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Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090 Review: Core i9-13950HX beast with world's first dual-mode mini-LED UHD+ display

Droolworthy snake. The Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 is a new offering for gamers interested in a flagship 16:10 16-inch gaming laptop. Featuring a desktop-class Intel Raptor Lake-HX Core i9-13950HX, a 175 W Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, and the world's first dual-mode mini-LED display, the Blade 16 seeks to take on some of the most powerful juggernauts this year. We explore Razer's ambitions with the Blade 16 and see whether it is worth the additional US$700 over the Blade 16 RTX 4080.

The new Razer Blade 16 joins the growing list of Raptor Lake-HX and RTX 40 series gaming laptops that cram in everything but the kitchen sink and cost as much as a used car.

Our test sample provided by Nvidia India is powered by the Core i9-13950HX, RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, a 16-inch dual-mode mini-LED UHD display, 32 GB DDR5-5600 RAM, 2x 1 TB NVMe SSDs, and a 95.2 WHr battery. Razer does not sell its products in India, but this configuration will set you back by US$4,300 or €5,000.

We have previously reviewed the Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 powered by the Intel Core i9-13950HX and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU and also the Blade 18 featuring the same CPU and the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU.

In this review, we test the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU variant of the Blade 16 Early 2023, compare it with the latest devices this year, and see if there's any real benefit to splurging an additional US$700 on what is already quite a big-ticket configuration.

The chassis, input devices, and other internals are identical to the RTX 4080 version of the Blade 16, so we'll only touch upon them briefly here.

Razer Blade 16 SKUs and configurations. The Core i9-13950HX is common to all 2023 Blades 16s.
Razer Blade 16 SKUs and configurations. The Core i9-13950HX is common to all 2023 Blades 16s.
Razer Blade 16 RZ09-0483 (Blade 16 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-13950HX 24 x 1.6 - 5.5 GHz, 130 W PL2 / Short Burst, 110 W PL1 / Sustained, Raptor Lake
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU - 16 GB VRAM, 175 W TDP, GDDR6, Game Ready Driver 531.29, Advanced Optimus
Memory
32 GB 
, DDR5-5600 Quad-Channel, Timings: 46-45-45-89
Display
16.00 inch 16:10, 3840 x 2400 pixel 283 PPI, No, AUO B160ZAN01.U, mini-LED, Dual Refresh Rate: UHD+ 120 Hz / FHD+ 240 Hz, , glossy: no, HDR, 120 Hz
Mainboard
Intel HM770 (Raptor Lake-S PCH)
Storage
SSSTC CA6-8D1024, 1024 GB 
, 2x 1 TB SSD, 865 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Raptor Point-S PCH - HD Audio (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
4 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo audio jack, Card Reader: UHS-II SD Card Reader
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/ Wi-Fi 6E 6 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21.99 x 355 x 244 ( = 0.87 x 13.98 x 9.61 in)
Battery
95.2 Wh, 6182 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 11 Home
Camera
Webcam: FHD, IR
Primary Camera: 2.1 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 4-speaker array (2x tweeters, 2x woofers). THX Spatial Audio, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Razer Synapse, Razer Cortex, Razer Axon, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.45 kg ( = 86.42 oz / 5.4 pounds), Power Supply: 959 g ( = 33.83 oz / 2.11 pounds)
Price
5000 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Potential Competitors in Comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
89.8 %
03/2023
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
2.5 kg21.99 mm16.00"3840x2400
89.9 %
03/2023
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
2.9 kg27 mm17.00"2560x1600
88 %
04/2023
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
R9 7945HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
2.7 kg29.7 mm16.00"2560x1600
89 %
02/2023
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
3.5 kg23 mm17.30"3840x2160
86.6 %
02/2023
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
3.1 kg30.8 mm18.00"2560x1600
89.4 %
03/2023
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
2.3 kg22.9 mm16.00"2560x1600
88.4 %
03/2023
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
2.4 kg30.4 mm16.00"2560x1600
91.2 %
02/2023
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
2.4 kg21.99 mm16.00"2560x1600
89.4 %
02/2023
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
2.7 kg26 mm16.00"2560x1600
91.4 %
02/2023
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
3 kg21.9 mm18.00"2560x1600

Case: Premium and sturdy in true Razer fashion

The Blade 16 sports an anodized aluminum finish that is reminiscent of a MacBook Pro, similar to a good number of previous Razers we've tested. The premium chassis feels extremely sturdy with very minimal flex, that too only upon deliberately applying a good amount of pressure.

The Razer Blade 16 is slimmer than the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and definitely a lot sleeker than the Lenovo Legion Pro 7 and the MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI. The Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 is nearly identical to the Blade 16 Early 2023 in terms of overall dimensions.

The chassis sports a minimalist design, and the only lighting effect is the characteristic Razer snake logo on the back of the lid. The lid, however, is a grime and fingerprint magnet and is irksome to keep it clean. It is easy to open the lid with a single finger without stability issues.

Size Comparison

399 mm / 15.7 inch 294 mm / 11.6 inch 30.8 mm / 1.213 inch 3.1 kg6.83 lbs399.9 mm / 15.7 inch 275.4 mm / 10.8 inch 21.9 mm / 0.862 inch 3 kg6.68 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 330 mm / 13 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 3.5 kg7.65 lbs381.7 mm / 15 inch 272.8 mm / 10.7 inch 27 mm / 1.063 inch 2.9 kg6.34 lbs363 mm / 14.3 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 26 mm / 1.024 inch 2.7 kg5.89 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 266 mm / 10.5 inch 29.7 mm / 1.169 inch 2.7 kg5.88 lbs354 mm / 13.9 inch 264 mm / 10.4 inch 30.4 mm / 1.197 inch 2.4 kg5.25 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 22.9 mm / 0.902 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 21.99 mm / 0.866 inch 2.5 kg5.4 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 21.99 mm / 0.866 inch 2.4 kg5.34 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity: High throughput SD card and Wi-Fi

The Blade 16 offers an adequate port selection. Razer uses a proprietary charging port that is backwards compatible with last year's Blade 15 and Blade 17. The connector does not sit flush with the chassis, which can be a peeve for some. 

Power delivery up to 100 W is possible on both the USB Type-C ports. Speaking of Type-C, the Blade 16 offers only one Thunderbolt 4 while the other is a USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C.

