The Razer Blade 15 Base Model is just as powerful as the Advanced Model for a whopping $600 less

The original Blade 15 Advanced Model launched back in June of this year with a 1080p60 display, GTX 1060 Max-Q GPU, Core i7-8750H CPU, and a 256 GB SSD for about $1900 USD. Fast-forward four months and a new Base Model is now available with the same display, CPU, and GPU for only $1600 USD.

To separate the Base Model and Advanced Model even further, however, Razer has quietly upped the baseline specifications of its Advanced Model from 1080p60 to 1080p144 and 256 GB to 512 GB for a higher starting price of $2200 USD. The Core i7 CPU and GeForce GPU are otherwise exactly the same. The move makes the Base Model more lucrative because users are getting the same core gaming performance from the Base Model for $600 USD less. The Base Model even carries features not found on the Advanced Model including gigabit RJ-45 and a secondary 2.5-inch SATA III 1 TB HDD.

Are there still reasons to purchase the pricier $2200 Advanced Model SKU when the $1600 Base Model SKU carries the exact same processors? The Advanced Model doubles the SSD from 128 GB to 256 GB and it has the more advanced 144 Hz display with per-key RGB lighting and a larger internal battery. The Base Model chassis is also a hair thicker (19.9 mm vs. 16.8 mm) while keeping the design and rigidity intact. Whether or not these largely cosmetic features are worth the $600 price premium is certainly down to user preference.

We recommend checking out our full reviews on the Blade 15 Base Model and Advanced Models below for more in-depth comparisons.

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