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Ultrabook technology has redefined our expectation of the modern-day laptop. Often extremely thin and very light, and boasting remarkable levels of battery life with the latest Intel Haswell processors, we've reached the point where notebook computers can detach from the mains for a full working day and still have a decent amount of juice remaining at the end of it. There are just two compromises with these machines: relatively modest CPU power and poor graphics capabilities, meaning only limited gaming potential.Then there's the Razer Blade 14. Imagine a jet-black 14-inch laptop that looks for all the world like a midway point between the larger MacBook Air and the 15-inch MacBook Pro. While not quite as svelte as Apple's ultrabook offerings, it's close enough, and in terms of processing power, there's no competition. What we have here is a 2.2GHz quad-core i7 Haswell - doubling the CPU performance of the standard ultrabook - working in combination with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 765M, a potent GPU that wipes the floor with the both the Intel Iris Pro and GTX 760M found within the larger 15.4-inch Macbook Pros.
There's no skimping on build quality either. Just like the Apple products it seeks to emulate, the Razer Blade oozes quality - there's a high-end finish to the aluminium chassis, a reassuring response from the chiclet keyboard, and a highly responsive trackpad backed up by actual, real buttons - something we've sorely missed after eight months of MacBook Air ownership. Again, similar to the Apple product, the screen lid is also worthy of praise - with even determined pressure on the back offering no sign of any screen distortion. In short, the Blade is a brilliant little product with just two disappointments: lacklustre audio performance from the stereo speakers and a remarkably disappointing 1600x900 screen.
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