Razer could have equipped the Blade 16 with two Thunderbolt 4 ports instead. Also, the Type-C ports aren't labelled, so you will have to note that Thunderbolt 4 is actually the one on the right and not the one on the left.

A Kensington lock slot is present. However, the absence of an RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port comes as a bummer given that the laptop isn't exactly aspiring to be scrawny.

Left: Proprietary power port, 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 3.5 mm combo audio jack
Left: Proprietary power port, 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 3.5 mm combo audio jack
Right: UHS-II SD card reader, Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1-out, Kensington lock
Right: UHS-II SD card reader, Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1-out, Kensington lock

SD Card Reader

Razer continues to use some of the fastest SD card readers in gaming laptops, and the Blade 16 is no different. Although the Blade 16 Early 2023's card reader lags behind the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 in sequential tests, it is able to inch past the latter in JPG file copy tests.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX (Angelibird AV Pro V60)
202 MB/s ∼100% +7%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX (Angelbird AV PRO 128 GB V60)
188.2 (162.9min - 196.43max) MB/s ∼93%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
185.7 (176.29min - 198.35max) MB/s ∼92% -1%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (Angelbird AV Pro V60)
182 MB/s ∼90% -3%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
125 MB/s ∼62% -34%
Average of class Gaming
  (48.5 - 209, n=92, last 2 years)
105.5 MB/s ∼52% -44%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX (Angelibird AV Pro V60)
83.5 MB/s ∼41% -56%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX (Angelibird AV Pro V60)
77.2 MB/s ∼38% -59%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (Angelbird AV Pro V60)
269 MB/s ∼100% +33%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX (Angelibird AV Pro V60)
207.8 MB/s ∼77% +2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60)
207.6 MB/s ∼77% +2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX (Angelbird AV PRO 128 GB V60)
203.01 MB/s ∼75%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
191.89 MB/s ∼71% -5%
Average of class Gaming
  (72 - 269, n=83, last 2 years)
129.8 MB/s ∼48% -36%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX (Angelibird AV Pro V60)
89.9 MB/s ∼33% -56%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX (Angelibird AV Pro V60)
86.2 MB/s ∼32% -58%

Communication

The Intel Wi-Fi AX211 card offers stable transfer rates in 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands
The Intel Wi-Fi AX211 card offers stable transfer rates in 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands

The Blade 16 comes fitted with an Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 WLAN module. Wi-Fi performance was tested using our reference Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 router at a distance of 1 m from the laptop in clear line of sight with no other connected device or external interference. 

Networking performance is quite stable in both 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands. There is no real throughput benefit in using the 6 GHz band over 5 GHz as the transfer rates are largely identical in both.

That being said, the 6 GHz option is still a nice one to have if you have a compatible router and would like to reduce interference from the plethora of other 5 GHz clients.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1635 (1528min - 1715max) MBit/s ∼100%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1690i 160MHz
1582 (1517min, 1518.74P1 - 1636max) MBit/s ∼97% -3%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter
1579 (848min - 1696max) MBit/s ∼97% -3%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1545 (1189min - 1625max) MBit/s ∼94% -6%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1466 (748min - 1542max) MBit/s ∼90% -10%
Average of class Gaming
  (740 - 1780, n=83, last 2 years)
1342 MBit/s ∼82% -18%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
  (629 - 1861, n=82)
1318 MBit/s ∼81% -19%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1295 (1034min - 1383max) MBit/s ∼79% -21%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1196 (618min - 1298max) MBit/s ∼73% -27%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1155 (495min - 1441max) MBit/s ∼71% -29%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1890 (1843min - 1936max) MBit/s ∼100% +9%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1733 (1700min - 1761max) MBit/s ∼92%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675i 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter
1619 (1537min - 1665max) MBit/s ∼86% -7%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1557 (795min - 1691max) MBit/s ∼82% -10%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1690i 160MHz
1545 (1508min, 1510.9P1 - 1569max) MBit/s ∼82% -11%
Average of class Gaming
  (685 - 1890, n=90, last 2 years)
1435 MBit/s ∼76% -17%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
  (839 - 1890, n=82)
1432 MBit/s ∼76% -17%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1362 (1249min - 1437max) MBit/s ∼72% -21%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1328 (1093min - 1448max) MBit/s ∼70% -23%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1225 (1116min - 1351max) MBit/s ∼65% -29%
iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
MediaTek RZ616
1767 (1634min, 1649.37P1 - 1855max) MBit/s ∼100% +8%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1632 (1509min - 1662max) MBit/s ∼92%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1615 (840min - 1682max) MBit/s ∼91% -1%
Average of class Gaming
  (980 - 1875, n=41, last 2 years)
1511 MBit/s ∼86% -7%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
  (891 - 1851, n=99)
1416 MBit/s ∼80% -13%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1371 (1036min - 1505max) MBit/s ∼78% -16%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1230 (1091min - 1327max) MBit/s ∼70% -25%
iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1751 (1679min - 1777max) MBit/s ∼100%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
MediaTek RZ616
1738 (1633min, 1638.51P1 - 1768max) MBit/s ∼99% -1%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1645 (1614min - 1670max) MBit/s ∼94% -6%
Average of class Gaming
  (886 - 1857, n=43, last 2 years)
1546 MBit/s ∼88% -12%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1516 (769min - 1565max) MBit/s ∼87% -13%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
  (883 - 1857, n=98)
1506 MBit/s ∼86% -14%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211
1494 (1283min - 1580max) MBit/s ∼85% -15%
050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400145015001550160016501700175018001850Tooltip
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090 Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1632 (1509-1662)
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W MediaTek RZ616; iperf3 transmit AXE11000 6GHz: Ø1767 (1634-1855)
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090 Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1750 (1679-1777)
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W MediaTek RZ616; iperf3 receive AXE11000 6GHz: Ø1738 (1633-1768)
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090 Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1635 (1528-1715)
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090 Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1733 (1700-1761)

Webcam

The 1080p webcam shows somewhat higher color deviations, particularly with blue shades. The sharpness is serviceable but with perceivable amounts of noise. Overall, the output is decent-enough for video calls and the works.

