We review products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Terms of use.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (Mid-2019, OLED)

 & Matthew Buzzi Principal Writer, Hardware

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

All About That OLED Screen

The Blade 15's new display is the star of this show, and in short, it looks absolutely stellar. What was already a nice display has been transformed into perhaps the best screen you can get on a laptop, thanks to this Samsung-developed 4K OLED touch panel.

Brilliant Colors

The colors seem to pop off the screen, looking almost impossibly vibrant, but more realistic than if you just cranked up the saturation. The blacks are deep and true, looking like you can fall into their depths if you're not careful. It creates a really stunning contrast with the brightness of the colors, and makes you want to stare at it just to soak it in.

Accurate Enough for Most

For creative professionals, the main takeaway is that this is a very viable display, with minor caveats. It looks fantastic and generally has high color gamut coverage across Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, and sRGB.

It's Touch, Too

On this laptop, the 4K resolution definitely helps matters, as everything is super-sharp. (You'll want to be sure text scaling is turned up, or all text will appear way too small.) The screen also features touch technology, which proves useful at times, though I'm hesitant to smudge up such a pretty display.

Same Premium Exterior

The slick build, all black and in aluminum, is unchanged, though Razer also offers a pretty hot-looking white version, without the OLED screen. The signature neon-green lid logo is present, and I wish Razer went the same route it did with the Blade Stealth, which has an etched logo that's a lot less garish and more professional.

A Comfy Keyboard...

As with past models, the keyboard on the 2019 Blade is comfortable for typing and includes a number of advanced features. The keys support "anti-ghosting" (simply put, they can handle multiple-key mashing) to prevent input jams in frantic gaming moments.

...With Some Fancy Features

They're also individually backlit. This allows you to customize the backlighting color and effect on each key, enabling an infinite variety of light patterns and animations to play out across the keyboard. It's only limited by your patience with programming it.

The Left-Side Ports...

The left flank holds two USB 3.1 ports, the headphone jack, and the power jack.

...and the Right Ports

The other edge is more varied, with an HDMI video out, a mini DisplayPort connection, another USB 3.1 port, and a USB Type-C port with Thunderbolt 3.

About Our Expert

Matthew Buzzi

Matthew Buzzi

Principal Writer, Hardware

My Experience

I’ve been a consumer PC expert at PCMag for 10 years, and I love PC gaming. I've played games on my computer for as long as I can remember, which eventually (as it does for many) led me to build and upgrade my own desktops to this day. Through my years at PCMag, I've tested and reviewed many, many dozens of laptops and desktops, and I am always happy to recommend a PC for your needs and budget.

The Technology I Use

The single piece of technology I use the most (by far!) is my self-built desktop. I spend a lot of my time gaming (and now, working) on this system, and I’m likely to continue upgrading it in some form forever. As it relates to my work at PCMag, it’s a vital window into keeping up to date with components, performance, and the latest titles. On the smartphone front, I’m a full-time Android user.

I’m always eyeing my next GPU upgrade, but the consistent part of my gaming setup has been a 165Hz 1440p monitor; I think this remains the sweet spot for the time being. A dual-monitor setup has been essential for work and play; my second screen is either a productivity monitor, playing videos for entertainment, or being used for console gaming, depending on the time of day.

Speaking of which, I may be primarily a PC gamer, but (like any good gaming enthusiast without enough discipline) I also own a PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series S, a Steam Deck, and a Nintendo Switch 2. The PS5 and Xbox are hooked up to a living-room television for a more laid-back couch experience; I've found Gamepass to be especially handy for cooperative play and for taking my saved-game files from my desk to my couch through the cloud.

Read full bio