Blade 16 Mini-LED good for photography and photo editing? | Razer Insider
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Blade 16 Mini-LED good for photography and photo editing?

  • March 31, 2023
  • 9 replies
  • 1059 views
B

I am thinking of getting the 4K 16” Blade with the mini-led.  I’ve read that mini-leds are not very good for color critical work or photo editing.  First off you have the blooming effect and secondly the mini-led panel will make certain parts of the images much darker or lighter than when shown on a standard screen.  

I’d like to get some feedback from Razer and/or others on this topic.  Is the 16” a good display for photo editing or do I need to look for a standard IPS display?   Thanks guys!

      9 Replies

      H

      While mini-LED technology has some advantages over traditional LCD displays, such as improved contrast and brightness, it does have some limitations when it comes to color accuracy and photo editing. The blooming effect you mentioned can be an issue with mini-LED displays, as they have a higher number of dimming zones than traditional LCDs, which can cause some areas of an image to appear brighter than others.

      In general, if you're looking for a display that's specifically optimized for photo editing and color-critical work, an IPS panel may be a better choice. IPS displays are known for their accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles, which are both important for tasks like photo editing.

      K

      While mini-LED displays are known to have some drawbacks like blooming and inconsistent brightness levels, the 16" Blade's 4K mini-LED display has been well-received by many users for its color accuracy and overall picture quality. That being said, if color-critical work or photo editing is your primary concern, it might be a good idea to look into other displays that are specifically designed for such tasks.

      In general, IPS displays are known to offer better color accuracy and consistency than mini-LED displays. There are many options available on the market that cater to photo and video editing professionals, so it's worth doing some research and comparing different displays before making a final decision. Additionally, you might want to consider getting a color calibration tool to ensure the accuracy of the colors on your display.

      I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.

      B
      • Bghead8che
      • Author
      • Insider Mini
      • April 16, 2023

      Thanks guys for the feedback.  To be clear I am not doing professional level preprint to press work.  I am just a digital photography enthusiast.  I could switch to the 18” model but I like the form factor of the 16” and I hate IPS screen bleed.  

       

      I think I found some information that might make the 16” model a dealbreaker for many creatives.  Apparently, there is no native SRGB mode or an SRGB option available on the monitor.  See the following review starting at 3.25:
       

      Not the fastest, yet still impressive! - Razer Blade 16 Nvidia RTX 4090 Review - YouTube

      If I am understanding correctly the mini-led panel runs in kP3 natively.  I assume this would make accurate SRGB work difficult.  I believe some screen software and browsers would appear oversaturated.  In the review the urge Razer to release an SRGB profile.  I assume creating a SRGB profile via Xrite would not work because you can’t natively limit the colors?  

      Thanks again.  Keep the feedback coming.  

      B
      • Bghead8che
      • Author
      • Insider Mini
      • April 19, 2023

      I mean “P3 color space”, not “K3”.  Typo.

      D
      • dgoran
      • Insider Mini
      • May 31, 2023

      As much as it pains me to say don’t do it. I returned my 16 4090 just for that reason… it was unusable for professional graphic design due to 50% less dimming zone in comparison to Mac. 
       

      18 is excellent if you can get a low backlight bleed unit. 

      B
      • Bghead8che
      • Author
      • Insider Mini
      • June 12, 2023

      As much as it pains me to say don’t do it. I returned my 16 4090 just for that reason… it was unusable for professional graphic design due to 50% less dimming zone in comparison to Mac. 
       

      18 is excellent if you can get a low backlight bleed unit. 

       

      I owned it and returned it as well.  I didn’t really notice the issue with dimming zones.  There was, however, a shadow on all edges with a light or white background.  Apparently, this is an issue with the Macs as well.  I also really did not like the trackpad and horrible sunk-in keyboard.

      What are you going to end up buying?  I want something that has a good GPU and can do photography/design work.  

      D
      • dgoran
      • Insider Mini
      • June 12, 2023

      I ended up with Legion 7i pro 4090

      and 4080. (I need two for work) I got them for 2299 and 2799 and imho can’t be beat for the price I could buy both for one Razer lol

      J
      • juanita123
      • Insider Mini
      • April 16, 2025

      The Blade 16's 4K mini-LED screen provides striking brightness and contrast, making it apt for casual photo editing. Nonetheless, it lacks a native sRGB mode, which could lead to oversaturation in certain applications. For color-sensitive work, an IPS display could be a superior choice. Furthermore, some users have noted issues with blooming and edge shadows. Should these factors be a worry, investigating alternative options might be helpful.

      J
      • juanita123
      • Insider Mini
      • April 20, 2025

      The Blade 16's 4K mini-LED screen provides striking brightness and contrast, making it apt for casual photo editing. Nonetheless, it lacks a native sRGB mode, which could lead to oversaturation in certain applications. For color-sensitive work, an IPS display could be a superior choice. Furthermore, some users have noted issues with blooming and edge shadows. Should these factors be a worry, investigating alternative options might be helpful.

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