ColorChecker
13 ∆E
14.2 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
19.9 ∆E
19.5 ∆E
18.5 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
19.5 ∆E
13.5 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
17.3 ∆E
15.1 ∆E
11 ∆E
16 ∆E
11.3 ∆E
15.8 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
21 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
12.7 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
7.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090: 14.25 ∆E min: 2.28 - max: 21.01 ∆E

Security

The Blade 16 supports Windows Hello-based logins via the IR sensor. Facial recognition is fast and works without much trouble. Unlike the Blade 18, a physical shutter is provided for the webcam. A TPM 2.0 module is present.

Maintenance

Removing the eight T5 screws pops open the bottom panel revealing the huge vapor chamber cooling system. The DDR5-5600 RAM, NVMe SSDs, and Wi-Fi card can be swapped out if needed. The dual-battery pack can be unscrewed and replaced as well.

A point to note here is that Razer only offers BIOS and firmware updates on its support site. For the most part, official generic drivers from Intel and Nvidia for WLAN and graphics work without issues.

But if you have to wipe out or replace the entire drive for some reason, be sure to have a copy of the factory recovery image beforehand. Downloading the recovery image requires signing in with a Razer account and entering the serial number of the device.

Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 internals
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 internals

Accessories and Warranty

Our Blade 16 unit came with a 330 W GaN power adapter and the usual paperwork as standard. 

Razer offers a one-year standard warranty for the Blade 16 and two years for the battery. An Extended Warranty for another year can be separately purchased, but this is not applicable for the battery.

Input Devices: Not very different from earlier Blades

Keyboard

Razer relies on traditional membrane key switches for the keyboard. The keys are flat with decent actuation and tactility but offer a short 1 mm travel distance. The keyboard supports Razer Chroma RGB effects and N-key rollover. The backlight intensity is adjustable in 15 steps.

The centered positioning will appeal to those who don't mind the absence of a numeric keypad. However, getting used to the longer right Shift key and short Up and Down arrow keys can seem cumbersome.

The Blade 16's keyboard cannot match up to the likes of the MSI Titan GT77 or the Schenker XMG Neo 17 M22 that offer mechanical switches. Though Razer's implementation serves well for the most part, typing lengthy documents does feel a tad bit strenuous on this keyboard.

Touchpad

The spacious 9.5 cm x 17 cm glass touchpad is a new offering for the 2023 Blades with a large gliding area and support for Windows Precision gestures. The entire surface is clickable and highly responsive, but the haptics feel somewhat mushy.

The Blade 16 offers flat keys with low travel
The Blade 16 offers flat keys with low travel
Razer Chroma RGB effects can be customized and are easy to see through the keys
Razer Chroma RGB effects can be customized and are easy to see through the keys

Display: Bright, near-OLED quality dual-mode mini-LED with high PWM

The Blade 16 Early 2023 offers a first of its kind dual-mode mini-LED display. Our test unit presented several intriguing insights during the course of our testing.

Our unit's AUO panel initially suffered from an image retention bug that etched parts of the wallpaper permanently on the display (except when turned off), which was an annoying experience. However, Razer has now issued a firmware patch that fully fixes this issue.

The Blade 16 Early 2023 is the first laptop to offer a 16:10 dual-mode display option. Users can change between UHD+ (3840 x 2400) 120 Hz and FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 240 Hz native panel modes, which is a perfect integer scaling. The higher resolution can help with creative workflows while the FHD+ at 240 Hz comes in handy during competitive gaming.

Razer does not specify the exact number of dimming zones, but we expect them to be more than 1,000 similar to the MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI. Nvidia G-Sync is supported but only in the dGPU mode.

Display modes can be changed via Razer Synapse
Display modes can be changed via Razer Synapse

The display mode can be changed either via Razer Synapse (requires a restart) or from the BIOS. Here, we encounter the first of several peculiarties. If you do change the resolution to FHD+ in the BIOS, you cannot change back to UHD+ from the UEFI interface. Rather, you'll have to rely on Synapse to switch to UHD+. This is not detailed clearly and can confuse first timers.

We performed all testing in the UHD+ 120 Hz mode as it's the logical choice for anyone spending upwards of four grand on a laptop.

The sub-pixel matrix looks somewhat grainy when viewed up close. Interestingly, we see that the matrix in UHD+ mode looks quite sharp and well-defined. One would expect a larger pixel size upon switching to FHD+ mode, but we see identically sized pixels here.

We also get to see fuzziness and aliasing artefacts in the sub-pixel matrix — it is not as sharp as the UHD+ mode and is definitely not as sharp compared to a native FHD panel. It seems as if Razer is simply scaling down the 4K resolution and using temporal dithering.

This may not pose much of a problem while playing a fast-paced shooter, but we recommend sticking with the native UHD+ resolution for the most part. There's no backlight bleeding observed under high exposure.

Well-defined sub-pixel matrix in UHD+ mode
Well-defined sub-pixel matrix in UHD+ mode
Fuzzy sub-pixel matrix in FHD+ mode
Fuzzy sub-pixel matrix in FHD+ mode
No backlight bleed seen under long exposure
No backlight bleed seen under long exposure

The 2023 Razer Blade 16's panel is officially rated to offer a 1,000 nits peak brightness. We observed an excellent brightness distribution of 94% with a peak value of 752 nits in SDR mode.

For some reason, these values are obtained only when using the default Windows color profile, which is the basis for our measurements below. The Blade 16 comes factory-calibrated but using this ICC profile drops the brightness levels by a good 100 nits.

The Blade 16 is able to offer >1,000 nits luminance in HDR mode
The Blade 16 is able to offer >1,000 nits luminance in HDR mode

We measured close to 1,110 nits in HDR mode with a 100% white image. It is not exactly Apple MacBook Pro 16 level but is still an excellent luminance, nonetheless.

There are no preset color profiles apart from the one factory-calibrated ICC file. In the UHD+ mode, users can select the desired profile directly from Windows display settings or Razer Synapse. These options are unavailable in the FHD+ mode, however.

