No UK plans for new Razer Blade gaming laptop – yet

Razer has no plans to launch its latest Razer Blade gaming laptop in the UK or Europe right now.

However, the laptop could get a limited release in the UK and Europe later this year, but there is currently ‘no timescale on that’, a Razer spokesperson has told PCR.

The new device is instead available to order online direct from Razer Store in the US, Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong, and will be available in select Microsoft Stores in the US from February 16th.

In March the laptop will launch in China, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, UAE, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Russia.

With most sales going direct or through Microsoft Stores, if the Blade does launch in the UK it’s likely the majority of retailers will be unable to stock it.

Mike Fethers, senior games buyer at The Hut Group, asked on Twitter whether retailers will be able to stock them, and Rich Marsden from Razer’s UK distributor VIP Computers confirmed not.

Want a @Razer Blade Laptop, won't let me even sell them to the public let alone buy one for myself. #UKWantsSomeLovingToo

— Mike F (@fevington) February 3, 2015

@fevington @Razer no sorry you can't retail them in the EU, trust me I ask @RAZERMAVERICK every week!

— Rich Marsden (@Rich_VIPCom) February 3, 2015

Prices for the Razer Blade start at $2,199. Razer says ‘the world’s thinnest and lightest 14-inch gaming notebook’ comes with the latest NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M (3GB GDDR5 VRAM) graphics and IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) display panel technology.

There are two versions available – a QHD+ Touch system and a Full HD Non-touch variant.

It has 16GB of fast 1600MHz DDR3L memory and includes solid-state storage with options for up to 512GB.

An Intel Core i7-4720HQ processor, typically found in larger notebooks, gives the 14-inch Razer Blade 2.6GHz of quad-core processing power and Turbo Boost speeds, which automatically increases the speed of active cores up to 3.6GHz. 

“When we debuted the Razer Blade in 2013, we set the benchmark for gaming laptops – and other companies worldwide have followed in our footsteps,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO.

“We continue to listen as gamer needs evolve and the new Razer Blade again sets the industry standard by which gaming laptops are measured.” 

Here’s the full list of specs:

• Intel® Core i7-4720HQ Quad Core Processor (2.6GHz / 3.6GHz)
• NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX™ 970M (3GB GDDR5 VRAM)
• 16GB System Memory (DDR3L-1600MHz)
• Windows® 8.1 64-Bit
• 128/256/512GB SSD (SATA M.2) options
• 14.0" IGZO QHD+ 16:9 Ratio, 3200×1800, with LED backlight, capacitive multi-touch
• Intel® Wireless-AC 7260HMW (802.11a/b/g/n/ac + Bluetooth® 4.0)
• (3x) USB 3.0 port (SuperSpeed)
• HDMI 1.4a audio and video output
• Dolby® Digital Plus Home Theater Edition
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 3.5 mm microphone/headphone combo jack
• Array microphone
• 7.1 Codec support (via HDMI)
• Built-in full-HD webcam (2.0 MP)
• TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module)
• Compact 150W Power Adapter
• Built-in 70Wh Rechargeable lithium ion polymer battery
• Razer Anti-Ghosting Keyboard (with adjustable backlight)
• Razer Synapse Enabled
• Kensington™ Lock interface
• 13.6 in. (345 mm) Width x 0.70 in. (17.8 mm) Height x 9.3 in. (235 mm) Depth
• 4.47 lbs. / 2.03 kg