Razer Blade Stealth

In case you didn't know, I L-O-V-E Razer.  They make wonderful, efficient gaming gear among other products.  I have pretty much everything Chroma.  Is it necessary?  No, but it's aesthetically pleasing; plus, there are millions of color options.  Who doesn't love customization?  When the Razer Blade Stealth was unveiled at CES, it won a "Best of CES; Best PC" award.  They then made history, as Razer won their sixth consecutive "Best of CES" award.  I am so proud to know the people behind the brand.  

Image courtesy of razerzone.com

Image courtesy of razerzone.com

The Stealth currently on sale, which varies in price (i.e. $1,599.99 reduced to $1,449.99 for 512GB, UHD).  Side note:  If you have the student discount, save it.  The current sale price is a better option.  You also get FL Studio 12 included with your purchase.  I was fortunate enough to get one, and all I can say is, "WOW!"  The picture clarity is amazing-- minute details I never knew were there are visible.  It weighs in at 2.75 pounds compared to the MacBook Air, which weighs 2.38 pounds.  Currently there is no hardshell case for it, but some companies offer skins.  The one brand with the highest reviews is dbrand.  They have some fun customization options, and can be re-adjusted.  I wish it had come with a sleeve or something to protect it, even though most laptops/ultrabooks do not.     

This ultrabook is incredible!  The touchscreen is very receptive.  I need to get a screen protector; don't know about you, but fingerprints on the screen drives me nuts.  The backlighting on the keys can be adjusted, and there are millions of combinations to make it your own.  You can customize profiles to fit your wants.  I have a profile for WoW, which only lights up keys used for MMORPGs (there are various gaming settings).  I also have one for daily use, which is spectrum cycling, that cycles through all different colors.  There is also a breathing option, where the colors pulsate.  Options that I haven't listed are noted here.  My desktop setup has the colors sync together (keyboard, mouse, headphones, mousepad). 

The downside to the Stealth is that it does heat up quite fast.  If you have it on your lap, it might burn your legs.  I always use a stand (it came with a fan), so it's not an issue for me.  I highly recommend getting one if you decide to purchase this.  I also read that the battery life is not the greatest (unplugged), but I generally always have my laptops plugged in.  Fingerprints definitely show on the outer parts of the ultrabook, which isn't pretty, but that's why they have skins.  Should you decide to purchase the Stealth (especially if you're a gamer), I recommend getting the 512GB, since space is limited already, and the last thing you want is a computer without space.  The first thing I installed was WoW, and it actually plays even without the Razer Core.  In case you were wondering, I did not purchase the Core simply because of the price.  As much as I love Razer, it seems as though they are starting to price themselves out.      

Pros:

• Visual quality/clarity
• Gaming capabilities
• Chroma (not necessary, but it's beautiful!)
• Speaker quality/clarity
• Small power brick (fabric-covered cord)
• Lightweight
• Travel-friendly 
• HDMI port
• 2 USB ports

Cons:

• Can overheat fast
• Battery life is low
• Generally does not play high-end games without the Core

I'm sure there are more cons, but overall this has been one of my favorite products.  I have only had it for a couple of days, so after more use I will update this post.

Do you have the Stealth or a Razer system?  What are your thoughts?