746
cd/m²
743
cd/m²
705
cd/m²
728
cd/m²
730
cd/m²
709
cd/m²
752
cd/m²
729
cd/m²
717
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
AUO B160ZAN01.U
X-Rite i1Basic Pro 3
Maximum: 752 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 728.8 cd/m² Minimum: 5.17 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 723 cd/m²
Contrast: 162222:1 (Black: 0.0045 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.65 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2, calibrated: 1.85
ΔE Greyscale 8.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
90.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.98
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
AUO B160ZAN01.U, mini-LED, 3840x2400, 16.00
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
NE160QDM-NM4, MiniLED, 2560x1600, 16.00
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
B173ZAN06.C, Mini-LED, 3840x2160, 17.30
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
TL160ADMP03-0, IPS, 2560x1600, 16.00
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
MNG007DA2-3 (CSO1628), IPS, 2560x1600, 16.00
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
AU Optronics B180QAN01.0, IPS, 2560x1600, 18.00
Display
-0%
-1%
-3%
-18%
-3%
Display P3 Coverage
99.9
99.4
-1%
94.9
-5%
97
-3%
69.1
-31%
96.9
-3%
sRGB Coverage
100
100
0%
99.9
0%
99.9
0%
99.7
0%
99.8
0%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
90.9
90.8
0%
92.4
2%
84.9
-7%
71.2
-22%
85.3
-6%
Response Times
139%
-74%
70%
35%
73%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
10.2 ?(5.8, 4.4)
15.2 ?(11.2, 4)
-49%
38.4 ?(13.6, 24.8, n)
-276%
5.1 ?(2.3, 2.8)
50%
12.3 ?(5.7, 6.6)
-21%
4.2 ?(2.1, 2.1)
59%
Response Time Black / White *
62.04 ?(58.04, 4)
19 ?(10.6, 8.4)
69%
26.6 ?(9.2, 17.4, n)
57%
6.6 ?(2.2, 4.2)
89%
5.9 ?(2.2, 3.7)
90%
8 ?(3.8, 4.2)
87%
PWM Frequency
2420 ?(100)
12000 ?(100)
396%
2380 ?(100)
-2%
Screen
-147%
417%
-1018%
-962%
-1303%
Brightness middle
730
712
-2%
606
-17%
470
-36%
511
-30%
549.6
-25%
Brightness
729
703
-4%
602
-17%
459
-37%
469
-36%
524
-28%
Brightness Distribution
94
95
1%
93
-1%
93
-1%
86
-9%
89
-5%
Black Level *
0.0045
0.07
-1456%
0.0001
98%
0.42
-9233%
0.4
-8789%
0.53
-11678%
Contrast
162222
10171
-94%
6060000
3636%
1119
-99%
1278
-99%
1037
-99%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.65
1.7
70%
4.8
15%
1.86
67%
0.95
83%
3.32
41%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.11
4
60%
8.2
19%
3.87
62%
2.07
80%
6.63
34%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.85
1.2
35%
1.8
3%
0.93
50%
0.91
51%
2.7
-46%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
8.1
2.8
65%
6.5
20%
2.7
67%
0.6
93%
2
75%
Gamma
1.98 111%
2.21 100%
2.63 84%
2.246 98%
2.176 101%
2.29 96%
CCT
5874 111%
6978 93%
6596 99%
6711 97%
6545 99%
6319 103%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-3% / -61%
114% / 235%
-317% / -645%
-315% / -617%
-411% / -828%

* ... smaller is better

Razer advertises a 100% DCI-P3 coverage for this panel, and our measurements confirm the same as well. We also observe complete coverage of the sRGB color gamut and an excellent 91% coverage of Adobe RGB, which means that the Blade 16's display is amenable to both gamers and content creators alike.

Subjectively, the mini-LED display is a visual treat with near-infinite blacks and punchy colors. There is some blooming observed at close inspection, but it is not distracting and won't hamper the viewing experience.

This is the closest you can get to OLED quality while also reaping the benefits of high luminance levels.

vs. sRGB - 100% coverage
vs. sRGB - 100% coverage
vs. Adobe RGB - 90.9% coverage
vs. Adobe RGB - 90.9% coverage
vs. Display P3 - 99.9% coverage
vs. Display P3 - 99.9% coverage

Although the factory calibration seems to reduce the overall SDR brightness, the Delta E values are much better compared to those of the Windows default ICC profile. That being said, the factory color calibration is not perfect and has lots of scope for improvement. 

We calibrated the Blade 16's display using the X-Rite i1Basic Pro 3 spectrophotometer and Calman Ultimate color calibration software from Portrait Displays in the DCI-P3 color space.

Our calibration routine results in significantly improved average Delta E values of 1.3 and 1.85 in Grayscale and ColorChecker measurements, respectively. Red and 100% blue show the highest deviations, but the maximum Delta E of 3.75 is still quite serviceable for most creative workflows. Do note that the brightness levels once again drop here upon calibration.

The calibrated ICC file can be downloaded from the link above.

Grayscale before calibration (Windows default ICC)
Grayscale before calibration (Windows default ICC)
ColorChecker before calibration (Windows default ICC)
ColorChecker before calibration (Windows default ICC)
Saturation Sweeps before calibration (Windows default ICC)
Saturation Sweeps before calibration (Windows default ICC)
Grayscale before calibration (Blade ICC)
Grayscale before calibration (Blade ICC)
ColorChecker before calibration (Blade ICC)
ColorChecker before calibration (Blade ICC)
Saturation Sweeps before calibration (Blade ICC)
Saturation Sweeps before calibration (Blade ICC)
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
62.04 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 58.04 ms rise
↘ 4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 100 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
10.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5.8 ms rise
↘ 4.4 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 16 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

The mini-LED array makes accurate measurement of response times a tad bit convoluted. The high flickering meant that we had to sample data over the entire pulsing range and manually determine rise and fall times. The values noted above, therefore, will seem higher than normal for a gaming laptop, particularly with the 100% black to 100% white transition.

Razer advertises a response time of 3 ms, but it is not clear under what conditions this value is obtained. We used a 100% SDR brightness setting, but it is possible that Razer might have chosen a much lower brightness. That being said, the 120 Hz refresh rate does not seem to result in any perceivable ghosting issues.

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 2420 Hz ≤ 100 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 2420 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 2420 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18925 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

We observed a PWM of 2,420 Hz across all tested brightness levels, which is sufficiently high. The PWM increases to 9.89 MHz at 0% brightness, which is as good as having no flickering.

The high brightness levels lend to a good viewing experience outdoors even under direct sunlight. Viewing angles are very stable with only minimal loss of brightness at the extremes.

