Razer Blade 16 vs Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 Comparison

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Razer Blade 16

16 inches | January 2023

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Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021

15.6 inches | January 2021

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Razer Blade 16 vs Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 Comparison Overview

Razer Blade 16

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Razer Blade 15 Base...

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Razer Blade 16

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Razer Blade 15 Base...

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In this review, we will be comparing Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021, two laptops by Razer. Razer Blade 16 was introduced to market in January 2023 and Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 was launched in January 2021. As you can see, Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 is 2 years older than Blade 16. Let's see if this age difference between two laptops makes a big difference.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 are members of Razer's Blade series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Razer Blade Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Razer Blade 16 2025	January 2025	16.0"	359.8 x 250.5 x 14.9-17.4 mm	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)
Razer Blade 16 2024	January 2024	16.0"	355 x 244 x 21.99 mm	2.45 kg (5.4 lbs)
Razer Blade 14 2024	January 2024	14.0"	319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm	1.78 kg (3.92 lbs)
Razer Blade 18 2024	January 2024	18.0"	399.9 x 275.4 x 21.9 mm	3.1 kg (6.84 lbs)
Razer Blade 14 2023	June 2023	14.0"	319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm	1.78 kg (3.92 lbs)
Razer Blade 16	January 2023	16.0"	355 x 244 x 21.99 mm	2.45 kg (5.4 lbs)
Razer Blade 18	January 2023	18.0"	395 x 260 x 19.9 mm	2.75 kg (6.06 lbs)
Razer Blade 14 2022	January 2022	14.0"	319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm	1.78 kg (3.92 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Razer Blade 16 and Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Razer Blade 16 Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i9 13950HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB
16GB Ram
355 x 244 x 21.99 mm (13.98 x 9.61 x 0.87 inches)
Weight: 2.45 kg (5.4 lbs)

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 10750H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 6GB
16GB Ram
355 x 235 x 19.9 mm (13.98 x 9.25 x 0.78 inches)
Weight: 2.09 kg (4.61 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Razer Blade 16 over Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~85.7% vs ~80.4%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	16 inches vs 15.6 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	240 Hz vs 144 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	189 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
Max Brightness	500 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 14 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	4 nm vs 8 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	16.8 TFLOPS vs 12 TFLOPS	Flexible cable positions
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Left	Faster RAM Type
RAM Type	DDR5 vs DDR4	Faster RAM
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.2 vs v5.1	Higher Resolution Camera
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Faster USB-A
USB-A Port Type	3.2 vs 3.1	Faster USB-C connection
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2

Reasons to choose Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 over Razer Blade 16

Weight	2.09 kg vs 2.45 kg	0.36 kg lighter
Side Bezel Thickness	4.8 mm vs 5.2 mm	0.4 mm thinner bezels
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45

Common Strengths of Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 and Razer Blade 16

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.2 vs v5.1	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v3	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 and Razer Blade 16

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support
Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

Razer Blade 16 vs Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Razer Blade 16 and the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.45 kg (5.4 lbs)	2.09 kg (4.61 lbs)
Surface Area	866 cm2 (134.3 inches2)	834 cm2 (129.3 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~85.7%	~80.4%
Side Bezel Thickness	~5.2 mm	~4.8 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.15 kg/inch	0.13 kg/inch
	0.33 lbs/inch	0.286 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black

Comparison of the Razer Blade 16 and the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 External Dimensions

Weight

Blade 16 weighs 2.45 kg (5.4 lbs), whereas the Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 weighs 2.09 kg (4.61 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

Razer Blade 16 2.45 kg

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 2.07 kg

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 2.09 kg

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 1.95 kg

Thickness Comparison

Razer Blade 16 22.00 mm

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 20.35 mm

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 19.90 mm

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 20.17 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Razer Blade 16 is 0.15 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 is 0.13 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Razer Blade 16 vs Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i9 13950HX	Intel Core i7 10750H Intel Core i7 11800H
Base Frequency	2.2 GHz	2.6 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5.5 GHz	5 GHz
Number of Cores	24	6
Number of Threads	32	12
L3 Cache	36 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (32EU)	Intel UHD Graphics 630
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	14 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	2037	1188
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	20175	5917
Cinebench 23 (Single)	2082	1183
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	28953	7338

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Razer Blade 16 and Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i9 13950HX

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 10750H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 16GB	GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 8GB
Base Clock Frequency	1545 MHz	1215 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1890 MHz	1567 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	115 W	95 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	11.61 TFLOPS	12 TFLOPS
Memory Size	8 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	128 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	2000 MHz 16 Gbps effective	14 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	3072	3840
TMUs	96	120
ROPs	48	48

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Razer Blade 16 has a FLOPS value of 16.8 TFLOPS whereas the Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 ' has a FLOPS value of 12 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Razer Blade 16 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	5600 MHz	2933 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Blade 16 and the Blade 15 Base Edition 2021, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Razer Blade 16	Razer Blade 15 Base Edition (2021)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	95.1 Wh	65 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Right	Left
Charge Power	280 / 330 W	230 W

Moreover, the Blade 16 boasts a larger battery capacity of 95 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Blade 15 Base Edition 2021's65 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Razer Blade 16 95 Wh

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 74.15 Wh

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 65 Wh

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 62.1 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the Blade 16 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Blade 15 Base Edition 2021's max. storage capacity of 512 GB.

Storage Options	1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	512 GB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	2
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Razer Blade 16 vs Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Razer Blade 16 and Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Blade 16 has a display size of 16.0".On the other hand, Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 has a smaller 15.6" display.The total usable screen area of the Blade 16 is 742cm² / 115inch² whereas the Blade 15 Base Edition 2021's total usable screen area is 670cm² / 104inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Blade 16 features a higher pixel density with 189 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Razer Blade 16 189 PPI

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 169 PPI

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 141 PPI

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 144 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Blade 16 offers a higher refresh rate of 240 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
The Blade 16 offers a higher maximum brightness of 500 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Razer Blade 16 500 nits

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 413 nits

Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 300 nits

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 319 nits

Razer Blade 16 vs Razer Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Blade 16 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 have USB-A ports. Blade 16 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 has 3x USB 3.1 USB-A ports.
Both Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 have USB Type-C ports. Blade 16 has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 has 2x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 feature Thunderbolt ports. Blade 16 has Thunderbolt 4, while Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 has Thunderbolt 3.

HDMI
Both Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Both Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both Blade 16 and Blade 15 Base Edition 2021 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.1
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.1
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 3
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes