Should you get a Razer Book 13 over a Razer Blade Stealth?

New Ground

Razer Book 13

From $1,200 at Razer

Pros

• Gorgeous design
• 11th Gen Intel and EVO certified hardware flies
• Brilliant IGZO display
• Excellent trackpad and keyboard
• Fantastic speakers with THX Spatial Audio
• Plenty of ports

Cons

• No options for LTE
• Weaker graphics

For Razer's first true Ultrabook, the company hit it out of the park. The design, hardware, and performance all put the Razer Book 13 on par with the very best the category has to offer, doing all the right things.

Gamers and Creators

Razer Blade Stealth

From $1,800 at Razer

Pros

• Gorgeous design
• 28W Intel Core i7 CPU
• Dedicated NVIDIA graphics
• Superb display
• Great keyboard
• Fantastic speakers

Cons

• More expensive
• Less port selection

In many regards, the Blade Stealth is the gamer-focused version of the Razer Book, even though it came first. NVIDIA's addition of dedicated graphics and high refresh rate displays helps this laptop target a different audience while remaining very similar.

These two laptops are both quite similar and very different. The Razer Book 13 is the company's first laptop targeted at non-gamers, with refined styling and focus on what people want from an Ultrabook. By contrast, the Blade Stealth has begun to move away from being an Ultrabook and become a true gaming laptop with the addition of dedicated NVIDIA graphics and high refresh rate displays. Whichever you end up choosing, you're going to get one of the best Windows laptops around.

Razer Book 13 vs Razer Blade Stealth: Tech Specs

	Razer Book 13	Razer Blade Stealth
Processor	28W 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 28W 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7	11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7
RAM	8 or 16GB LPDDR4X	16GB LPDDR4X
Storage	Up to 512GB PCIe M.2 (upgradeable to 2TB)	Up to 512GB PCIe M.2 (upgradeable)
Display	13.4-inch 16:10 Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) Non-Touch Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) Touch UHD+ (3840 x 2400) Touch Gorilla Glass 6 Anti-reflective	13.3-inch FHD 120Hz matte (100% sRGB) 13.3-inch OLED Touch (100% DCI-P3)
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti (Max-Q Design)
Ports	1x microSD card reader 1x HDMI 2.0 port 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) (power, 4 lanes of PCI Express) 1x USB-A 3.2 Headphone/mic jack	2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) (power, 4 lanes of PCI Express) 2x USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 Headphone/mic jack
Biometrics	Windows Hello (face)	Windows Hello (face)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6 Intel Wireless AX 201 (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac) Bluetooth 5.1	Wi-Fi 6 Intel Wireless AX 201 (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac) Bluetooth 5.1
Battery	56WHr 65-watt charger	53.1WHr 100W USB-C power adapter
Dimensions	0.60" x 11.6" x 7.8" (15.15mm x 295.6mm x 198mm)	0.60" x 11.99" x 8.27" (15.3mm x 304.6mm x 210mm)
Weight	2.95 to 3.11lbs (1.34 to 1.4kg)	3.11lbs (1.41kg) non-touch 3.26lbs (1.48kg) touch

On paper, there's little to choose between the two on a sheer spec comparison. Both have 11th Gen Intel processors, though the Razer Book 13 has a Core i5 option; otherwise, they're very close in most areas. They look very similar, color aside, and they're both 13.3-inch laptops.

This is no surprise because whenever Razer makes a laptop, you can guarantee it will have some of the best hardware available at that time.

There are some important differences to consider, though, which will certainly help you decide which is for you.

To game or not to game

The biggest differentiation between the two laptops is that one is targeted at gamers, the other is not. There has been a crossover with the Blade Stealth ever since it debuted, but at its heart, it has always been a product for gamers. And with an NVIDIA GTX 1650 inside, the latest generation of Blade Stealth can game without the addition of an external GPU.

That is still an option for the Blade Stealth and the Razer Book, but eGPUs are still a very niche product. The fact you no longer need one is certainly a reason for gamers to turn towards the Blade Stealth.

Paired with that dedicated graphics on the Blade Stealth is also the option for a high refresh rate 120Hz 1080p display. Razer did away with the 4K option and instead introduced a 1080p OLED panel as the alternative, so for a high resolution, you'd need to look at the Razer Book 13.

But as a package, the Razer Blade Stealth is the most powerful 13-inch laptop you can get and the most portable you can do some serious gaming on. That horsepower also makes it attractive to creators looking to accelerate apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro with that NVIDIA GPU.

The new best Ultrabook

For its first attempt at a regular Ultrabook, Razer absolutely nailed it. The Razer Book 13 isn't just good compared to Razer's other laptops; it's arguably the best Ultrabook money can buy right now. And that includes Dell's all-conquering XPS 13.

The Razer Book 13 is a little powerhouse of an Ultrabook, with an 11th Gen 28W Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU and fast LPDDR4X memory, and for the most part, the internals are comparable to the Blade Stealth aside from the graphics.

The Razer Book 13 perhaps looks more attractive for folks who need things like an HDMI output or a high-resolution display. And without a dedicated GPU, the battery will certainly last longer.

And like the Blade Stealth, the Book 13 also has an RGB keyboard and superb speakers with THX Spatial Audio. Razer doesn't tend to cut corners, and it's clear to see in the Book 13. It has everything. It's also considerably less expensive than the Blade Stealth, which could seal the deal if you're not into gaming.

Which should you buy?

It comes down to what type of laptop user you want to be with your new Razer notebook. If gaming or content creation isn't high on your list of priorities, then go for the Razer Book 13. It truly is a remarkable laptop, high quality, powerful, well designed, and impeccably made with a much more attractive asking price.

All these points also apply to the Blade Stealth, but with added graphics power and the option of a high refresh rate display to enjoy your games on. Both are incredible laptops, and we'd recommend either of them, but exactly which depends on what you plan to do with it.

Top Ultrabook

Razer Book 13 (2020)

From $1,200 at Razer

The new best Ultrabook

The Razer Book 13 is a tremendous first-gen Ultrabook that does everything right, especially when it comes to hardware and performance.

True Gaming

Razer Blade Stealth

From $1,800 at Razer

120Hz Ultrabook with a real GPU

Razer has beefed up its Blade Stealth 13 gaming Ultrabook, making it even more powerful. Its 11th Gen Intel CPU is now 28-watts, it packs GTX 1650 Ti (Max-Q Design) graphics, and there is a new OLED option perfect for content creators.