Outdoor viewing under sunlight
Outdoor viewing under sunlight
Outdoor viewing under shade
Outdoor viewing under shade
Stable viewing angles with minimal brightness loss at the extremes
Stable viewing angles with minimal brightness loss at the extremes

Performance: Core i9-13950HX and RTX 4090 combo trails behind the competition

Our Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 unit is powered by the Intel Core i9-13950HX and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU. Buyers also have the option of choosing from several other Blade 16 configurations as indicated in the introduction.

Note that dual-mode mini-LED displays are only available on configurations featuring the RTX 4070 Laptop GPU and the RTX 4090 Laptop GPU.

 
 

Testing Conditions

Performance modes in Razer Synapse
Performance modes in Razer Synapse

Razer Synapse allows changing various performance modes depending on need. To allow the Core i9-13950HX and the RTX 4090 to fully flex their muscles, we used the Custom mode with CPU Boost and GPU High options. This results in a sustained PL1 of 110 W and a short burst boost of 130 W.

We used the dGPU mode for running graphics tests. The laptop supports Advanced Optimus, so you can easily switch between MSHybrid and dGPU directly from the Nvidia Control Panel without having to reboot. G-Sync was disabled during testing.

The choice of performance modes can have an impact on thermal and noise emissions. The table below illustrates how PL1 and PL2 vary with each performance setting.

Only the Balanced profile is offered on battery power. We used this mode for our battery tests and enabled the option to auto switch to a 60 Hz refresh rate.

Performance Mode PL1 (PBP) / Tau PL2 (MTP) / Tau
Silent 32.5 W / 56 s 37 W / 2.44 ms
Balanced 54 W / 56 s 55 W / 2.44 ms
Custom (CPU Boost / GPU High) 110 W / 56 s 130 W / 2.44 ms

Processor

The Intel Core i9-13950HX is a Raptor Lake-HX part with 24 cores and 32 threads that can achieve a 5.5 GHz single-core boost.

When we reviewed the Razer Blade 16 with the RTX 4080, the competition mostly consisted of devices powered by Intel Alder Lake and AMD Ryzen 6000 series chips.

Over the past month or so, there has been a steady influx of Intel 13th gen and AMD Ryzen 7000 series notebooks. This allows us to do a more contemporary comparison, and unfortunately both the 2023 Blade 16s struggle against the latest competition.

Despite sporting a capable vapor chamber cooler, the Blade 16 with the RTX 4090 fails to sustain well in the Cinebench R15 multi-core loop test. We see up to a 29% drop towards the 19th run before getting up to speed in the 21st loop. This is unlike the RTX 4080-powered Blade 16, which shows a well-sustained performance.

Cinebench R15 Multi Loop

02805608401120140016801960224025202800308033603640392042004480476050405320Tooltip
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090 Intel Core i9-13950HX: Ø3945 (3056-4339.34)
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2 Intel Core i9-13900HX: Ø4802 (4757.37-4969.56)
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX: Ø5385 (5255.55-5554.01)
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI Intel Core i9-13950HX: Ø4980 (4889.98-5226.71)
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W Intel Core i9-13980HX: Ø4735 (4684.94-4780.69)
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X Intel Core i9-13900H: Ø2914 (2871.5-3068.66)
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ Intel Core i9-13980HX; turbo: Ø4509 (4425.76-4764.17)
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ Intel Core i9-13980HX: Ø4416 (1123.72-4730.93)
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 Intel Core i9-13950HX: Ø4512 (4463.29-4528.99)
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H Intel Core i9-13900HX: Ø4574 (4429.68-4819.28)

The cumulative performance is a decent 17% uplift over an average Core i9-12950HX. The Core i9-13900HX in the Lenovo Legion Pro 7 easily surpasses the Blade 16's Core i9-13950HX owing to its high 130 W/185 W PL1/PL2 values.

Similarly, the MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI with the same CPU as that of the Blade 16 is able to score higher cumulatively in CPU benchmarks thanks to its 150 W PL1 and 220 W PL2.

The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX in the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 is placed at a comfortable 12% lead overall than the Core i9-13950HX in the Blade 16.

CPU Performance Rating: Percent
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 5.4: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
CPU Performance Rating
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
 
88.1 pt ∼88%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
79.8 pt ∼80%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
79.2 pt ∼79%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
78 pt ∼78%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
77.9 pt ∼78%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
76 pt ∼76%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
74.8 pt ∼75%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
74.1 pt ∼74%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
69.6 pt ∼70%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
68.3 pt ∼68%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
59.6 pt ∼60%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
 
