plugged in or on battery. So, I tried the 'Select the Nvidia GPU in the Nvidia panel manually instead of select automatically' technique. It seemed to stop for a day or so, but the spontaneous black screen came back. Today, I made sure that I updated the Nvidia graphics driver in the GEForce experience. (I'm using 436.48 now). I also changed the refresh rate from 240 to 60. I will post back to see if these changes make any difference. If it's the refresh rate, I sure would love for Razer to issue an update so that I could switch it back to 240!

You set your computer to never sleep and never turn the screen off? If I have one more black screen Amazon is getting a refund request. Way too much money invested to be having these kinda problems. Razer should be pretty embarrassed as a company right now for releasing a faulty product. Just another result of corporate greed. Why QA a product when you can just push it on the public immediately for higher profits and let THEM deal with the problems??? Annoyed? Yep. This is my second $3500 lemon.

I am having the same problem and have been in talks for a week now with both Razer and Microsoft, and nothing seems to fix it. Like many here, the computer sometimes holds for hours when I'm gaming, but if I come back after letting it closed/sleeping, it gets impossible to use due to black screens until I restart the computer. I have now set my battery preferences to best performance (when plugged in) and NVidia to always use the dedicated graphics card. Let's see how it works ...

Well it lasted a 19 minutes until I got the black screen again ... Changed to 60hz now and as for many here the situation gets better. It's a shame to have to discard one of the best features of the laptop, which we pay so much for, in the 240hz screen, to make sure the screen works at all. I hope Razer offers a quick solution to this

Any updates on this situation from Razer?

Try setting your computer to NEVER sleep or turn the screen off while plugged in. Works for me thus far... Still no update. JF

lucaslayf
Any updates on this situation from Razer?

The issue is unique per laptop. There are some resolved while others were escalated to the Support Team. Should anyone still have the issue, please send me a PM.

Sent my item back for replacement and got ignored for more than a week. Then they just say sorry theres no stock.

Sorry man. Next time go through Amazon. Don’t waste precious life time dealing with problems that shouldn’t exist.

I have been having this issue and tried all of the suggestions listed above.. I'm still having issues. Today especially, I got slammed with all of the black screens.. For a laptop I received on October 9th, I guess I am crap out of luck on a return/warranty... It's going to be hard to recommend this product as it barely works normally... I've been sitting in Razer Live Chat Support for 30 minutes and have yet to talk to somebody..

I have GTX 2070 Max Q with 240hz and have the same problem. Razer please help! Driver reinstalled and everything still not solving the problem!

Hello, I just bought Razer Blade mid 2019, 15" 240Hz model with NVidia RTX2080 maxq design. I have the widely spread issue with the black screen. It appears randomly while I'm using the display on 240Hz. Please advise -- it's very frustrating.

Any updates on this? After changing every single possible setting in my computer, it works most of the time. I still get the black screen problem once or twice when I open the computer lid, but after that it got a bit better.