Potential Buyer - 15" Razer - Advanced RTX model | Razer Insider
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Long story short, I had purchased then returned the 15" Razer last summer. There was much I liked, some that I tolerated, and a few bits that I didn't like. Sadly, I thought Apple announced the 2018 MacBook Pro with an improved keyboard, I thought it would be a better fit, so I returned the razer and bought the MBP. That machine is not living up to my expectations, and I'm now looking to replace it..



Also, I've had times wondered why I returned the razer, an inverse buyer's remorse if you will, I have to say I absolutely love the design of the Razer, the keyboard felt great and the performance was awesome.



It seems I have an opportunity to perhaps right some wrongs in my purchase decisions, but first I do have some questions:



  • Quality: Last summer it seemed to be hit or miss with the quality, has then been more or less ironed out?

  • Customer Support: Has customer support been better? My interactions with them was positive, Is trajectory continuing?

  • Thermals: Based on what I've read here, it seems have a thermal pad and no paint on the vapor chamber may have improved thermal performance - can anyone chime in on that?

  • Battery Life can folks chime in on actual battery performance they're seeing?



I had been considering the Lenovo X1 Extreme,though it is sporting a lower end GPU, but it has a better battery life. I tend to be off battery on occasion, and I prefer to expect 5 to 8 hours. The MacBook Pro and Lenovo can easily achieve that. I suspect with some tweaking of system settings I could expect something close to that range.



Any other things I should be considering and/or investigating?
First batch unit apparently had ac adapter buzzing issue, fortunately mine June unit EU early batch didn’t have one and still great till now, Black vapor chamber:)

I had to deal last time with costumer support for hardware was Blade 14, it was great and fast. For software was on Intel VR bundle that comes with Blade 15, I forgot to ask and after 4 months I asked them and they provided it. Hope they would just send it right after purchasing since maybe unlike me there’s other users who really expected getting it right after they got the Blade.

About new vapor chamber as on that thread mentioned it seemly doesn’t effect performance and temperature, can’t comment since mine is black one. Thermal pad is added on ssd on newer units.

Battery life is seemly different depends how users can maintain their machine, this is well known windows laptops problem unlike MacBook. It may be effected by wireless connection gadget, apps that installed, windows update, connected pheriperals etc, but with 80 watt battery capacity you should get 6 hours plus on light usage. I can get easily 8 hours battery Mark with some tweaking, still keyboard light on and screen not too dim.



The important thing that you should find how keep (dis)charge rate on (-)10 watt or lower to get 6+hours.
I too am a potential buyer, I start a new job soon and they need me to purchase a laptop. They're giving me $1000 towards something and I don't have to pay that back if I stay employed with them for 6 months which won't be a problem.



The concern I have is the reliability of the Razer. It seems to have a bad reputation for reliability or rather longevity. I don't wanna be out in the field with this thing having an issue, but I do love the look of the white one, I also love the fact is has a great deal of "play" and "professional" in one unit.



I'm considering looking elsewhere, but this is the ticket for me right now and I wanna make it work. I'd only be getting a RTX 2060, but still. Also I'll be buying from Best Buy as that's where I have to purchase it from.
Vahdyx
I too am a potential buyer, I start a new job soon and they need me to purchase a laptop. They're giving me $1000 towards something and I don't have to pay that back if I stay employed with them for 6 months which won't be a problem.



The concern I have is the reliability of the Razer. It seems to have a bad reputation for reliability or rather longevity. I don't wanna be out in the field with this thing having an issue, but I do love the look of the white one, I also love the fact is has a great deal of "play" and "professional" in one unit.



I'm considering looking elsewhere, but this is the ticket for me right now and I wanna make it work. I'd only be getting a RTX 2060, but still. Also I'll be buying from Best Buy as that's where I have to purchase it from.


We’re talking about this on enthusiast forum, most of them who tweaking it and users who don’t monitor their hardware would facing issues faster than users who do the opposite. Once you get great unit it will hold long, have several Razer system that hold long. Though buying gaming laptop especially thin light categories, you should have good backup, not only for Razer laptops also to other brands. We’re in EU due law can get 2 years guarantee which is to me enough but extra would be nice, in US there is already Razer care plan, but from bestbuy idk maybe they’ve extended guarantee for hardware like here in Mediamarkt Germany, you can have Blade up to 4 years hardware protection with their own plan.
Joikansai
We’re talking about this on enthusiast forum, most of them who tweaking it and users who don’t monitor their hardware would facing issues faster than users who do the opposite. Once you get great unit it will hold long, have several Razer system that hold long. Though buying gaming laptop especially thin light categories, you should have good backup, not only for Razer laptops also to other brands.




I just kind of plan to use it out of box without tweaking. Not really into that anyway since I have a gaming desktop. Am I still at risk by not monitoring or is it pretty good as an out of box experience?
Vahdyx
I just kind of plan to use it out of box without tweaking. Not really into that anyway since I have a gaming desktop. Am I still at risk by not monitoring or is it pretty good as an out of box experience?


Then it’ll be fine imo, though I would recommend undervolting, lower temperature is Laptops best friend. And also try to get at least 2 years guarantee longer is better, even you don’t use it but it’ll bring more comfortable feeling using expensive device. For out of box experience it’s like this, I tried best way to put all my tweaks to default plus put the cpu on max performance (Synapse gaming mode for max cpu 45 Watt tdp) and doing prime95 stress test, after 8 months it’s a bit higher but still way better than reviews on notebookcheck and other thin light laptops that even hitting 90ish on this test. Using undervolting and balanced mode, it’ll stay on 70ish, maybe it sounds high but on laptop it’s quite nice temperature, maybe this is also one reason why in this 8 months I’ve no hardware issues.
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