59.2 pt ∼59%
Average of class Gaming
 
47.9 pt ∼48%
Cinebench R23 / Multi Core
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (32592 - 40103, n=4)
37310 Points ∼100% +31%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
34521 (32987.6min - 34521.3max) Points ∼93% +21%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
33277 Points ∼89% +17%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
32623 (30004.7min - 32622.9max) Points ∼87% +15%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
31572 Points ∼85% +11%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
30162 Points ∼81% +6%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
30139 Points ∼81% +6%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
28681 (25585.5min - 28680.9max) Points ∼77% +1%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
28422 Points ∼76%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
26736 (22394.1min - 26736.1max) Points ∼72% -6%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (16277 - 23113, n=6)
20060 Points ∼54% -29%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
19469 (17696.3min - 19468.6max) Points ∼52% -32%
Average of class Gaming
  (2435 - 34521, n=238, last 2 years)
16258 Points ∼44% -43%
Cinebench R23 / Single Core
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (2203 - 2272, n=4)
2238 Points ∼100% +15%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
2140 Points ∼96% +10%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
2126 Points ∼95% +9%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
2100 Points ∼94% +8%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
2092 Points ∼93% +7%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
2076 Points ∼93% +6%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
2043 Points ∼91% +5%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
2029 Points ∼91% +4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
1974 Points ∼88% +1%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
1952 Points ∼87%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
1940 Points ∼87% -1%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (1465 - 1906, n=6)
1821 Points ∼81% -7%
Average of class Gaming
  (527 - 2169, n=236, last 2 years)
1675 Points ∼75% -14%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (13415 - 15181, n=4)
14459 Points ∼100% +35%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
13457 Points ∼93% +25%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
12648 Points ∼87% +18%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
12541 Points ∼87% +17%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
12073 Points ∼83% +12%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
11510 Points ∼80% +7%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
11500 Points ∼80% +7%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
10919 Points ∼76% +2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
10738 Points ∼74%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
8697 Points ∼60% -19%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (6625 - 8777, n=6)
7743 Points ∼54% -28%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
7411 Points ∼51% -31%
Average of class Gaming
  (930 - 13769, n=240, last 2 years)
6138 Points ∼42% -43%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (828 - 870, n=4)
849 Points ∼100% +13%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
824 Points ∼97% +9%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
818 Points ∼96% +8%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
803 Points ∼95% +6%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
802 Points ∼94% +6%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
797 Points ∼94% +6%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
788 Points ∼93% +5%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
756 Points ∼89% 0%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
754 Points ∼89%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
751 Points ∼88% 0%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
742 Points ∼87% -2%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (703 - 741, n=6)
725 Points ∼85% -4%
Average of class Gaming
  (169 - 825, n=240, last 2 years)
646 Points ∼76% -14%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (5321 - 6191, n=4)
5862 Points ∼100% +35%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
5554 (5255.55min - 5554.01max) Points ∼95% +28%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
5227 (4889.98min - 5226.71max) Points ∼89% +20%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
4970 (4757.37min - 4969.56max) Points ∼85% +15%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
4819 (4429.68min - 4819.28max) Points ∼82% +11%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
4781 (4684.94min - 4780.69max) Points ∼82% +10%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
4764 (4425.76min - 4764.17max) Points ∼81% +10%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
4731 (1123.72min - 4730.93max) Points ∼81% +9%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
4529 (4463.29min - 4528.99max) Points ∼77% +4%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
4481 Points ∼76% +3%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
4339 (3056min - 4339.34max) Points ∼74%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (2769 - 3530, n=6)
3195 Points ∼55% -26%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
3069 (2871.5min - 3068.66max) Points ∼52% -29%
Average of class Gaming
  (400 - 5663, n=243, last 2 years)
2606 Points ∼44% -40%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (317 - 328, n=4)
323 Points ∼100% +16%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
312 Points ∼97% +12%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
307 Points ∼95% +10%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
306 Points ∼95% +10%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
296 Points ∼92% +6%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
301 Points ∼93% +8%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
300 Points ∼93% +8%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
299 Points ∼93% +8%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
297 Points ∼92% +7%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
292 Points ∼90% +5%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
278 Points ∼86%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
274 Points ∼85% -1%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (266 - 276, n=6)
273 Points ∼85% -2%
Average of class Gaming
  (79.2 - 312, n=244, last 2 years)
251 Points ∼78% -10%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Average of class Gaming
  (91 - 1259, n=241, last 2 years)
234 Seconds * ∼100% -100%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (138 - 193, n=6)
170.7 Seconds * ∼73% -46%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
166 Seconds * ∼71% -42%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
117 Seconds * ∼50%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
114 Seconds * ∼49% +3%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
111 Seconds * ∼47% +5%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
106 Seconds * ∼45% +9%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
105 Seconds * ∼45% +10%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
103 Seconds * ∼44% +12%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
101 Seconds * ∼43% +14%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
100 Seconds * ∼43% +15%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
93 Seconds * ∼40% +21%
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (80 - 101, n=5)
86.4 Seconds * ∼37% +26%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (127201 - 148053, n=5)
142777 MIPS ∼100% +31%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
135927 MIPS ∼95% +25%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
127295 MIPS ∼89% +17%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
127283 MIPS ∼89% +17%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
123833 MIPS ∼87% +14%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
122254 MIPS ∼86% +12%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
116665 MIPS ∼82% +7%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
114658 MIPS ∼80% +5%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
109330 MIPS ∼77% 0%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
108860 MIPS ∼76%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
79032 MIPS ∼55% -27%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (65637 - 85019, n=6)
77660 MIPS ∼54% -29%
Average of class Gaming
  (11386 - 140932, n=237, last 2 years)
65845 MIPS ∼46% -40%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (7176 - 7539, n=5)
7343 MIPS ∼100% +9%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
7319 MIPS ∼100% +9%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
7084 MIPS ∼96% +5%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
7035 MIPS ∼96% +5%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
6999 MIPS ∼95% +4%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
6909 MIPS ∼94% +3%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
6897 MIPS ∼94% +3%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
6880 MIPS ∼94% +2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
6715 MIPS ∼91%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
6445 MIPS ∼88% -4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
6245 MIPS ∼85% -7%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (6022 - 6318, n=6)
6195 MIPS ∼84% -8%
Average of class Gaming
  (2685 - 7581, n=238, last 2 years)
5820 MIPS ∼79% -13%
Geekbench 5.4 / Multi-Core
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (22448 - 24157, n=5)
23743 Points ∼100% +42%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
21058 Points ∼89% +26%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
20847 Points ∼88% +24%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
20779 Points ∼88% +24%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
20634 Points ∼87% +23%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
20036 Points ∼84% +19%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
19583 Points ∼82% +17%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
19433 Points ∼82% +16%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
18152 Points ∼76% +8%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
16776 Points ∼71%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
15410 Points ∼65% -8%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (14197 - 16009, n=6)
15216 Points ∼64% -9%
Average of class Gaming
  (1946 - 22200, n=236, last 2 years)
11579 Points ∼49% -31%
Geekbench 5.4 / Single-Core
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (2106 - 2290, n=5)
2237 Points ∼100% +14%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
2132 Points ∼95% +9%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
2099 Points ∼94% +7%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
2081 Points ∼93% +6%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
2044 Points ∼91% +4%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
2043 Points ∼91% +4%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
2035 Points ∼91% +4%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
2025 Points ∼91% +3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
1974 Points ∼88% +1%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
1959 Points ∼88%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (1847 - 1924, n=6)
1882 Points ∼84% -4%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
1805 Points ∼81% -8%
Average of class Gaming
  (158 - 2139, n=236, last 2 years)
1690 Points ∼76% -14%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (34.5 - 42.6, n=5)
39.9 fps ∼100% +31%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
34.8 fps ∼87% +14%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
34.4 fps ∼86% +13%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
33.4 fps ∼84% +10%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
32.7 fps ∼82% +7%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
31.9 fps ∼80% +5%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
31 fps ∼78% +2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
30.5 fps ∼76%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
29.7 fps ∼74% -3%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
28.7 fps ∼72% -6%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (18.6 - 26.5, n=6)
22.7 fps ∼57% -26%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
21.7 fps ∼54% -29%
Average of class Gaming
  (3 - 37.6, n=241, last 2 years)
18.2 fps ∼46% -40%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
60.4 s * ∼100% -16%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
52.1 s * ∼86%
Average of class Gaming
  (32.8 - 332, n=236, last 2 years)
50.8 s * ∼84% +2%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
50.5 s * ∼84% +3%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
47.7 s * ∼79% +8%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
47.5 s * ∼79% +9%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
46.5 s * ∼77% +11%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
44 s * ∼73% +16%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
43.4 s * ∼72% +17%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (34.7 - 45.4, n=6)
40.8 s * ∼68% +22%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
36 s * ∼60% +31%
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (30.3 - 41.6, n=5)
35.3 s * ∼58% +32%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
32.8 s * ∼54% +37%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Average of class Gaming
  (0.375 - 4.47, n=237, last 2 years)
0.503 sec * ∼100% -27%
Average Intel Core i9-12950HX
  (0.4251 - 0.4515, n=6)
0.4382 sec * ∼87% -10%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX
0.4121 sec * ∼82% -4%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H
0.412 sec * ∼82% -4%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX
0.4033 sec * ∼80% -2%
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX
0.3982 sec * ∼79% -0%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX
0.3979 sec * ∼79% -0%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX
0.3971 sec * ∼79%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX
0.3955 sec * ∼79% -0%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX
0.387 sec * ∼77% +3%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX
0.3799 sec * ∼76% +4%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX
0.3793 sec * ∼75% +4%
Average Intel Core i9-13900K
  (0.3468 - 0.3911, n=5)
0.3597 sec * ∼72% +9%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
4339 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
290 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
278 Points
Help

