Performance and Battery Life
Razer has simplified configuration options with the new Blade Stealth, so it's easier to get a read on the performance provided by this laptop. As it stands today, there's a sole hardware configuration available: a Core i7-7500U processor with 16GB of RAM and a QHD+ touchscreen display. Storage is the only component that can be modified, with 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options available.
The Core i7-7500U is not new, and it's the same Kaby Lake dual-core found in the previous Blade Stealth I reviewed back in February. So we're still seeing two cores, four threads clocked at 2.7 GHz with a boost frequency up to 3.5 GHz.
The Blade Stealth has integrated graphics only, namely Intel's HD 620 clocked up to 1050 MHz. Some people seem to get surprised when I mention this Razer product doesn't include dedicated graphics, considering Razer's roots in PC gaming, but the Blade Stealth isn't designed for gaming: it's an ultraportable, just like other slim 13-inch machines.
I'm not going to spend a lot of time discussing the performance of the new Blade Stealth, because it's basically identical to its predecessor. In some tests the old Blade Stealth is faster, in other tests the new one is faster, but on average everything is about equal.
I kind of like that Razer has removed the Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, instead opting for variants that include better components. 128GB of storage is too tight for a modern machine, so I'd always recommend people purchase the more expensive model anyway.
One of the more interesting areas of the Blade Stealth to assess is the battery life. This model comes with the same battery capacity as its predecessor - 53.6 Wh - however with a larger display at a higher resolution. Razer claims the Blade Stealth is still good for up to 9 hours of battery life, the same as the previous 1440p model.
In practice however, battery life has been reduced slightly from the previous model. I don't think battery life is particularly fantastic, however in general usage I also didn't think it was terrible.