Razer’s new Blade 15 Base model is just $1,499

Razer’s Blade 15 is one of the best 15-inch gaming laptops. It’s far from a budget purchase, but Razer has released the most affordable model you can buy.

As of today, there’s a new Blade 15 Base model up for preorder that is just $1,499. It’ll ship on December 25th. The model includes a Core i7-10750H, 15.6-inch 120Hz screen, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage, plus an open M.2 slot. For ports, you’ll get two USB 3.2 Gen 2, two USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, and an HDMI 2.0.

Note: these are almost the exact same specs as the $1,599 Blade 15 Base that you can already buy. The biggest difference is that more expensive model has a 144Hz display. As of this writing, that model is on sale for $1,499 on Razer’s website. That means there’s little reason to preorder the upcoming Base model when you can get a better screen right now for the same amount of money. (Both of those prices will likely change down the line.)

Another thing to note is the storage. Let’s face it, 256GB is not a lot of storage for a gaming laptop. You won’t be able to fit a ton of titles on there. The expandable storage means the 256GB is more forgivable, but you’ll still need to go through the hassle of buying an additional drive if you plan to upgrade. Alternatively, a Blade 15 Base with a 512GB SSD is currently on sale for $1,599 on Razer’s website, which is only $100 more than the base model. As long as it stays at that price, it’s certainly better value. (You’ll also get the 144Hz screen, as well as a GeForce RTX 2060, and you can buy the model right now rather than having to preorder.)

But if $1,499 really hits the sweet spot for you, and you’ve missed the sale on the 144Hz model, you can preorder the new Blade 15 Base model on Razer’s website.