The unusual graph seen above in the Cinebench R15 loop is also reflected while evaluating various CPU parameters in available performance modes. Such a pattern is not seen when running the loop test in Balanced and Silent profiles.

In the Custom setting, we see the package power hitting a maximum of 137.6 W resulting in a max boost of 4.4 GHz and core temperature up to 90 °C. It is possible that Razer has implemented a harsh temperature tolerance as soon as the core temperature hits the 90 °C mark. This results in the package power dropping as low as 74 W before it recovers again to 130 W and the cycle repeats.

The Balanced mode seems to be a bit forgiving in this case. We see the clocks hitting close to 4.4 GHz at a peak package power of 59 W and a maximum core temperature of 79 °C. This mode should be sufficient for most use cases.

Silent mode takes quite a hit in terms of clocks, but the peak core temperature is a manageable 69 °C while consuming a maximum of 39.7 W.

CPU clocks, core temperatures, and package powers during a Cinebench R15 loop. (Red: Custom, Green: Silent, Blue: Balanced)
CPU clocks, core temperatures, and package powers during a Cinebench R15 loop. (Red: Custom, Green: Silent, Blue: Balanced)
Multi-core performance takes a big hit on battery power
Multi-core performance takes a big hit on battery power

On battery, the Blade 16 runs in the Balanced profile. While single-core performance takes just a 5% hit, multi-core scores drop by 57% in Cinebench R20. That being said, the reduced performance should still be sufficient to get some work done on the move.

The Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 offers good CPU performance overall, but the relatively lower power limits put it at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the competition.

Performance Rating
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
95.6 pt ∼96%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
93.5 pt ∼94%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
93.2 pt ∼93%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
89.8 pt ∼90%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
88.5 pt ∼89%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
 
88.3 pt ∼88%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
87.8 pt ∼88%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
87.2 pt ∼87%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
78.8 pt ∼79%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
66.3 pt ∼66%
Average of class Gaming
 
55.5 pt ∼56%
AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
28957 KRay/s ∼100% +60%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
28701 KRay/s ∼99% +58%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
27594 KRay/s ∼95% +52%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
27227 KRay/s ∼94% +50%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
26741 KRay/s ∼92% +47%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
25949 KRay/s ∼90% +43%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
25857 KRay/s ∼89% +43%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (18131 - 28957, n=5)
25355 KRay/s ∼88% +40%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
18961 KRay/s ∼65% +5%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
18131 KRay/s ∼63%
Average of class Gaming
  (2585 - 55084, n=214, last 2 years)
14839 KRay/s ∼51% -18%
AIDA64 / FPU Julia
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
144303 Points ∼100% +32%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
138190 Points ∼96% +27%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
133668 Points ∼93% +22%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
131131 Points ∼91% +20%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
130870 Points ∼91% +20%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (109158 - 144303, n=5)
130104 Points ∼90% +19%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
129286 Points ∼90% +18%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
125944 Points ∼87% +15%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
109158 Points ∼76%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
93802 Points ∼65% -14%
Average of class Gaming
  (12439 - 234848, n=214, last 2 years)
77881 Points ∼54% -29%
AIDA64 / CPU SHA3
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
7093 MB/s ∼100% +19%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
7029 MB/s ∼99% +18%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
6949 MB/s ∼98% +17%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
6750 MB/s ∼95% +14%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
6596 MB/s ∼93% +11%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (5937 - 7093, n=5)
6525 MB/s ∼92% +10%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
6350 MB/s ∼90% +7%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
6338 MB/s ∼89% +7%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
5937 MB/s ∼84%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
4207 MB/s ∼59% -29%
Average of class Gaming
  (629 - 9930, n=214, last 2 years)
3657 MB/s ∼52% -38%
AIDA64 / CPU Queen
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
143409 Points ∼100% +5%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
141427 Points ∼99% +3%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
141385 Points ∼99% +3%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
139649 Points ∼97% +2%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
137876 Points ∼96% +1%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (133226 - 140103, n=5)
137550 Points ∼96% 0%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
136898 Points ∼95%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
134227 Points ∼94% -2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
133226 Points ∼93% -3%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
120181 Points ∼84% -12%
Average of class Gaming
  (15371 - 186519, n=214, last 2 years)
101463 Points ∼71% -26%
AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
17179 Points ∼100% +39%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
17117 Points ∼100% +38%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
17057 Points ∼99% +38%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
17026 Points ∼99% +38%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
16073 Points ∼94% +30%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
15813 Points ∼92% +28%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
15807 Points ∼92% +28%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (12381 - 17057, n=5)
15625 Points ∼91% +26%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
12381 Points ∼72%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
11631 Points ∼68% -6%
Average of class Gaming
  (2137 - 30810, n=214, last 2 years)
11138 Points ∼65% -10%
AIDA64 / FPU Mandel
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
71038 Points ∼100% +53%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
70739 Points ∼100% +52%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
66924 Points ∼94% +44%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
66753 Points ∼94% +43%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
66336 Points ∼93% +43%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
64736 Points ∼91% +39%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
63308 Points ∼89% +36%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (46539 - 71038, n=5)
63106 Points ∼89% +36%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
46539 Points ∼66%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
46487 Points ∼65% 0%
Average of class Gaming
  (7135 - 124377, n=214, last 2 years)
41499 Points ∼58% -11%
AIDA64 / CPU AES
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
236139 MB/s ∼100% +15%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
204491 MB/s ∼87%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (122159 - 204491, n=5)
144735 MB/s ∼61% -29%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
136551 MB/s ∼58% -33%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
134166 MB/s ∼57% -34%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
128070 MB/s ∼54% -37%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
127698 MB/s ∼54% -38%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
125644 MB/s ∼53% -39%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
122159 MB/s ∼52% -40%
Average of class Gaming
  (18146 - 236139, n=214, last 2 years)
105570 MB/s ∼45% -48%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
85007 MB/s ∼36% -58%
AIDA64 / CPU ZLib
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
2059 MB/s ∼100% +19%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
2030 MB/s ∼99% +18%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
1958 MB/s ∼95% +14%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
1936 MB/s ∼94% +12%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
1912 MB/s ∼93% +11%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (1724 - 2069, n=5)
1906 MB/s ∼93% +11%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
1850 MB/s ∼90% +7%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
1829 MB/s ∼89% +6%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
1724 MB/s ∼84%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
1204 MB/s ∼58% -30%
Average of class Gaming
  (150.9 - 2231, n=229, last 2 years)
954 MB/s ∼46% -45%
AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
15573 KRay/s ∼100% +59%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
15540 KRay/s ∼100% +59%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
14948 KRay/s ∼96% +53%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
14722 KRay/s ∼95% +50%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
14671 KRay/s ∼94% +50%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
14066 KRay/s ∼90% +44%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
13844 KRay/s ∼89% +41%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (9787 - 15573, n=5)
13727 KRay/s ∼88% +40%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
10342 KRay/s ∼66% +6%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
9787 KRay/s ∼63%
Average of class Gaming
  (1437 - 29473, n=214, last 2 years)
8057 KRay/s ∼52% -18%
AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
50864 MPixel/s ∼100%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
50834 MPixel/s ∼100% 0%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU
49634 MPixel/s ∼98% -2%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
48626 MPixel/s ∼96% -4%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX
  (40896 - 50864, n=5)
48510 MPixel/s ∼95% -5%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
Intel Core i9-13900H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
48325 MPixel/s ∼95% -5%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
Intel Core i9-13900HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
44308 MPixel/s ∼87% -13%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
44016 MPixel/s ∼87% -13%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
40896 MPixel/s ∼80% -20%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
Intel Core i9-13980HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU
37069 MPixel/s ∼73% -27%
Average of class Gaming
  (8341 - 52949, n=215, last 2 years)
31427 MPixel/s ∼62% -38%

Check out our dedicated Intel Core i9-13950HX page for more information and performance comparisons.

System Performance

PCMark 10 total scores see the Razer Blade 16 trailing behind the Ryzen 9 7945HX-powered Zephyrus Duo 16 by 17%, but these devices show more or less identical performance in overall CrossMark scores.

We did not encounter any issues with system performance and responsiveness in daily usage.

PCMark 10 / Score
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, R9 7945HX, SK hynix PC801 HFS002TEJ9X101N
9151 Points ∼100% +20%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13900HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
9016 Points ∼99% +19%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
8884 Points ∼97% +17%
Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 2023 G834JY-N6005W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13980HX, 2x Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR (RAID 0)
8764 Points ∼96% +15%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
8277 Points ∼90% +9%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
  (7597 - 8884, n=2)
8241 Points ∼90% +8%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, SSSTC CA6-8D1024
7888 Points ∼86% +4%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13900HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
7830 Points ∼86% +3%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, SSSTC CA6-8D1024
7609 Points ∼83% 0%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, SSSTC CA6-8D1024
7597 Points ∼83%
Average of class Gaming
  (4477 - 9331, n=195, last 2 years)
7263 Points ∼79% -4%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13980HX, WD PC SN560 SDDPNQE-1T00
7223 Points ∼79% -5%
PCMark 10 / Essentials
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, R9 7945HX, SK hynix PC801 HFS002TEJ9X101N
12176 Points ∼100% +12%
Asus ROG Strix G16 G614JZ
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13980HX, WD PC SN560 SDDPNQE-1T00
12031 Points ∼99% +10%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13900HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
11983 Points ∼98% +10%
MSI Titan GT77 HX 13VI
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
11761 Points ∼97% +8%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13900HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
11703 Points ∼96% +7%
Razer Blade 18 RTX 4070
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, SSSTC CA6-8D1024
11683 Points ∼96% +7%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
11659 Points ∼96% +7%
Average Intel Core i9-13950HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU
  (10903 - 11761, n=2)
11332 Points ∼93% +4%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, SSSTC CA6-8D1024
11078 Points ∼91% +2%
Razer Blade 16 Early 2023 RTX 4090
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13950HX, SSSTC CA6-8D1024
10903 Points ∼90%
Average of class Gaming
  (7334 - 12176, n=194, last 2 years)
10460 Points ∼86% -4%
PCMark 10 / Productivity
Asus Zephyrus Duo 16 GX650PY-NM006W
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, R9 7945HX, SK hynix PC801 HFS002TEJ9X101N
11833 Points ∼100% +42%
Asus ROG Zephyrus M16 GU604VY-NM042X
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13900H, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL22T0HBLB
11046 Points ∼93% +33%
Lenovo Legion Pro 7 16IRX8H
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, i9-13900HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
10788 Points ∼91% +30%
Eluktronics Mech-17 GP2
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, i9-13900HX, Samsung PM9A1 MZVL21T0HCLR
10755 Points ∼91% +29%